990
edits
Changes
→Key Historical Characters
Edward the Elder: Edward is shown as a somewhat indecisive ruler, swayed by his father in law Æthelhelm. Historically, we do not know much about Æthelhelm, and he may have died before Edward even became king. But in the series, he is shown as having substantial influence over the young king. Overall, Edward can be brave and smart, but he is shown to be held back by his insecurities. He is also shown as pushing his mother (Ealhswith) more away from court to lessen her influence. Still, he was torn between establishing his own distinct rule that was different from his father's as well as helping to establish his father's vision of a united England.<ref>For more on Edward, see: Keynes, Simon (2001). "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons". In Higham, N. J.; Hill, D. H. (eds.). <i>Edward the Elder, 899–924</i>. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. pp. 40–66. ISBN 978-0-415-21497-1 </ref>
Æthelstan (Athelstan): One of the most important characters in English history, as he is the first true king of the English as he unites the four kingdoms to make England in 927. In the series, he is only a baby very young child and was the son of Edward's first wife (Ecgwynn) or lover. He is only introduced at this stage but the series foreshadows his important role later.<ref>For more on Athelstan, see: Foot, S., 2012. <i>Æthelstan: the first king of England, 1</i>. paperback ed. ed, The English monarchs series. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven. </ref>
Æthelred (or Aethelred): He is the Lord of Mercia, which was effectively a vassal position to Edward. Mercia, while independent, depended on Wessex for men and resources and was relatively weak and could be more easily overrun by the Vikings. This becomes a problem in Season 4 as Edward was initially reluctant to aid Aethelred as the Vikings ravished much of Mercia. Aethelred is depicted as a cruel figure who seemed not to value his subjects' lives. Historically, Aethelred may have had an unhappy relationship with Æthelflæd his wife. He only ruled the western part of Mercia, as the rest was ruled by the Danes. The series shows that Aethelred suffered serious wounds in the Battle of Tettenhall, which may be accurate. In fact, his death soon after the battle suggested he may have died from mortal wounds, although the plot around Aethelred in the series likely differs from historical facts. Aethelred is shown as wanting to obtain the bones of Saint Oswald in Gloucester. We know he and his wife did establish a monastery dedicated to this saint, where his bones were presumably buried. In fact, the historical Aethelred and his wife were buried in that monastery after their deaths.<ref>For more on Aethelred, see: Zaluckyj, S., 2011. <i>Mercia - the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Central England</i>. Logaston Press, Herefordshire </ref>
