Who Is Ingilmundr in ‘Seven Kings Must Die’? Was He a Real Person?

Seven Kings Must Die introduced a super-villain in Ingilmundr (Laurie Davidson) that both the fans of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories and The Last Kingdom didn’t see coming. Athelstan was under Uhtred’s care by the end of the fifth season of The Last Kingdom, which is where fans expected to meet him in the movie. Igilmundr is, therefore, the spectacle of the movie because fans just can’t tell what he will do next. Most fans are now wondering who plays Ingilmundr in the show and whether the character is based on a real person.

Ingilmundr is introduced as Athelstan’s main adviser in Seven Kings Must Die, although his sinister motives are later revealed when Uhtred sees him in Anlaf’s camp. He is also portrayed as Athelstan’s secret lover in a relationship that Athelstan is embarrassed of, although the feelings seem genuine. The show’s Ingilmundr differs greatly from the character’s role in Cornwell’s books. Historical accounts on the subject are also scarce, so there is no proof that the character is based on a particular historical figure.

By the end of the movie, many fans appreciate Ingilmundr’s character because he makes the saga a lot more interesting than what was expected by the end of the fifth season of The Last Kingdom. It is still hard to understand why the smart kid that Athelstan was in the show, raised by the brave and wise Uhtred, ended up in the control of a bad man like Ingilmundr. So, how did Ingilmundr end up advising Athelstan, and is his character historically accurate? Let’s delve into it.

Who plays Ingilmundr in Seven Kings Must Die?

Ingilmundr is portrayed by the English actor Laurie Davidson, famous for his role as William Shakespeare in the 2017 TNT TV Show Will.

Davidson has had other big roles on TV over the years, including Mr. Mistoffelees in the 2019 musical comedy Cats and George in the 2021 TV Show Guilty Party.

His experience playing witty characters paid off because he humanized Ingilmundr, keeping the character unpredictable but still enjoyable.

The best part of his performance is how he captures the true feelings in the homosexual relationship between Ingilmundr and Athelstan.

His fake piety was also convincing enough to fool Athelstan and probably some fans because he could easily be mistaken for a zealot.

When Ingilmundr changes allegiances and rejoins Anlaf’s camp, Davidson portrays the Dane version of the character just as naturally as he did the Christian version.

Davidson portrays the emotional and action aspects of Ingilmundr’s character with an intensity that keeps the villain alive in every scene, making him one of the most interesting characters to watch in the movie.

What happened to Ingilmundr in Seven Kings Must Die?

Ingilmundr convinces Athelstan that God wants him to go to war with his brother and encourages Athelstan to kill Aethellweard and his men despite Uhtred negotiating a peaceful surrender from the overpowered half-brother.

After failing to force Uhtred to cede his lands to Athelstan, Ingilmundr urges Athelstan to go after pagan settlements and force people to convert, starting with Eoforwic.

Uhtred finds Athelstan and Ingilmundr in a near-kissing position when he comes to warn Athelstan against making the Danes in his kingdom angry.

Ingilmundr finally turns Athelstan’s mind against Uhtred by convincing him that Uhtred doesn’t acknowledge his growth and new position as a king.

After escaping an attempt by Ingilmundr to kill him, Uhtred sets a trap for him in Bebbanburgh, but he later finds a way to escape and take over the castle with his army.

He also causes Athelstan to send Uhtred away, a move that proves unwise because Uhtred ends up in Anlaf’s camp and discovers that Ingilmundr is actually a spy.

Ingilmundr later fights alongside Anlaf and the other five kings in the battle of Brunanbugh, after which he gets captured and is later executed by Athelstan.

Is Ingilmundr based on a real person?

Bernard Corwell’s books have a Dane warlord named Ingilmundr that leaves Irland and comes to England seeking to set up a settlement, but his story is not similar to what is portrayed in the movie.

The book version of the character never converts to Christianity and doesn’t get close to Athelstan at any moment, He actually works closely with Uhtred and not Athelstan.

Historical accounts of a Danish warlord owning a settlement in Wirral do exist, although the details on the subject are scarce.

Some accounts actually suggest that Ingilmundr is the same as a warlord named Agmund, who was killed in the battle of Tettenhall, which would mean that the actual Ingilmundr never met Athelstan.

It is, therefore, difficult to narrow down Seven Kings Must Die’s version of Ingilmundr to any specific narrative of the character from the source material.

The character is modified for the movie’s purpose to include diversity through his sexuality and make the show more entertaining by making him a more dangerous villain.

Was Athelstan gay in real life?

Bernard Cornwell portrayed Athelstan as gay in his books based on historical accounts stating that he never married and loved decorating his hair with gold ringlets.

Homosexuality was heavily frowned upon in 10th-century Britain, so most gay relationships from that era were kept secret.

There is no concrete historical account proving Athelstan’s homosexuality, although there are many rumors that that was the case.

Martha Hillier, who wrote Seven Kings Must Die, said they considered all the information available on Athelstan before portraying him as gay in the movie and that it wasn’t just for diversity and entertainment purposes.

Athelstan ruled for 15 years and never got married during that period. Therefore, whether he was gay or not is a mystery that no historical account has fully unmasked.

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