Holt

"Understand this. Fulke is a heretic. A sower of poisoned knowledge and an enemy of the Church. She claims to have seen or spoken with God himself, and for this Lady Eadwyn had her imprisoned, I know not where."

―Holt to Basim and Sigurd, c. 874

The thegns going under trial at the garrison

Holt was a Mercian thegn who served under the ealdorman of Oxenefordscire Theodric during the late 9th century.

Biography

Alongside Sherwin, Geadric, Brant and Octe, Holt faithfully served the ealdorman during his rule over the shire. With the exception of Theodric's wife Lady Eadwyn, Holt and the thegns openly refused to support King Aelfred of Wessex, wishing to retain their Mercian roots. At some point, Holt came to be acquainted with a Flemish scholar named Fulke who had lived on his lands. However, because of her "twisted" views on Christianity, Holt considered her a heretic.

Following Theodric's death at the hands of jarl Guthrum's army, Lady Eadwyn took control over the shire and sought revenge for her husband's death, immediately allying herself to King Aelfred and requesting for his aid. Holt and the thegns rebelled against Eadwyn's rule, resulting in their immediate capture by the Lady's men. While Geadric was captured in Buckingham, Holt and the rest of the thegns were held at the Leah Villa Garrison, where they stood trial for treachery against Eadwyn and the shire. Before they could be executed, the trio of Eivor Varinsdottir, Sigurd Styrbjornsson and Basim Ibn Ishaq rescued the thegns on behalf of Geadric, whom they rescued in Buckingham.

Holt and the thegns with Eivor and Sigurd after their rescue

After being brought to safety, Holt thanked the trio for the rescue, and after being sought out by Sigurd and Basim for Fulke's whereabouts, Holt revealed that she had also been taken captive by Lady Eadwyn, though he had no knowledge of where she was helped. Holt then requested that Eivor report to Geadric of the thegn's rescue and they would be ready to join him against Eadwyn he calls for it.

Some days later, Holt and his newly raised fyrd joined Geadric's forces at the Derelict Shrine of Camulus,, and took part in the assault on Cyne Belle Castle controlled by Eadwyn.

Gallery

• 
  The thegns fighting alongside Eivor

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla