Athelstan

Athelstan or Æthelstan (c. 894 – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939. Modern historians regard him as the first King of England and one of the "greatest Anglo-Saxon kings"

Athelstan was the grandson of King Alfred the Great and the nephew and ward of Our Lady of the Mercians, Aethelflaed. He spent his formative years under her and her husband’s (Aethelred) tutelage in Mercia. During Anglo-Saxon times, there were several kingdoms in England. Tamworth was the capital of the Kingdom of Mercia, one of the most powerful kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England. 

Once Athelstan had come of age he went to war and helped his aunt and uncle to free northern Mercia from Danish control. Aethelred died in 911 and after that Aethelflaed ruled Mercia alone, possibly with assistance from Athelstan, until her own death in Tamworth in 918. During her reign, Aethelflaed’s army took control of Viking-occupied Derby and Leicester, and just before her death York also agreed to submit to her rather than trying to put up a fight. 

Athelstan’s father, Edward the Elder, died on 17 July 924. He was immediately acclaimed as king in Mercia but his half-brother Aelfweard, succeeded to the throne of Wessex. However, Aelfweard died a few weeks later and Athelstan became ruler of the combined kingdom of Wessex and Mercia. From 927 he could claim to be king of England following his seizure of Northumbria. He was styled 'King of All Britain' after subduing the Scots, ruling the first united kingdom of England, Scotland and Wales until his death. 

Athelstan was a warrior-king. He was also religious and in charters he described himself as ‘by grace of God king of the English and equally guardian of the whole country of Britain'. He devoted much time and money to the veneration of saints. He was well-known as a lawmaker who wanted to improve law and order across his kingdom and six different law codes survive from his reign. 

2024 marked the 1,100th anniversary of the ascension of Athelstan, King of Mercia.

Who was Athelstan - A Beginner's Guide. Illustrations by Leah Riley.