We are watching a great show called "The Last Kingdom", set in the time of Alfred the Great, the king of Wessex who fought off the Viking invasions and united England for the first time in the 9th century. While the story of Alfred is historically accurate, the story of its main protagonist, Uhtred, is not. Uhtred is a warrior torn between his Saxon heritage and his Danish upbringing. He has a love-hate relationship with his Saxon heritage, and with Alfred, the man who wants to integrate the races, who sees Uhtred as the perfect embodiment of them both in the same man. Alfred is easily able to manipulate Uhtred to get what he thinks is best for his country. And since he is one of the few literate men of the time, it is usually for the best. Despite all his fervent fanaticism about God, Alfred is one of the most intelligent people I've seen in a TV show. You have to admire his ability to see through people, and his vision for what England will become. It sends shivers down your spine whenever you get a hint of that vision from a twinkle in his eye. As for my wife, she has a similar fondness for Uhtred. Was Alfred the greatest English king? There have been many in real life. On screen, surely. On the pages of history, certainly one of them. The Vikings would have easily conquered the island without a strong leader. There's a reason "great" is in his moniker.
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