The Last Kingdom

Fifteen years ago, Bernard Cornwell's first historical novel featuring the warrior Uhtred of Bebbanburgh was published. Uhtred is a fictional hero set against the backdrop of historically documented conflicts between Vikings and Anglo-Saxons in the 9th century, which ultimately led to England emerging as a nation in the annals of history. Bebbanburgh, now known as Bamburgh Castle, is located high up in Northumberland, and Cornwell is a direct descendant of its early medieval lords. To date, the author has written eleven more Uhtred novels, making it the currently most successful series of historical adventure novels worldwide. The television adaptation also became an international success, with Netflix announcing the fourth season in 2019.