Æthelstan of England (893-27 October 939 AD) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 (succeeding Edward the Elder) and King of England from 927 to 939 (preceding Edmund I). Æthelstan was the first king of a united Kingdom of England, and he is regarded as one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon kings, having exerted control over the entirety of England, Wales, and Scotland either through owned territories, vassals, or alliances.
Biography[]
Æthelstan was born in 893, the son of Prince Edward of Wessex and his first wife Ecgwynn. He was originally seen as illegitimate, as his parents had married in secret and without permission from their own powerful parents, and Ecgwynn and Æthelstan were forced into separate monasteries to be quietly taken care of by the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, Edward married Aelfflaed, the daughter of the powerful Ealdorman Aethelhelm of Wiltshire, and they produced a son, Aelfweard of Wessex, who was groomed as Edward's heir. However, through the efforts of Edward's mother Queen Ealhswith - who despised the scheming Aethelhelm - Æthelstan was retrieved from his monastery and brought to his father, who reluctantly accepted him into his household for his safety. After Ealhswith's death, Edward entrusted Æthelstan's care to his protector Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a famed warrior in the service of Edward and his sister Aethelflaed. Æthelstan was raised by Uhtred at Cookham in Berkshire, and he became one of Uhtred's trusted companions. In 917, he was given command of the West Saxon fort at Brunanburh in Cheshire, and he and Uhtred fought off a Viking raid on Brunanburh by Ragnall ua Imair that same year. In 918, Æthelstan snuck aboard Uhtred's ship with the help of Uhtred's son, Young Uhtred, as Uhtred set out to reclaim his home of Bebbanburg in Northumbria, and Æthelstan slew Bebbanburg's marshal Waldhere after a short one-on-one duel. In 924, Edward died at Farndon in Mercia, leading to a succession dispute between Aelfweard and Æthelstan. Æthelstan was crowned king in Mercia and Aelfweard in Wessex, but Aelfweard's death just days later led to Æthelstan ruling over both kingdoms (in addition to conquered East Anglia). On 4 September 925, Æthelstan was crowned at Kingston upon Thames, but his accession was challenged by Aelfweard's uncle Aethelhelm the Younger. Uhtred ultimately helped Æthelstan consolidate his rule by crushing his opponents. In 926, Æthelstan arranged for one of his sisters to marry King Sihtric Caech of Northymbre to keep the peace between the Anglo-Saxons and Danes, but Sihtric's death a year later led to the peace shattering. Æthelstan seized the chance to invade, and, while Gofraid ua Imair was acclaimed king in York, Æthelstan defeated him and usurped the throne. On 12 July 927, Æthelstan received the submission of Constantine II of Scotland, Hywel Dda of Deheubarth, Ealdred of Bamburgh, and Owain ap Dyfnwal of Strat Clut at Penrith, and he proclaimed himself "King of England", as he now ruled over all of the Anglo-Saxon lands. In 934, however, Ealdred's death caused Constantine and Æthelstan to dispute control of Northumbria, and Æthelstan and his Welsh allies invaded Scotland. Æthelstan led his army as far north as Aberdeenshire, while his fleet raided Caithness. In 937, Olaf Guthfrithson allied with the Scots and attempted to seize the throne of Northymbre, but Æthelstan defeated both armies at the bloody Battle of Brunanburh in Chester that same year. This victory made Æthelstan the supreme ruler of Britain, as he was now the overlord or ally of all of the kingdoms on the island. His death in 939, however, shattered English control over northern England and allowed for the Danes to reconquer Northumbria, which was not returned to English control until 954.
Gallery[]
| King of the Anglo-Saxons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Edward the Elder |
924 - 927 | Succeeded by: N/A |
| King of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: N/A |
927 - 939 | Succeeded by: Edmund I of England |