At the heart of this story lies the phrase "Seven Kings Must Die." But who exactly are the seven kings referenced in the title, and why must they meet their fate? Let's explore these key figures in the context of the historical and fictional narrative that shapes the story.
King Æthelred the Unready
The first of the seven kings is Æthelred the Unready, a king who ruled Wessex and later all of England in the early 11th century. Æthelred’s reign was marked by Viking invasions, and his inability to decisively deal with them earned him the epithet "the Unready." His lack of strong leadership and the ineffective policies against the Danes caused significant turmoil. He ultimately dies under the weight of his failed kingship, leaving his sons to contend with the consequences of his reign.
King Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside was the son of Æthelred, and his reign was brief but notable for his resistance against the Danish king Cnut the Great. Edmund fought valiantly during the final Viking invasions, but after his untimely death, he became a martyr for the Anglo-Saxon cause. His death is symbolic of the loss of a chance for a true Anglo-Saxon victory, and it significantly impacted the future of England, which soon fell under Danish rule shutdown123