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→Set of Events
[[File:P04w2wqw.jpg|thumbnail|Poster from Season 2.]]
==Set of Events==
Season 2 is divided into two novels from the <i>Saxon Stories</i> series, namely books 3 and 4 (Season 1 was books 1-2). The novels spans span roughly between 878-886 (Figure 1). The main focus for Season 2 is in the first four episodes is Uhtred's quest to go north from Wessex into Northumbria, a less tamed area of England that is ruled more by Danes but their hold is somewhat less clear. Uhtred seeks his ancestral home in Bebbanburg (Bamburgh Castle) and also wants revenge against Kjartan, who killed is adopted Danish father.<ref>For more on the series, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saxon_Stories</ref>
Uhtred finds himself helping a Dane, King Guthred, who was a slave envisioned to be a king by priests serving Saint Cuthbert, specifically abbot Eadred. This was a period after Halfdan, a Dane, had conquered Northumbria. Guthred was indicated to be Hardcanut's son, who somehow ended up in slavery. The story of Guthred being freed is depicted in the first episode, as he is rescued by Uhtred. The crowning of Guthred was preceded by a period of some anarchy, as the population arose against the Danes. Historically, there was uncertainty after Halfdan was killed in battle as he was fighting in Ireland. This was used by the series to create the context in which Guthred came to power. Later, after Guthred was crowned as king of Northumbria, Uhtred became the leader of Guthred's household guard. Much of the rest of the first four episodes are not so much historical but more focused on Uhtred and the revenge exacted against Kjartan. The only main highlight is the focus on Dunholm, which was the base of Kjartan. Dunholm, modern Durham, is little known historically at this time, although it may have had an important fortress already in the Anglo-Saxon period, as suggested by the series. Overall, the first episodes show that in parts of England, Danish and English people were becoming intermixed, where some Danes, such as possibly Guthred, became Christian as well. In effect, the population was become hybrid and some conversions were taking place to make the Vikings Christians.<ref>For more on the historical Guthred, see: Campbell, J., John, E. & Wormald, P. (1991) <i>The Anglo-Saxons. Penguin history.</i> London, England ; New York, N.Y., USA, Penguin Books, pg. 81.</ref>
In the last four episodes, the focus is a few years after the events where Uhtred had helped his Danish brother, Ragnar the Younger, to take Dunholm. Now, Uhtred is ased based in Cookham, a small village near London which was, in fact, occupied as a more prominent settlement in Anglo-Saxon times. Once again, Uhtred had sworn allegiance to Alfred, after Alfred had helped free Uhtred from slavery. It shows Uhtred as leading Alfred's borough of Cookham. In fact, Cookham was the last important borough before reaching London. Overall, England is divided into Danelaw, areas in northern Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia, and Wessex, which also ruled over southern Mercia. London in 886 was little known and the historical accounts simply mentioned that Alfred had restored the town, including rebuilding its Roman walls. The series shows the events in a more theatrical manner, showing the Norse had, initially, taken the city. Then, they tricked the Anglo-Saxons in allowing them to take the city so that the Lady Æthelflæd could be captured. The series concludes with Uhtred leading a daring rescue that saw her freed.<ref>For more on the events leading to 886, see: Inwood, S. (1998) <i>A history of London.</i> London, Macmillan, pg. 64.</ref>
[[File:2000px-England 878.svg.png|thumbnail|Figure 1. Map of England in 878 and during the period of Series 2.]]
