Professor Ryan Lavelle

Historian and historical consultant

Ryan Lavelle is Professor of Early Medieval History at the University of Winchester, and historical advisor on the The Last Kingdom and Seven Kings Must Die. His books include Cnut: The North Sea King (part of the Penguin Monarchs series), which was released in paperback in November 2021

Recent articles by Professor Ryan Lavelle

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Viking ships arriving in Britain, c1130.

“A Viking wedding involved a bed and eight people”, plus four other facts about the Vikings you might not know… . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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HEXA Viking Viking wk 3

Daily life, with Professor Ryan Lavelle . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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HEXA Viking Vod thumbnail WK2 play button

Trading and exploring, with Professor Ryan Lavelle . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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HEX Academy Vikings - week one video

Viking raiders, with Professor Ryan Lavelle . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Ewan Horrocks as Aelfweard and Adrian Schiller as Aethelhelm in The Last Kingdom season 5

Ælfweard and Æthelstan: were they rivals for the throne of Wessex?

Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred of Bebbanburg in The Last Kingdom season 5

The real Uhtred of Bebbanburg The historical inspirations for The Last Kingdom’s hero

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The Abingdon Sword, an iron sword fragment and hilt found near Abingdon in Oxfordshire in 1874. The decoration on the sword hilt indicates this was a high status weapon dating from around AD 875. (Ashmolean Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Fighting the Vikings . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.