So in the end Aethelwulf dies because he was allergic to a bee sting? I looked up how the Æthelwulf died on who is is based on, and there is nothing really known of his death, but a bee sting? They could have come up with something better than that!
shareI think that was kind of the point, that the fragility of life prior to modern medicine meant that someone with as unlimited resources as a king could just up and die over something so inconsequential these days as an allergic reaction to a bee sting that could not be treated at that time.
Since medieval medicine consisted mostly of quackery, we really have no idea as to the cause of death for many historical figures of that period who just die relatively young. Personally I don't see any difference between an untreated bee sting or any other illness they would not have been able to understand or cure. Why not a bee sting?
It brings to mind how Alexander the Great just up and died at the tender age of 32 after conquering all of the known world. The ancient Greeks were a little better with documenting symptoms from illness than Dark Age England so we know his cause of death was more likely typhoid which was common back then, but it similarly illustrates how even the mightiest were vulnerable.
Also falls into the season 5 theme of fate versus free will. Aethelwulf fought against great odds to hold on to his kingdom, mainly because he believed he was meant to die in battle and decided to go down fighting. He succeeded, but still met his fate in the end.
shareI though the irony of dying from a bee sting was kind of funny, you can see the way he looks at it as if he already knows his fate is sealed; it's the irony of fate. It ties perfectly in to the quasi-philosophical discussion about fate and free will in the show.
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