The pair co-issued charters that attested to their collaborative efforts to strengthen their kingdom, including building fortifications and supporting religious endeavors. Celtic visions of Æthelred and Æthelflæd as king and queen certainly offer a different, and equally valid, contemporary take on the complex politics of this transition to a new English state. Æthelflæd then thanks Edward for his contribution and for saving her. Aethelflaed became the effective ruler of Mercia some years before the death (911) of her husband, Aethelred, ealdorman of the Mercians. ("Episode 2.8"), Aegelesburg, Mercia; Æthelflæd joins Æthelred and Aldhelm as the latter prepares to march with Wessex. [b] Ealhswith's mother, Eadburh, was a member of the Mercian royal house, probably a descendant of King Coenwulf (796–821).
Instead, she asks that Edward first find a suitor and they will arrange a match. ("Episode 4.7"), Wyre Forest, Mercia; Sihtric, young Uhtred, Æthelflæd and Aldhelm arrive at Wyre Forest. [59], No coins were issued with the name of Æthelred or Æthelflæd on them, but in the 910s silver pennies were minted in west Mercian towns with unusual ornamental designs on the reverse and this may have reflected Æthelflæd's desire to distinguish specie issued under her control from that of her brother.

Aethelflaed, also spelled Ethelfleda or Aelfled, also called Lady of the Mercians, (died June 12, 918, Tamworth, England), Anglo-Saxon ruler of Mercia in England and founder of Gloucester Abbey. As for Æthelred, he is a good and godly man. Historians have had to gather much of what they know of Aethelflaed from sources other than the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which serves as the main source for the period. [33] Æthelflæd re-founded Chester as a burh and she is believed to have enhanced its Roman defences by running walls from the north-west and south-east corners of the fort to the River Dee. Uhtred questions what will happen if the successor the Ealdormen chooses seeks to have Æthelflæd removed. Publicité | The marriage may have taken place earlier, perhaps when he submitted to Alfred following the recovery of London in 886. King Burgred of Mercia was joined by King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother, the future King Alfred, for a combined attack on the Vikings, who refused an engagement; in the end the Mercians bought peace with them. The town was one of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw, together with Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stamford. Edward proposes they send an army from both kingdoms to maintain control. ("Episode 1.5"), Athelney Marshes, Wessex; Æthelflæd escapes with her family to the swamplands after Winchester is invaded by the Danes. After Aethelred succumbed to his illness in 911, Aethelflaed succeeded him as Myrcna hlædige, or Lady of the Mercians, in a relatively smooth transition. Hopefully, in time, things will change for them. Uhtred with his some 40 men return to Æthelflæd's side and rescue her from the Lord Aldhelm.

It was stupid of Uhtred to leave his brother, but it was more stupid of Aethelred to plot his wife's assassination. Æthelflæd was born c.870 and died in 918, at roughly 48 years of age. Should Uhtred intercept these monks, he could gain entry into the fortress. And should her husband come to think what Uhtred is thinking, then it would be a great comfort for her to know that she can call upon him again. Richard Abels describes him as "somewhat of a mysterious character", who may have claimed royal blood and been related to King Alfred's father-in-law, Ealdorman Æthelred Mucel. But it also contains, especially for our period, much genuine historical information which seems to have its roots in a contemporary narrative. Mercia was the dominant kingdom in southern England in the eighth century and maintained its position until it suffered a decisive defeat by Wessex at the Battle of Ellandun in 825.

Æthelred then asks Æthelflæd how is her daughter. The Register covers the years 902 to 924, and focuses on Æthelflæd's actions; Edward is hardly mentioned and her husband only twice, on his death and as father of their daughter.

From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. Aethelflaed didn't need as much help as Edward, but she wouldn't have lasted long in the marshlands if Uhterd hadn't come up with the solution for their troubles. Jackdaw doubts that Aldhelm has the courage to kill her, and he is right.

After her death, west Mercian coin reverses were again the same as those on coins produced in Wessex. Æthelstan took control of it in 927 but after his death in 939 the kingdom was contested until the expulsion of the last Norse king in 954. Uhtred then reveals himself as the alleged Dane, along with Skade, Finan, Sihtric, and Osferth, who informs Æthelflæd that her men are not guards and that she should find more skilled warriors. Other sources confirm that the Norse were driven out of Dublin in 902 and that Æthelflæd fortified Chester in 907. Aldhelm promises that he will bargain their way out of this, but what they need is to alert their allies. ("Episode 2.7"), Æthelflæd is visited by Uhtred, who informs her that they’ve arranged her release. ("Episode 4.2"), Æthelflæd and Ælswith worry about the negative influence Æthelhelm may have on Ælfweard.

("Episode 4.4"), Uhtred wonders what excuse Edward gave for his cowardice. Edward’s scribes wrote of a seamless transition of power, but that was likely not the case. This was the only occasion in Alfred's lifetime when they are known to have acted jointly; generally Æthelred acted on his own, usually acknowledging the permission of King Alfred. Because Aethelflaed had extended her influence into Wales and Northumbria, Edward was able to assert his authority over these regions as well. Things start going downhill for the future Lady of the Mercians beginning with her wedding night.

[51], Æthelflæd had already fortified an unknown location called Bremesburh in 910 and in 912 she built defences at Bridgnorth to cover a crossing of the River Severn. She realizes they’re being followed and they jump off their horses and hide. Aldhelm tells Æthelflæd to act for Mercia and call the men to arms. ("Episode 4.4"), Æthelflæd and Aldhelm fight back to back, taking out multiple Danes. In 909 Edward sent a West Saxon and Mercian force to the northern Danelaw, where it raided for five weeks. However, the idea of Danes and Saxons living as neighbors and not enemies is an elusive one, and only Uhtred and Aethelflaed seem to have the solution to this problem. Æthelflæd was born around 870 at the height of the Viking invasions of England. Jeux concours | Æthelflæd is concerned about the fate of their daughter should he die.

Æthelflæd reaches for the water, but Beocca knocks it over as he knows Æthelflæd to be pure. ("Episode 4.8"), Eadith watches over Ælfwynn and Æthelstan as they play on the swings. Aethelflaed became the

The first series of eight episodes premiered on 10 October 2015 on BBC America, and on BBC Two in the UK on 22 October 2015.

She demands that he show her some respect.

[49], When Æthelred died, Edward took control of the Mercian towns of London and Oxford and their hinterlands, which Alfred had put under Mercian control. Erik will arrange for her to bathe with privacy, but in return, she must eat the food they provide. Eadith chooses to be loyal to Uhtred and Æthelflæd because she believes in what they are doing. He does so after some convincing, as does Sigtryggr. There are no objections from the Witan and Uhtred is crowned king.

("Episode 4.4"), Uhtred and Æthelflæd reconvene after the battle.

[69] Irish and Welsh annals described her as a queen and the Annals of Ulster, which ignore the deaths of Alfred and Edward, described her as famosissima regina Saxonum (renowned Saxon queen).

The Ealdormen of marriageable age were all slaughtered.

Uhtred chose Aethelflaed over Ragnar, leading to him losing the name Uhtred Ragnarson leaving only Uhtred the Godless and Uhtred Of Bebbanburg. Edward then tells Æthelflæd how East Anglia was conquered by Æthelred, but has gone lawless since his death. After Gisela's death in "The Burning Land", Uhtred reneges on his oath to Alfred of Wessex. ("Episode 2.8"), Uhtred comes to Æthelflæd's rescue as planned. She replies that Æthelred is in East Anglia with his men.

She returns home and continues to rule with dignity and grace, earning the respect of the Mercians and basically everyone else. He warns her to leave Mercia because Æthelred wants her dead and will blame her demise on rouge Danes. Uhtred, however, came to the rescue once more, pulling off what both her father and her chauvinistic husband couldn't do. She informs him that she has no plans of returning to Wincelcumb. That lucky man ends up being Aethelred, Lord of Mercia and supreme jerk. However, Uhtred feels guilty for sending Brida to her doom. Æthelflæd jumps out the window and onto the horse. Stafford argues that Æthelred and Æthelflæd exercised most or all of the powers of a monarch after Alfred's death but it would have been a provocative act formally to claim regality, especially after Æthelwold's rebellion.

And so, Uhtred has to save her as he promised he would.

Æthelflæd was succeeded by her daughter Ælfwynn, but in December Edward took personal control of Mercia and carried Ælfwynn off to Wessex. ("Episode 4.1"), Æthelflæd Pyrlig, Lord Æthelhelm, and King Edward discuss Æthelred of Mercia and the troop of soldiers he’s led from Aegelesburg.

They’re asking him to risk everything for no reward. Ælswith and Æthelflæd suggest calling off the coronation and sending men to Aegelesburg to retake it. When Uhtred tries to talk her out of marching, she kisses him and leaves.

Going to Aegelesburg to raise the Mercian fyrds for the battle of Tettenhall was very brave of Aethelflaed. Eadith explains that Mercia has wronged them both and both of their brothers have turned on them. She will swear an oath that as long as she is Lady of Mercia, she will remain chaste. Æthelflæd would prefer a lord selected by Wessex. She delivered the message as she said she would. She helped Edward understand why fighting Haesten before the entire Dane army was united was in Wessex's advantage.

Æthelflæd and Aldhelm realize that they were being followed by Sihtric and young Uhtred and come out of hiding.

So, Uhtred asks where is Æthelflæd’s army.

She hits him over the head with her night bucket and grabs his knife. He was described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as "a foolish king's thegn" who was a puppet of the Vikings. RELATED: 10 Things Fans Want To See In The Last Kingdom Season 5. Æthelflæd has asked that Aldhelm kill her should they ever find themselves cornered, as they now have.
Aldhelm believes they owe their victory over the Danes to Æthelflæd.

However, The Last Kingdom does get many of Aethelflaed’s personality traits right, from what we know of her. Afterward, Uhtred, Æthelflæd, Edward and Sigtryggr go to the hall to negotiate. (2018). Most historians believe that Æthelred was incapacitated in his last years. Ludeca explains that Uhtred has both defended Wessex and Mercia. However, The Last Kingdom does get many of Aethelflaed’s personality traits right, from what we know of her.