The Lords of the North

The Lords of the North

First edition cover
Author	Bernard Cornwell
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	The Saxon Stories
Genre	Historical novel
Publisher	HarperCollins
Publication date	22 May 2006
Media type	Print (hardback)
Pages	366 pp (hardback edition)
ISBN	(first, hardback edition)
OCLC	224807788
Preceded by	The Pale Horseman
Followed by	Sword Song

The Lords of the North is the third historical novel in the Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell published in 2006. The story is set in the 9th century Anglo-Saxon kingdoms Wessex and Northumbria. Uhtred wants revenge against his uncle, and falls in love. He fights for both the Danes and for Alfred.

878 - 881: Uhtred of Bebbanburg makes his way back to his native Northumbria seeking revenge against his uncle Ælfric and childhood enemies Sven the One-Eyed and Kjartan the Cruel. He travels by ship with his friend, Hild. They make landfall near Eoferwic (York) to find the region in disarray. Lord Ivarr Ivarsson and his army are engaged with the Scots in the north. The formerly Danish-held Eoferwic has been conquered by Saxons, who have begun a massacre of Danes under the fanatical Father Hrothweard. The central lands of Dunholm are ravaged by Kjartan and Sven, and Bebbanburg remains under the control of Ælfric. Uhtred is hired to escort a Danish merchant's family north, through Dunholm, to safety.

As they travel and attempt to avoid the Dunholm fortress and Kjartan's troops, they are unsuccessful and are led into a slave trading station led by Sven. In order to prevent himself from being recognised, Uhtred disguises himself as Thorkild the Leper, Dark Swordsman of Niflheim, and convinces Sven he is sent from the dead to haunt him and his father. He frees Danish King Guthred of Cumbraland from the slave pens.

In Cumbraland, Guthred converts to Christianity and is hailed as King of Northumbria by the Saxon Abbot Eadred, who believes Guthred has been anointed by Saint Cuthbert and claims to have dreamed of Guthred, though he initially mistakes Uhtred as being the King. Uhtred becomes the commander of Guthred's household troops, as well as his closest advisor. He trains a band of thirty new warriors and foils an attempt by Kjartan's infiltrators to capture him and Guthred. Whilst serving Guthred, Uhtred is immediately smitten with the King's sister, Gisela. Uhtred marches east with Guthred while Ivarr Ivarsson, the son of Ivar the Boneless and the most powerful Danish Lord in Northumbria, is away fighting the Scots. Eoferwic is captured with ease, and Father Hrothweard joins them. As they march north to Dunholm, Guthred reveals to Uhtred that he has made a deal with Uhtred's treacherous uncle, Ælfric, through his two agents, the monks Jænberht and Ida, for support against Kjartan, which is to be sealed by his enslavement. Uhtred is taken off and cast into slavery at the hands of a Danish merchant, Sverri.