Sven Kjartansson or Sven the One-Eyed was a supporting character and antagonist in both The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series, acting as a minor antagonist in Season 1 and the secondary antagonist the first half of Season 2.
Sven abducted Thyra and stripped her half naked during their childhoods. Upon learning of this, her father, Earl Ragnar crushed one of Sven's eyes as "half the punishment", then banished both Sven and his father Kjartan from his lands. The two later had revenge on Earl Ragnar by killing him, his family, and his men, as well as abducting Thyra.
Biography[]
The Saxon Stories[]
(To Be Added)
The Last Kingdom[]
Season 1[]
Northumbria; Sven kidnapped Thyra and stripped her half-naked before a young Uhtred saved her from being sexually assaulted. Upon learning of this, her father, Earl Ragnar crushed one of Sven's eyes as "half the punishment", then banished both Sven and his father Kjartan from his lands. ("Episode 1.1")
Following this, years later, Kjartan, with his grown-up son Sven, lead an assault on the estate of Earl Ragnar on the night of his daughter's wedding. Kjartan and Sven massacred most of Earl Ragnar's household, with the exception of Thyra, who was brought into their captivity. ("Episode 1.1")
Season 2[]
Northumbria; Hild, Halig, Beocca, and Brother Trew as arrive at the slave market to buy Guthred. Gelgill demands they hand over the ransom first. He and Sven also show an interest in Hild and tell her to take off her skirt, but she refuses. Fiske then informs Sven that there are horsemen missing. He counted five more horses than those present. Beocca claims that the men that were with them were not men of their world. Beocca claims to speak of them will summon them. With his identity hidden under a skull, Uhtred and several lepers arrive on horseback and claim that they've come to take the Danes’ souls. Uhtred subdues Sven and orders everyone to leave. Beocca pleads with Uhtred to spare Sven, who is begging for his life. Father Beocca and Brother Trew call out for Guthred. He emerges from the crowd and they take him home. ("Episode 2.1")
Sven is tied up and blind folded, left to wander the woods aimlessly in darkness. He calls out for help, offering coins to anyone who will listen. However, he’s attracted the attention of a wolf and starts to run and does so face first into a tree. Sven is rescued from the woods by Fiske and taken to Durham; Kingdom of Northumbria. Kjartan questions why a dead horseman rides with sickly lepers. Kjartan believes that it was merely a trick that his son was fooled by. ("Episode 2.1")
Thyra is held in a cage in the cellar. She is surrounded by her pet hounds, who Sven orders to keep quiet. Should she not comply, Sven’s father will have them killed again. And again, she will have Sven bring her more. Sven adds that his father will have men to hump her should she continue her disobedience. He tries to convince her to join him, but she’d rather live with the hounds. She tells him to kill her and show her mercy, but he retreats upstairs as the wolves begin to howl. ("Episode 2.1")
Sven and Fiske inform Kjartan that Guthred has been made the King of Cumbraland. And he is building up an army made up of Danes and Saxons. The commander of the army is Uhtred. Kjartan orders Tekil to join the King of Cumbraland and kill him. But he is to bring Uhtred back alive. Kjartan wants to make him suffer. ("Episode 2.1")
Sven and Kajartan look outside of the fortress and discover the heads of their men on posts. Fiske recovers the heads, reporting back to Kjartan and Sven. They sent eight men but only seven heads can be seen. The last is Tekil. Uhtred rides by on a horse and takes Tekil’s head, as well. He continues to disguise himself as the dead horseman. Kjartan believes that it is in fact Uhtred under the hood and calls him out. ("Episode 2.2")
Sven finds Jonis and asks about Uhtred. Sverri arrives ashore looking for Jonis. He is intercepted by Sven. He’s come looking for Uhtred and picks him out of the crowd of slaves. He gives Uhtred a sword to battle to the death. Finan tries to intervene as Uhtred is too weak but he is knocked back. Sven raises his sword to kill Uhtred but Ragnar, Hild, and Steapa arrive. ("Episode 2.3")
Sven warns Kjartan that Uhtred and Ragnar are in Northumbria. He surmises they’ll go to Guthred for men. He’s certain that Uhtred will attack. Sven wants to hunt them down, but they’re safe inside the fortress. He then orders Sven to go to his wild white and tells her she need not feed her hounds. Sven goes into the cellar and enters Thyra’s cage to inform her that Ragnar is in Northumbria and is planning an attack. Kjartan demands that she let the hounds go hungry. Thyra replies that she has no brother and tells Sven to leave. ("Episode 2.4")
The Kingdom of Dunholm is under attack by Uhtred and Ragnar. Sven enters his home to find Thyra and her hounds awaiting. She orders them to kill Sven. ("Episode 2.4")
Killed Victims[]
This list shows the victims Sven has killed:
- Earl Ragnar (indirectly/caused the fire that killed him)
- Sigrid (indirectly/stabbed by her husband out of mercy)
- Ravn (indirectly/caused the fire that killed him)
- Jonis (assumed)
This list shows the victims Sven has killed:
- Earl Ragnar (indirectly/caused the fire that killed him)
- Sigrid (indirectly/caused the fire that killed her)
- Ravn (indirectly/caused the fire that killed him)
- Ealdwulf (indirectly/caused the fire that killed him)
Appearances[]
The Saxon Stories[]
| Books | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Saxon Stories | ✔ | ✔ |
The Last Kingdom[]
| Episodes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | ✔ | |||||||||
| Season 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
| Season 3 | ||||||||||
| Season 4 | ||||||||||
| Season 5 | ||||||||||
| Seven Kings Must Die |
Trivia[]
- The name Sven comes from Old Norse. It is a byname of Sveinn which means "boy".
- Sven was a noble; he was the son of the Jarl of Durham, he was to succeed his father but was killed before that could happen.