Plot summary
A nine years old Osbert is the second son of Ealdorman (Earl) Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg in Northumbria during the year 866 AD. Danes arrive on Bebbanburg's shores, and Ealdorman Uhtred's first son, also called Uhtred, is killed while scouting. Ealdorman Uhtred then renames Osbert as Uhtred, son of Uhtred. Ealdorman Uhtred, other local nobles and their raised army are killed during a disastrous attack on Danish-seized Eoferwic (York) the following year, with the younger 10 years old Uhtred being captured by Danish Jarl Ragnar the Fearless. Ragnar, amused by the boy's bravery in attacking him, keeps him and raises him like one of his own sons, including training him to be a warrior. Uhtred's uncle, Ælfric, takes Bebbanburg and usurps the title of ealdorman and Bebbanburg from Uhtred, the rightful heir.
Uhtred befriends Ragnar's youngest son, Rorik, and has many clashes with one boy in particular, Sven, son of Kjartan, one of Ragnar's shipmasters. One day, Sven kidnaps Ragnar's daughter, Thyra, and removes part of her clothing in an effort to sexually assault her. Uhtred charges Sven, taking Sven's sword and attacking him with it. Uhtred, Rorik, and Thyra escape back to Ragnar's hall. Ragnar dismisses Kjartan from his service when Kjartan makes light of his son's behaviour. He also crushes one of Sven's eyes with the hilt of his sword – adding darkly that he would have crushed both, had Sven stripped Thyra completely naked.
Uhtred joins Ragnar and the Danes on raids across East Anglia, and participates in the conquests of Mercia and East Anglia, and the invasion of Wessex. He is kidnapped at the instigation of a priest, Beocca, an old family friend. He escapes from Wessex and rejoins Ragnar.
Uhtred enjoys life with Ragnar, but while he is out one night at the age of 15 during the year 872 AD, Kjartan and his men set fire to Ragnar's hall and kill everyone trying to escape, except for Thyra. Ragnar remains inside rather than die on Kjartan's terms. Thyra is captured and given to Sven.
Uhtred then joins King Alfred in Wessex during the year 874 AD. There he reluctantly learns to read and write at Alfred's insistence, because the king's military commanders must be able to read his written orders. He is given command of Alfred's new small fleet of 12 ships. After a battle with the Danes, he meets with Ragnar the Younger, Earl Ragnar's eldest son, and tells him how his father died and that Thyra was kidnapped. They part friends, swearing that one day they will take revenge on Kjartan and rescue Thyra.
Alfred orders Uhtred to marry an orphaned Wessex girl Mildrith in order to try to bind him to Wessex. Uhtred is not told that, by marrying her, he will also assume her father's enormous debt to the Church.
Afterwards, he takes part in a siege against Guthrum, and is among a group of hostages exchanged when the Danes and West Saxons make peace. Staying with the Danes in the city over the winter, he again meets Ragnar, who saves him from death when Guthrum breaks the peace and murders the other Saxon hostages. Uhtred then escapes to find his wife. She was taken by Odda the Younger, another Wessex ealdorman, to the north.
At the age of 20, during the 877 AD, he fights in the critical Battle of Cynwit, where he kills the renowned Danish leader Ubba in single combat. Uhtred then rides to Exanceaster to find his wife and newborn son, instead of going immediately to personally inform Alfred of his victory as strongly advised by his wiser friend.
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