Dear mr. Cornwell.

I have finished your well told story about your ancestor Uhtred, with love.

You say that you tell the story of the birth of England. As I see it, the battle of Brunanburh, is the moment when the seed ‘England’ is planted. Every thought about England, before Brunanburh is just dreams about planting a seed.

Two danish kings – Swein Forkbeard and Canute the Dane – came to the English shore and if Harthacanute, son of Canute the Dane and Emma of Normandy, didn’t screw it up, England would still have been a part of Denmark today.

The Danish dream of the English throne, was finally extinguished in 1066 at Hastings. By my knowledge, Wilhelm was a hard lord, who took a lot of Saxon properties, so how can it be, that the lord of Bamburgh Castle could keep their property after 1066?

PLEASE, mr. Cornwell, finish the story about the Oak tree, that is known today as England. let your ancestors, the sons of Uhtred, tell the story!

With hopefull regards, Jens Eggert – a fan of a great Skald!