List of The Last Kingdom episodes

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The Last Kingdom is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories series of novels.[1] The first season debuted on BBC America on 10 October 2015, and BBC Two on 22 October 2015. The second season premiered 16 March 2017 and was a joint venture between the BBC and Netflix. Netflix bought the rights exclusively for the third season, which was released on 19 November 2018. On July 7, 2020 The Last Kingdom’s verified Twitter account confirmed that Season 5 had been green lit. The announcement featured Alexander Dreymon informing members of the cast that the show had been renewed.

As of 19 November 2018, 36 episodes of The Last Kingdom have been released, concluding the third series. On 26 December 2018, the series was renewed for a fourth season by Netflix,[2] which was released on 26 April 2020.[3]

Series overview[]

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
1810 October 2015 (2015-10-10)28 November 2015 (2015-11-28)BBC Two
2816 March 2017 (2017-03-16)4 May 2017 (2017-05-04)
31019 November 2018 (2018-11-19)Netflix
41026 April 2020 (2020-04-26)

Episodes[]

Series 1 (2015)[]

No.
overall		No. in
season		EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
11Episode 1Nick MurphyStephen Butchard10 October 2015 (2015-10-10) (US)
22 October 2015 (UK)		2.02[4]
In 866, Danish earl Ragnar leads a fleet of dragonships to the coast of Northumbria, where he kills the eldest son of the Saxon Lord of Bebbanburg Uhtred (Matthew Macfadyen). Uhtred engages Ragnar and his Danish army at Eoferwic. The Danes feign a retreat, leading the reserves of the Saxon army to attack, and then be flanked by a hidden force of Danes. Uhtred is killed, and his 10-year-old son Uhtred and a Saxon girl named Brida are taken as slaves by Ragnar. The boy later saves the Earl's daughter Thyra from Sven, son of Kjartan, one of Ragnar's ship captains. Sven is blinded in one eye as punishment and Kjartan is banished. Uhtred and Brida are adopted into Ragnar's family and raised as Danes and pagans. In young adulthood, Uhtred and Brida see Earl Ragnar killed when his hall is burned by a vengeful Kjartan and Sven. Only Thyra survives and she is captured. Uhtred decides to embark on the task of regaining his lands from his uncle, Aelfric, who has usurped Uhtred's titles and inheritance and is now aligned with the Danes.
22Episode 2Nick MurphyStephen Butchard17 October 2015 (2015-10-17) (US)
29 October 2015 (UK)		1.54[5]
Uhtred is blamed for the death of Earl Ragnar during a reported Saxon uprising in the North. He pleads his innocence to Danish warlords Ubba and Guthrum, but he watches while they murder East Anglian King Edmund in the manner of Christian martyr Saint Sebastian. Ubba and Guthrum do not believe that Uhtred is innocent of Ragnar's death, so Uhtred and Brida flee to Winchester, capital of Wessex and the last surviving Saxon kingdom. There, Uhtred supplies information of an impending Danish attack, but Lord Alfred, brother of King Æthelred is uncertain whether the young couple can be trusted and advises the king to imprison them pending the outcome of the battle.
33Episode 3Anthony ByrneStephen Butchard24 October 2015 (2015-10-24) (US)
5 November 2015 (UK)		1.58[6]
King Æthelred and Alfred win the battle, but the king is mortally wounded, bequeathing his crown to Alfred rather than his own son, Æthelwold. Uhtred and Brida are released and Alfred seeks a peace treaty with Guthrum and Ubba. Uhtred advises Alfred what the Danes fear and watches Alfred negotiate a peace to give Wessex time to prepare for future battles. Uhtred trains the Saxon army to be ready to face the Danes after pledging his allegiance to Alfred for a year. Brida miscarries Uhtred's child. Earl Ragnar's son, Ragnar the Younger, appears having returned from Ireland, seeking the truth about the death of Earl Ragnar. Realizing that Uhtred will not break his word to Alfred, Brida leaves with Ragnar who is bent on revenge against Kjartan.
44Episode 4Anthony ByrneStephen Butchard31 October 2015 (2015-10-31) (US)
12 November 2015 (UK)		1.60[7]
In order to gain land and become an Ealdorman, Uhtred is persuaded by Alfred to marry Mildrith. Unbeknown to Uhtred, she bears the burden of her deceased father's debt to the church, two thousand shillings. Uhtred realises he has been tricked. Despite this, love blossoms, and Mildrith becomes pregnant. The Danes, under Guthrum and Ragnar the Younger, capture the fortified town of Wareham. During peace talks, Uhtred and nine others, including a priest, are used in a hostage exchange with the Danes, with Uhtred sent by Alfred with instructions to escape and report back as soon as he learns of Ubba's return from Ireland. He meets his brother Ragnar and Brida again, who are now together. Meanwhile, Mildrith gives birth to a son. When the peace collapses, with Ubba's imminent return from Ireland, the hostages are all killed except Uhtred, who is allowed to leave after Ragnar's intervention. He spies a large Danish fleet under Guthrum, and lights the first beacon warning Wessex of a new invasion.
55Episode 5Ben ChananStephen Butchard7 November 2015 (2015-11-07) (US)
19 November 2015 (UK)		1.60[8]
Guthrum's Danish fleet lands in the south but loses many ships in a huge storm. Alfred goes south to defend against Guthrum and Uhtred joins the force led by Odda the Elder, facing Ubba and the Danes at Cynwit on the Severn. Uhtred sneaks into the Danish camp and sets fire to some of their ships, causing confusion. But he is spotted and forced to fight Ubba to the death. He kills Ubba and Odda's forces arrive and defeat the Danes. But Odda is injured and, in Winchester, Odda the Younger persuades Alfred that the victory was his work. Uhtred objects and is humiliated by Alfred. Mildrith, Uhtred, and their baby son (also Uhtred) return to their lands. Uhtred kills Oswald, the estate's steward, after realising that he has been cheating him.
66Episode 6Ben ChananStephen Butchard14 November 2015 (2015-11-14) (US)
26 November 2015 (UK)		1.55[9]
Uhtred and Leofric leave Wessex with armed fighters dressed as Danes, to raid Cornwall and pay off Uhtred's debts. They are approached by Brother Asser, a monk. His king, Peradur, pays Uhtred and his band to attack a nearby fort held by Skorpa of the White Horse and his Vikings. Uhtred and Skorpa double-cross and kill Peradur and his men. Skorpa then double-crosses Uhtred to take the king's treasure. But Peradur's pagan queen Iseult shows Uhtred the hidden treasure. Uhtred pays off his debt to the church with some of the plunder. Uhtred and Iseult arrive at Alfred's court, where Uhtred is accused in the Witan by Asser of raiding Cornish territory. Leofric, who is forced to testify against Uhtred, pleads with Alfred to resolve the dispute by fighting Uhtred to the death.
77Episode 7Peter HoarStephen Butchard21 November 2015 (2015-11-21) (US)
3 December 2015 (UK)		1.54[10]
Alfred offers to pardon Uhtred in return for resuming his debt to the church and sending Iseult back to Cornwall, but Uhtred refuses to abandon Iseult. During Leofric and Uhtred's fight to the death, Guthrum's army attacks and captures Winchester without a fight. Uhtred, Leofric, and Iseult rescue a nun, Hild who is being raped by Danes and escape Winchester, hiding in the Somerset marshlands. There they discover Alfred, fleeing the Danes with his family and a group of his priests to Athelney. The king sends a message to Wulfhere, Beocca and Asser, who rally to him with their remaining forces. Iseult cures Alfred's sick son Edward but warns that another child will die as a result. Skorpa's fleet of ships is moored elsewhere in the marshes. Uhtred and his men lure the guards into the deeper marshes, where they are killed and their ships set alight.
88Episode 8Peter HoarStephen Butchard28 November 2015 (2015-11-28) (US)
10 December 2015 (UK)		1.65[11]
Wulfhere and his men desert Alfred to join Guthrum. Alfred and his remaining force journey to Odda in the hope of gathering an army. Uhtred discovers his son has died, fulfilling Iseult's prophecy. Iseult also reveals that Uhtred's sister Thyra is still alive. Alfred sends messages for loyal troops to gather at Egbert's Stone. Odda the Younger rejects Alfred's request for troops. Odda the Elder kills his son for his treason, and his men join Alfred and meet up with the other troops. Alfred delivers a rousing battle speech and Uhtred leads the army in a shield wall. The Saxons push the Danes back but Leofric is mortally wounded. Skorpa leads his horsemen behind the Saxon army and slaughters all the camp followers, including Iseult. Skorpa taunts Uhtred with Iseult's severed head and on seeing this Uhtred goes berserk, breaks rank and charges over the Viking shield wall. His rage opens a gap that allows the Saxons to pour through the Danes' defense and claim victory. Young Ragnar and Brida are taken as hostages to secure the new peace with the Danes, and Guthrum converts to Christianity having seen Alfred's victory as proof that his 'God is with him'. Uhtred, Hild, and Halig ride north to Bebbanburg.

Series 2 (2017)[]

No.
overall		No. in
season		EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
91Episode 1Peter HoarStephen Butchard16 March 2017 (2017-03-16)1.60[12]
In 878, the fearless and instinctive warrior Uhtred begins his voyage north to reclaim his ancestral lands of Bebbanburg. Alfred's conviction to unite the kingdoms of England is stronger than ever, and he sets his sights on the wildlands of the north, which have fallen under the control of the Danish warlords Erik and Sigefrid. Beocca recruits Uhtred and his companions to rescue Guthred, the king of Cumberland, from his Danish captors. Guthred is both Dane and Christian and the hope is that he will unite northern England against the pagan invaders. Guthred is held for ransom by Sven, and Uhtred pretends to be an undead warrior, sent by Odin to avenge the death of Ragnar the Elder. The ploy works and the Danes are scattered. At his keep in Dunholm, Kjartan hears the word of Uhtred's presence in Northumbria and plots revenge.
102Episode 2Peter HoarStephen Butchard23 March 2017 (2017-03-23)N/A
Kjartan's spies infiltrate the Cumberland camp. Uhtred is attacked, but saved by his warriors. Hild goes on a journey of self-discovery as she considers exchanging her life as a nun for that of a warrior, and Guthred's efforts to emulate Alfred's conciliatory tactics backfire when his indecision and lack of ruthlessness weaken the Saxons' position. Uhtred and Guthred's sister Gisela discover a mutual attraction while the Cumberland count brokers a truce with Erik and Sigefrid. Uhtred swears loyalty to Guthred as his ealdorman, but Guthred's advisor Eadred convinces Guthred that Uhtred's popularity among the men will eventually lead to Uhtred usurping the crown. Guthred enters an alliance with Uhtred's uncle Ælfric and has Uhtred made a slave, to be sold off. Uhtred's follower Halig refuses to leave his master and is sold as well.
113Episode 3Jon EastBen Vanstone30 March 2017 (2017-03-30)N/A
Uhtred and Halig are thrown in chains on a ship by the Icelandic slaver Sverri. The lords of the north congregate in Eoferwic, where Ælfric abandons his alliance with Guthred due to him not being presented with Uhtred's head. Erik and Sigefrid break their truce with Guthred as well, now that he has no backing. Uhtred and Halig are brought to the Norse colony at Húsavík as timber workers. After a failed escape attempt, Sverri has Halig bound to the prow of his ship, where he eventually dies. That spring, Uhtred is brought back to England to be sold to Sven. Young Ragnar arrives and rescues Uhtred, having been instructed by Alfred to bring his field commander back. Hild nurses Uhtred back to health. Eadred tries to force Gisela into marriage with Ælfric to rekindle the alliance, with a proxy standing in for the missing Ælfric. Uhtred and Ragnar interrupt the "marriage", and Eadred is killed by Uhtred after taunting him numerous times. In Wessex, Alfred confronts Uhtred about the murder. As Ragnar held responsibility for Uhtred, Alfred blames him and blackmails Uhtred into swearing fealty once more to save Ragnar from retribution.
124Episode 4Jon EastSophie Petzal6 April 2017 (2017-04-06)N/A
The followers of Ragnar the Younger, led by Rollo, gather to avenge the death of Ragnar the Elder. They decide in order to have sufficient men to storm Dunholm, Guthred's men are needed and an alliance is necessary. However, Brida does not want Ragnar's men to die for Guthred, whom she dubs "the Turd". Uhtred sneaks into Erik and Sigefrid's camp and attempts to assassinate Sigefrid. He fails but manages to cut off Sigefrid's sword hand and take him hostage. In order to save his brother, Erik agrees to leave England. Uhtred then presents Sigefrid's hand to Guthred and confronts him about his betrayal. Guthred agrees to support Ragnar's campaign against Kjartan. Uhtred and Beocca infiltrate Dunholm through a secret entrance and let Ragnar's and Guthred's forces into the keep. In the ensuing battle, Rollo and Sven are killed, and Ragnar duels with Kjartan to the death. Thyra scolds her brothers for not rescuing her years ago, but Beocca soothes her and helps her deal with her trauma.
135Episode 5Jamie DonoughueStephen Butchard13 April 2017 (2017-04-13)N/A
Three years have passed since the battle of Dunholm, and Uhtred still serves Alfred as lord of the Wessex town of Coccham. Despite the peace of recent years, trouble is brewing in nearby East Anglia and Æthelwold brings Uhtred a strange tale, along with a proposition that is hard to ignore. Uhtred's continued strong will and latent restlessness create tension and strain during a royal visit from Alfred, and an unexpected meeting with the Northman Erik gives Uhtred more food for thought, although it puts him and Gisela at odds. Meanwhile, at Winchester, preparations for the royal wedding are underway, as Æthelred of Mercia arrives. Beocca confides in Uhtred and is left with an important question to ask.
146Episode 6Jamie DonoughueStephen Butchard20 April 2017 (2017-04-20)N/A
Winchester celebrates Æthelred and Æthelflæd's wedding, but the festivities are short-lived as the clouds of war gather and Alfred runs out of options to keep the peace. When rumors swirl, Alfred's mistrust of Uhtred deepens and Uhtred is relegated in his duties as the warlord of Wessex. Æthelred is called to step forward, but a fatal mistake allows Erik and Sigefrid to outwit the Saxons. Terror reigns.
157Episode 7Richard SeniorStephen Butchard27 April 2017 (2017-04-27)N/A
Æthelflæd is missing and Æthelred and the Saxons return to Winchester to break the news to King Alfred, while Uhtred goes home to Gisela with plans to uncover the truth by his own means. Alfred's stubborn determination causes Odda to question whether the will of the king and the good of the kingdom are at odds – will he need to make a choice of loyalty between the two? Uhtred and Sigefrid come face to face for the first time since the Northmen's banishment from Northumbria, and Uhtred is confronted with a decision that will define the fate of Wessex.
168Episode 8Richard SeniorStephen Butchard4 May 2017 (2017-05-04)N/A
When King Alfred is told the great sum of Æthelflæd's ransom – and the horror that will likely befall his daughter if Wessex does not pay – he feels there can be only one way forward, despite this jeopardizing the kingdom. Suspicions at Beamfleot threaten to unravel the lovers' escape plan, and Uhtred must think on his feet if he is to secure Æthelflæd's freedom and save Wessex. Odda risks everything for the kingdom and makes an unlikely ally, while Gisela and Uhtred contemplate a future as enemies of Alfred. In a devastating showdown at Beamfleot, there is passion, heartbreak, and treachery.

Series 3 (2018)[]

No.
overall		No. in
season		EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
171Episode 1Erik LeijonborgStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Seer Skade has a vision that Alfred will be felled in battle by Viking warlord Bloodhair. Haesten warns Alfred of Bloodhair's army. He has word send to Æthelred of Mercia to unite with the forces of Wessex. Æthelred declines and Æthelflæd rallies the troops instead. In Aweltun, Uhtred and his men capture Skade, who was left behind by Bloodhair after he razed the town. Skade curses Uhtred. At Aescengum, Skade tells Alfred he will not see another summer, Æthelwold warns Uhtred of a quarrel between Sigebriht of Kent and the heir apparent Edward, and Bloodhair appears to negotiate for Skade. However, Uhtred pretends to escape with the seer to draw out Bloodhair's army. He meets with the Mercians and they battle Bloodhair. Alfred's men arrive and the Danes are crushed between the shield walls, but Bloodhair escapes. In Winchester, Uhtred is told by Hild that his wife has died giving birth to his son.
182Episode 2Erik LeijonborgStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Uhtred exhumes his wife to burn her body instead, however, he is seen and called for by Alfred. There, Brother Godwin mocks him over Gisela's death and Uhtred accidentally kills him. Alfred attempts to blackmail Uhtred into swearing an oath to Edward, but Uhtred declines and takes him hostage to secure his escape. He makes for Dunholm and falls sick on the way, believing Skade's curse to be responsible. Meanwhile, Æthelwold takes the news first to Æthelred and later to Bloodhair and Haesten, who he hopes will join with Ragnar at Dunholm to create a Great Danish Army. Adhelm is tasked by Æthelred to have Æthelflæd killed and further weaken Alfred. At Dunholm, Brida temporarily disables Skade’s curse with a Nithstong and Uhtred recovers. Although questioned by Ragnar’s cousin Cnut, Uhtred swears to life as a Dane.
193Episode 3Andy De EmmonyStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Adhelm warns Æthelflæd of Æthelred's plot and she escapes to Wincelcumb nunnery. At the court, Alfred tasks Beocca with finding a bride for Edward, but Ælswith asks Beocca to decide in favour of Æthelhelm, ealdorman of Wiltunscir. Bloodhair, Haesten, and Æthelwold arrive in Dunholm, while Alfred seizes Uhtred's property in Coccham and orders for his children to be taken to Winchester. Æthelflæd's maid Sable delivers two letters from Æthelflæd to Beocca, asking him to find Uhtred for help. Bloodhair wants to fight Uhtred for Skade, but Ragnar declines. Eventually, Ragnar, Bloodhair, Haesten, and Uhtred decide to join forces against Wessex, although unrest grows amongst Uhtred’s Saxon men. Beocca and Thyra follow Uhtred to Dunholm, where Beocca reminds him of his promise to come to Æthelflæd's aid when needed. Uhtred deserts the Danes, at which point Ragnar gives in to Bloodhair's request for a duel to the death.
204Episode 4Andy De EmmonyStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Uhtred bests Bloodhair, but Ragnar interrupts the fight, and Uhtred and Skade leave Dunholm. At Wincelcumb, he meets Æthelflæd, while Alfred, having learned of the Great Danish Army through Haesten, sends word to Æthelred to ready his troops. Haesten goes to Wincelcumb to take revenge on Æthelflæd, who he suspects to be hiding there. When Haesten's men try to take the nunnery, they are surprised by Uhtred and his men. Their numbers decimated, Haesten agrees to negotiate and Uhtred exchanges Æthelflæd for Skade, whom he must now recover to prevent her curse from ruining his life. At the Viking camp, Æthelwold proposes to Cnut to dispose of Ragnar, and Cnut agrees. Ragnar takes a woman to his tent to father a child, because Brida appears infertile. In his sleep, he is stabbed by Æthelwold. Æthelwold prevents him from seizing his sword –– and therefore from entering Valhalla. Finally, Æthelwold sets the scene to suggest that Ragnar’s woman attacked him and he killed her in self-defense.
215Episode 5Jon EastBen Vanstone19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
As false news of Alfred's death spread across the country, Bloodhair and Cnut take control over the Danish Army in the aftermath of Ragnar's death and continue their march towards Wessex. Brida buries Ragnar and informs Uhtred of his brother's fate –– to walk in the icy cold of Niflheim forever. Uhtred meets Alfred at Æglesburgh, but is denied men to attack Haesten and recapture Skade under the pretense of weakening the Great Danish Army, although Æthelflæd reveals Haesten's true allegiance. However, Edward goes behind his father's back and gives Uhtred his word. When Edward pleads Alfred for his army, Alfred, though disappointed, decides to give Edward the opportunity to prove himself a worthy successor. At Beamfleot, Uhtred draws out Haesten, but Alfred does not launch his attack.
226Episode 6Jon EastSophie Petzal19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Edward initiates the attack. Haesten is defeated but flees the battlefield with Skade. Uhtred returns to Æthelflæd's estate, where he gets into an argument with Sihtric, who frees Danish prisoners and leaves to join the Danes. Meanwhile, Cnut sends Æthelwold back to Winchester to kill Uhtred. At Ragnar's grave, Uhtred reunites with Brida. They set out to find Storri, who they hope will be able to aid them in helping Ragnar cross from Niflheim to Valhalla. On the way, Uhtred and Brida reconcile, as Uhtred finally reveals how he only came to serve Alfred again to save Ragnar's life, who was held accountable by Alfred for Uhtred’s slaying of Eadred. After finding Storri, he explains that Ragnar must be avenged by killing his murderer with a blade soaked in Ragnar’s blood. Brida dispatches Storri and discloses that he had cursed her when she violated him with a branch and killing the seer without breaking their skin is the only way to break a curse. Uhtred and Brida split up, with Uhtred going to retrieve Thyra’s blood –– Ragnar’s last blood relative –– and Brida re-joining the Danes to find Ragnar’s murderer.
237Episode 7Jan MatthysLydia Adetunji19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Uhtred is attacked by Æthelwold's men. He manages to capture their ringleader and sends him back to the Danes with a message warning them of his imminent revenge. Meanwhile, Æthelwold is incarcerated in Winchester. Brida agrees to a relationship with Cnut, just as Edward finally meets his future wife Ælflæd. Uhtred makes for Skade. At Crugland, they are kept by a traitorous thegn, who intends to deliver them to the Danes. They escape by torching the village. Bloodhair and Haesten fight for Skade and with Skade’s help, Haesten kills Bloodhair. Æthelwold is brought before Alfred, who orders for one of his eyes to be taken as punishment for his deeds. Outside the Viking camp, Uhtred reunites with Sihtric. It turns out their argument was staged to trick the Danish prisoners into accepting a spy into their army. They recapture Skade and escape by boat.
248Episode 8Jan MatthysStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
As nobility from all over the country flocks to Winchester for Edward's wedding, Æthelwold and Sigebriht conspire against the ætheling and against Uhtred. In Coccham, Uhtred learns that his children have been taken to Winchester. He drowns Skade in a river and breaks the curse. Alfred, feeling that the end of his life has come, confesses to Ælswith that Edward will need Uhtred in the future, but she does not share his conviction. With the help of his men, Uhtred, still, an outlaw of Wessex, returns to Winchester in secret, where he acquires Thyra's blood. Æthelwold becomes suspicious, but Thyra and Beocca hide Uhtred in their house. Beocca arranges for Uhtred and Alfred to meet. Waiting for Alfred to arrive, Uhtred finds the first version of Alfred's chronicle.
259Episode 9Ed BazalgetteStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Alfred tells Uhtred about the chronicle and discuss Edward, religion, and Christianity. Alfred admits he wanted to inflict pain on him but confess that the decision was selfish and irrational, then admits he was wrong and did not get Uhtred the respect he deserved. In the meantime, Ælswith overhears them talking, enters the room, and tells Alfred she does not want Uhtred by Edward's side. Alfred wonders what will come in the future instead. Æthelwold and Sigebriht continue their scheme and start a rumor that Uhtred is nearby waiting to get revenge. Alfred pardons Uhtred. Cnut embraces Brida, but he lies to her about the death of Ragnar. Back in Winchester, Tidman is confronted for harassing Thyra, where Beocca ends up headbutting him. Alfred passes away after Uhtred confirms he will stay to ensure Edward is named king. Ælswith rescinds the royal pardon and Uhtred is locked in a cell. Tidman continues harassing Thyra and she flees from him, hiding in her home. Tidman finds her and sets fire to the house. Thyra manages to kill him with a knife, but remains trapped under the floorboards while the blaze continues.
2610Episode 10Ed BazalgetteStephen Butchard19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)
Finan and Sihtric rush to put out the fire but realize that Thyra could still be inside, the fire gets far worse and Thyra takes the knife and kills herself. After that, Beocca rushes to the scene and cries for her. Æthelwold discusses with Æthelred to negotiate with the Danes and let them slaughter Edward and his allies. At the jail, Æthelflæd pleas with Uhtred to leave Wessex, as Ælswith has banished him. Beocca interrupts and gives Uhtred the news of Thyra. At the camp, Haesten fires up the Danes army by telling them that Alfred is dead. Uhtred's pardon is upheld by Edward, after which Uhtred sides with Edward as a free man and prepares for the battle. Uhtred confronts Sigebriht before traveling to Bedanford with the Wessex army. Uhtred intends to kill the man who killed Ragnar using a blade marked with Thyra's blood. On the other side, Brida discovers the name of her brother's killer and sends Jackdaw to deliver a message to Uhtred. The battle of the two armies begins after the Mercians of Æthelred arrived. Sigebriht reaches the battle late as planned and decided to fight for Saxon. At this point, Haesten sees Sigebriht with Wessex and says that they have been betrayed. Battle ensues and Cnut manages to kill Sigebriht. Uhtred and Brida stare down Æthelwold. He makes a run but is cornered and killed by Uhtred. Edward wins his first battle as the chronicles mentioned and Ragnar finally crosses into Valhalla.

Series 4 (2020)[]

No.
overall		No. in
season		EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
271Episode 1Ed BazalgetteMartha Hillier26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
In Bebbanburg, Lord Aelfric loses half his men in a battle with raiders from Scotland. Finan and Osferth, who have been spying on Aelfric, return to Coccham and tell Uhtred of the attacks. Uhtred plans to strike Bebbanburg before the Scots return and Aelfric has a chance to increases his depleted numbers. He asks Edward for support, but he refuses. Father Beocca and Uhtred’s son Young Uhtred, a cleric, are willing and unwilling accomplices, respectively. Haesten sees that Cnut is moving his men from East Anglia, presumes that they are going to Ireland, and tells Eardwulf who is now commander of Aethelred's guard. Eardwulf informs Aethelred, who sees this as an opportunity to conquer East Anglia. To increase his chances of success, he sends monks to Bebbanburg to buy St. Oswald’s heart, a holy relic, from Aelfric. Uhtred plans to use the monks as camouflage to gain entry to Bebbanburg. King Edward has started to increasingly depend on Aethelhelm, who tells him of Cnut’s move to Ireland. Edward wants the defences along the Wessex border to be increased nonetheless. In reality, Cnut and Brida are planning to invade Mercia, defeat Aethelred and Edward, and take over Mercia and Wessex.
282Episode 2Ed BazalgetteMartha Hillier26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
Young Uhtred despises Uhtred’s heathen and unforgiving ways. Lady Aelswith informs King Edward that Aethelred’s goal of uniting all of the holy relics of St. Oswald means he intends to break with Wessex and attempt to restore Mercia to greatness. Lord Aethelhelm advises Edward to ignore her concerns. Aelfric decides to sell Oswald’s heart in order to raise money to hire men. Aethelred is pursuing Eadith, Eardwulf’s sister, thus far, in vain. Cnut and his army have arrived at Tetsworth in Mercia. Cnut sends his twin boys away with Haesten to keep them safe. Brida admits to Haeston that she is expecting Cnut’s child, but want to keep the pregnancy secret until the battle with the Saxons is over. Although he had been banished and was presumed drowned, Aelfric’s son, Wihtgar returns to Bebbanburg with his own battle-tested men. Lady Aelswith visits Edward’ first wife, Ecgwynn and her son and expresses remorse for her past behaviour. Uhtred arrives in Bebbanburg and enters the fortress under cover of darkness. Young Uhtred identifies himself to Aelfric and Uhtred prevents his murder. Uhtred offers to take over the men of Bebbanburg but they decline due to their loyalty to Wihtgar. Wihtgar kills Aelfric.
293Episode 3Sarah O'GormanCharlotte Wolf26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
Wihtgar shoots his crossbow to kill Young Uhtred. Beocca throws himself in from of the arrow, saves Young Uhtred and dies in the process. Uhtred and his men escape to their ship. Cnut has invaded Mercia, while Aethelred rampages through East Anglia. Cnut waits at Tameworthig for a battle with Edward, who is expected to defend Mercia in Aethelred’s absence. Edward wants to wait for Aethelred’s return before going to battle. Aethelflaed thinks that no time can be lost and leaves Wessex in secret to summon Mercian fyrds. Lady Aelswith promises her that if she amasses her forces at Tettenhall, she will ensure that Edward’s army will join her there. Aethelhelm advises Edward to sacrifice Mercia in order to rid himself of Aethelred. Aethelred is camped at Lena in East Anglia and is making progress claiming Viking-held land. Aethelred tells Eardwulf and his sister, Eadith, that he will pardon the disgrace of their family name if Eardwulf ensures that all of East Anglia is conquered. Uhtred is devastated by the loss of this oldest friend and of Bebbanburg. He encounters Haesten, who tells him that Cnut orchestrated Ragnar’s death, and of the invasion of Mercia. He kidnaps Cnuts’s twin boys.
304Episode 4Sarah O'GormanJamie Crichton26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
Father Pyrlig is sent by Aelswith to Wales to ask for help from King Hywel. Uhtred has joined Aethelflaed in Aylesbury. The fortress is attacked by Cnut’s men who want to capture Aethelflaed. Uhtred threatens to kill one of Cnut’s sons. Cnut’s man, Bjorgulf, calls his bluff. Uhtred throws them the decapitated body of a dead child and they retreat. Uhtred lets Cnut’s sons go. Eardwulf realizes he must tell Aethelred of the Viking invasion of Mercia. Eadwith sleeps with Aethelred to soften his reaction when he hears the news. Aethelred blames Eardwulf and promises revenge. Aethelhelm tells Edward of Aelswith’s subterfuge in sending Pyrlig to Wales. He confronts her and she tells him that his men will revile him if he lets Aethelflaed die. Bjorgulf, tells Cnut of his son’s death. Incensed, Cnut orders his men to march immediately to rescue his remaining son. The Mercian fyrds and the Welsh battle the Danes at Tettenhall. Aethelred’s army arrives to enter the fray. When all appears lost, Edward’s army determines the outcome. While Uhtred fights Cnut, Brida hears of his betrayal of Ragnar. She kills him. The Welsh take Brida prisoner. She asks Uhtred to kill her, but he refuses.
315Episode 5Andy HayMartha Hillier26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
Aethelred is gravely ill from injuries sustained in the battle of Tettenhall. Eardwulf sees an opportunity in Aethelred’s imminent demise. Eadith would prefer if they simply abscond. Eardwulf refuses. Aethelflaed and Uhtred decide to travel to Aylesbury to address the Ealdormen about who is to be Aethelred’s successor. Aethelflaed asks Aethelred to find a suitable match for Aelfwynn to ensure the succession of the crown. Edward arrives in Aylesbury with an army. He instructs Aethelhelm to have his mother publicly rebuked for raising King Hywel’s army, who makes arrangements to have Aelswith imprisoned in Winchester. Aethelhelm tries to persuade Edward to assume control of Mercia. Edward considers bethrothing Aelfwynn to Eardwulf. Aethelred tells Eardwulf he will never agree to this. Eardwulf kills Aethelred. Aethelflaed is outraged at Edward’s betrothal plans. He tells Eardwulf to confine Aethelflaed until the betrothal is finalised. Uhtred goes to Saltwic, where his daughter, Stiorra, Aethelflaed’s daughter, Aelfwynn, and Edward’s first son, Aethelstan, reside. He and his men plan to bring them to Ceaster to safety. Eadith helps Aethelflaed to flee. She asks Eadith to find Uhtred and to tell him to meet her at St Milburg’s priory in Wenloca.
326Episode 6Andy HayMartha Hillier26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
Eadith finds Uhtred who turns back en route to Ceaster, to meet Aethelflaed. They encounter starving Saxons who are fleeing a plague. To avoid the sites of infection they decide to travel on foot to Wenloca. Aethelflaed waits with Aldhelm at Wenloca, but loses heart when Uhtred doesn’t turn up. Uhtred arrives at Wenloca to find that Aethelflaed has departed. Stiorra tells Young Ragnar that she feels more Danish than Saxon. The Ealdormen refuse to confirm Eardwulf’s betrothal to Aelfwynn. He defies Edward’s instructions and sets off with some Mercian men to search for the fugitives. Aelswith escapes from Winchester. At Aylesbury, Aethelhelm bars her entry to the fortress, the gates of which have been closed to peasants seeking shelter from the plague. Edward overrules the Ealdormen and opens the gates, thereby creating suspicion that he has designs to control Mercia. Brida is a slave in Wales. Her Welsh captors take great delight in torturing and humiliating her. Aelswith discovers that Edward imprisoned Aethelflaed and has sent men to hunt her and Aelfwynn. Eardwulf and Mercian soldiers track down Uhtred and his companions. When they try to capture Aelfwynn, Eadith tells them that Eardwulf murdered Aethelred. Eardwulf flees.
337Episode 7David MooreJamie Crichton26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
While Aethelred is being interred in Aylesbury, Father Pyrlig helps Uhtred and his companions to enter the fortress. Uhtred enters the Witan that takes place after the funeral and tells the Ealdormen, and Edward, of Eardwulf’s treachery. Edward tells Uhtred he is a traitor and has him imprisoned. Lord Aethelhelm tortures Uhtred in a failed attempt to establish the whereabouts of Aelfwynn. Edward begins to understand that Aethelhelm is following his own agenda. He sets Uhtred free, dismisses Aethelhelm as an advisor and instructs him to return to Wessex. The Viking warlord, Sigtryggr, raids the Welsh settlements in search of Brida. She gives her Welsh captors a taste of their own medicine. Sigtryggr, sends a welsh messenger to King Hywel at Holywell with the decapitated head of his brother. Edward sees how Uhtred instantly commands the trust of the Mercians. He decides to appoint him Lord and Protector of Mercia until the unrest in Mercia settles down and a young Ealdorman comes of age to be betrothed to Aelfwynn. Uhtred is given a deadline to decide if he will accept the offer. Aethelflaed learns of Edward’s plan.
348Episode 8David MoorePeter McKenna26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
The Witan approves Uhtred as Lord and Protector of Mercia. He accepts the appointment and as his first act relinquishes the throne in favour of Aethelflaed. Edward is incensed. Aethelflaed takes a vow of chastity to ensure that the crown will pass to the future spouse of Aelfwynn, an Ealderman. On this condition, the Witan approves her appointment as Queen of Mercia until such time as Aelfwynn marries. Edward orders his army to take control of Aylesbury. Uhtred leaves Finan to guard Aethelflaed, and leaves with Osferth and Sihtric to recruit the help of the Mercian fyrd. Edward realizes he has been outplayed and withdraws his army. Edward and Aethelflaed form an alliance and resolve to send a joint army to East Anglia to keep it under Saxon control. Young Uhtred decides to return to the monastery to pursue his life as a cleric. Brida leads raids on Welsh villages. She wants Sigtryggr to invade Wessex to take revenge on Edward and Uhtred for Tettenhall. King Hywel attempts to reclaim Deheubarth fortress at night. Sigtryggr is waiting and decimates the Welsh army. Brida captures Eardwulf. He tells them that Edward has left Winchester undefended. Sigtryggr decides to attack Winchester.
359Episode 9Ed BazalgetteMartha Hillier26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
Aethelflaed is crowned Queen of Mercia. She leaves for Eoferwic with her army. The Danes take control of Winchester. Aelswith, Aethelhelm, Aelflaed and Edward’s children are imprisoned. Uhtred and his men accompanies Aelswith to Bedwyn where she plans to raise Aethelstan. They are ambushed by Vikings led by Haesten, who capture Aelswith, Stiorra and Aethelstan. They suspend Uhtred, Osferth, Pyrlig, Finan and Sihtric by their feet from trees and leave guards to wait till they die. Eadith is hidden in the forest, unnoticed by the Danes. She succeeds in killing one of the guards and sets the captives free. Pyrlig is sent to inform Edward. Uhtred and his men set off on foot for Winchester. Eadith volunteers to enter the city to let Stiorra and the others know that Uhtred is near. Eardwulf tells Brida that Stiorra is Uhtred’s daughter. Brida wants to decapitate her, but Sigtryggr protects her. She teaches him about the Saxons and about Uhtred. Brida exhumes the bodies of deceased Saxons. Eardwulf assaults Stiorra and Sigtryggr has him killed. Haesten captures Eadith. Edward attacks Winchester even though the fortress cannot be breached.
3610Episode 10Ed BazalgetteMartha Hillier26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
After thirty days of siege, Edward has still failed in his attempt to enter Winchester. Edward is beside himself. Uhtred believes Sigtryggr will negotiate. Sigtryggr shows Edward his sons and offers him one of them if he retreats. Edward sinks into despair, incapable of making a choice. Uhtred offers himself in exchange for both children. Sigtryggr agrees. Brida wants to torture Uhtred but Sigtryggr prevents it. Uhtred and Sigtryggr discuss a strategy to build a truce. Aethelflaed has claimed Eoferwic and arrives at Winchester with her army. Edward decides to use smoke to conceal an attack on Winchester. His army breaches the door to the fortress. Uhtred stops the battle. Edward and Aethelflaed agree to give Sigtryggr Eoferwic. He asks for a captive to guarantee the truce and chooses Stiorra. She convinces Uhtred to let her go: she wants to be Sigtryggr’s companion. Brida attacks Uhtred and tries to kill him. She fails, but vows to be his undoing. Aelswith unwittingly seals her own fate when she tells Aethelhelm that there is a plant in the courtyard, the flowers of which when dissolved in water are tasteless and poisonous. Edward assigns Aethelstan into Uhtred’s care.

References[]

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