The Last Kingdom: The Meaning Of Uhtred's Nickname "Arseling"
In The Last Kingdom, Uhtred receives the nickname «Arseling,» and the meaning behind it is more than just comic relief. The Netflix series follows the fictitious protagonist Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) in his struggled effort to reclaim his birthright of Bebbanburg during the formation of England in the Middle Ages. The moniker is given by one of King Alfred's soldiers, Leofric (Adrian Bower), and is initially meant to be derogatory. But while «arseling» has become synonymous with one's rear end in its Modern English interpretation, the term has a more general meaning in Old English.
Based on the book series The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom is more of an interpretation of history rather than an accurate account. Uhtred gets the «Arseling» nickname in The Last Kingdom season 1, episode 4 when Leofric meets him and is taken aback by his Danish resemblance and sword placement, which is on his back. No historical account supports this placement as it's inconvenient to draw a properly proportioned longsword from the back. Since Uhtred is wearing his sword incorrectly, the show's writers intentionally point this out by having Leofric use the word as an insult.
Related: The Last Kingdom Season 5: Uhtred's Montage Omitted This Key Character
Uhtred's nickname in The Last Kingdom comes from the word «arseling,» which had the humble meaning of «backward» — as in going in the direction of one's backside — in Middle English. It originated as «earsling» in Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and could also be translated as «on one's back» or «concerning one's backside» or «from one's backside.» The first known recorded use of the word was in a Psalm translated by the real King Alfred (Alfred the Great) into the
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