The Flame Bearer

The Flame Bearer is the tenth historical novel in The Saxon Stories series aka The Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in April 2016. It is set in 10th-century England and continues to follow the fortunes of the fictional Uhtred of Bebbanburg. In this novel Uhtred sets out to finally regain his childhood home, Bebbanburg, which is now held by his cousin.[1]

Plot Summary

The book begins with another failed attempt by Uhtred to lay siege to Bebbanburg. His brother-in-law, the pagan warlord Sigtryggr, ruler of Jorvik and in turn Northumbria, asks for help against invading West Saxons who seem intent on breaking the truce recently drawn up with the ruler of Mercia Aethelflaed – King Edward of Wessex’s sister. Uhtred’s men are outnumbered by invading Scots led by Constantin intent on making Bebbanburg for their own. However, Uhtred’s cousin ensconced inside the fortress is willing to play a long game and wait out the siege. He won’t be enticed out from inside Bebbanburg’s strong walls.

Uhtred figures out that Aethelhelm – a wealthy and powerful Saxon warlord and King Edward’s father in-law – is planning to attack Edward’s men and make it look like Sigtryggr did it and so start the war that has been at least delayed a few years by the truce, if not fully averted. It seems inevitable that Edward will want to drive all Danes from the North of the country and bring about the Christian Saxon kingdom his father Alfred dreamed of.

Aethelhelm wants to push the agenda forward and ensure that his grandson Aelfweard – Edward’s second son – eventually becomes ruler of a united England. So he had planned for Aethelstan (Edward’s disputed first son by his first wife) to be leading Edward’s men and to be killed in the ambush. However, Edward sends his trusted warrior Brunulf to lead his men instead of Aethelstan.

With amazing insight, Uhtred sees through Aethelhelm’s machinations and rescues Brunulf and his men from the fake Danish attack. He interrupts a meeting between Edward, Aethelflaed and Sigtryggr where Aethelhelm’s clergy are war-mongering and reveals the truth of Aethelhelm’s plot.

Edward is deplored and executes the prisoners Uhtred brings to show him. Queen Aethelflaed reveals that she is dying and can no longer protect Aethelstan against any further assassination attempts. So Uhtred claims Aethelstan as his hostage in order to protect him and reconfirms the details of the treaty. Sigtryggr, his commitment to the truce proven, returns to Jorvik.

Uhtred then turns his attention back to Bebbanburg which is currently besieged by the Scots. He pretends he has given up and moves all his men, women, children, goods, horses and cattle out of Dunholm and spreads rumours that he is going across the sea to Frisia – part of modern-day The Netherlands. Instead he intends to masquerade as a supply run to the besieged fortress at Bebbanburg. While he is making preparations in Grimesbi he realises that the ships coming in to the port and stocking up with goods are a supply fleet commanded by Aethelhelm. He despairs of ever winning back Bebbanburg because Aethelhelm’s ships and men will get to the fortress before he does and resupply it with both food and hundreds of Saxon soldiers to fight the Scots. He prays for a miracle and thankfully one arrives in the form of an attack by Northmen allied to the Scots and intent on taking Bebbanburg. They burn most of Aethelhelm’s ships and in the chaos Uhtred escapes Grimesbi undetected.

He disguises his ships as Aethelhelm’s supply ships and chased by Aethelhelm’s remaining warships gets to Bebbanburg and fools the guards into opening one of the fortress gates for them. Unbeknown to Uhtred his son has helped AEthelstan sneak aboard one of the boats and the prince quickly kills Aethelhelm’s champion. There’s some street to street fighting, some shield wall action and cunning tactics from Uhtred which finally leads him to defeat both Aethelhelm and his cousin, and take back his beloved Bebbanburg.

Aethelstan persuades Uhtred not to kill Aethelhelm but to ransom him so he can replenish his coffers and diminish AEthelhelm’s ability to buy more men into his service. Aethelstan also suggests Uhtred keep Aethelhelm’s daughter – who was supposed to be wed to Uhtred’s cousin as part of the resupply deal – as a hostage and this is much to Uhtred’s son’s liking as he has taken a shine to her. Uhtred then goes and tells the Scots to leave his land, which they do, for now.

Characters

Fictional

  • Uhtred - narrator, dispossessed Ealdorman of Bebbanburg
  • Uhtred - Uhtred's son
  • Uhtred - Uhtred's cousin occupying Bebbangurg
  • Finan the Agile - Former Irish slave, and Uhtred's second-in-command
  • Stiorra - Uhtred's daughter and wife to Sigtryggr
  • Eadith - Æthelred's former lover, now Uhtred's lover

Historical

  • Æthelflæd - King Alfred's eldest daughter, Lady of the Mercians
  • King Edward - King Alfred's son and King of Wessex
  • Æthelstan - son of King Edward from his first wife, Ecgwynn
  • Sigtryggr - Danish jarl of Jorvik and Northumbria
  • Æthelhelm - King Edward’s father-in-law, and the most powerful Ealdorman in Wessex
  • Constantin - Scottish king

    References
    1. Zobeck, Terry (10 January 2017). "The Flame Bearer: A Novel". Washington Independent Review of Books. Retrieved 20 October 2018.

    2.couchmagpie.com: Bernard Cornwell - The Flame Bearer


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