A thousand years ago Anglo-Saxon England has survived the threat of violent Viking raids when Edgar becomes the King of Wessex in southern England. The ambitious Edgar believes it’s his destiny to unite England and bring an end to the wars between rival British kings as well as keeping the Vikings at bay. His political success in uniting England is greatly assisted by his wife, Aelfthryth. But Presenter David Adams discovers that she has ambitions of her own: she wants the throne for her own son and not Edward, Edgar’s older son from a previous marriage. Within two years of his premature death Edgar’s kingdom begins to fall apart when Edward, his confirmed successor, is assassinated by Aelfthryth’s allies and her son Ethelred is crowned King. But Ethelred is no match for the forces now arrayed against the kingdom. The treachery and incompetence of Edgar’s family results in a Danish warlord becoming the next King of the English.