King Æthelstan - The Father of Medieval England (924-939 AD)

King Æthelstan - The Father of Medieval England (924-939 AD)

Æthelstan or Athelstan was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939.[a] He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first wife, Ecgwynn. Modern historians regard him as the first King of England and one of the "greatest Anglo-Saxon kings". He never married and had no children. He was succeeded by his half-brother, Edmund I.

When Edward died in July 924, Æthelstan was accepted by the Mercians as king. His half-brother Ælfweard may have been recognized as king in Wessex, but died within three weeks of their father's death. Æthelstan encountered resistance in Wessex for several months, and was not crowned until September 925. In 927 he conquered the last remaining Viking kingdom, York, making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England. In 934 he invaded Scotland and forced Constantine II to submit to him. Æthelstan's rule was resented by the Scots and Vikings, and in 937 they invaded England. Æthelstan defeated them at the Battle of Brunanburh, a victory that gave him great prestige both in the British Isles and on the Continent. After his death in 939 the Vikings seized back control of York, and it was not finally reconquered until 954.

Æthelstan centralized government; he increased control over the production of charters and summoned leading figures from distant areas to his councils. These meetings were also attended by rulers from outside his territory, especially Welsh kings, who thus acknowledged his overlordship. More legal texts survive from his reign than from any other 10th-century English king. They show his concern about widespread robberies, and the threat they posed to social order. His legal reforms built on those of his grandfather, Alfred the Great. Æthelstan was one of the most pious West Saxon kings, and was known for collecting relics and founding churches. His household was the center of English learning during his reign, and it laid the foundation for the Benedictine monastic reform later in the century. No other West Saxon king played as important a role in European politics as Æthelstan, and he arranged the marriages of several of his sisters to continental rulers.

This video is my third in my Kings of England Series. A Historical Documentary video series where i plan to go through every sole ruler of England, starting with King Alfred the Great, and Ending With Queen Anne. This series will focus on the person in question, but will also summarize the most important historical events associated with the topic person during their life span. This will include battles, wars, cultural issues, religious changes, political documents, reforms, and lasting effects.

Other Kings of England: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDsADVyAXB4GAb5X_dpItSz8ZLq99boGA

Citations
Ashley, M., & Lock, J. (1998). The Mammoth Book of British Kings & Queens: The complete biographical encyclopedia of the kings and Queens of Britain. Carroll & Graf Publishers.

Cannon, J. A., & Griffiths, R. A. (2000). The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy. Oxford University Press.

Editors of EnglishMonarchs.com. (2004). Athelstan. Athelstan, son of King Edward the Elder and Ecgwynn. Retrieved January 14, 2022, from https://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxon_8.htm

Foot, S. (2014). Aethelstan: The first King of England. Yale University Press.

Ross, D. (2012). King Athelstan (Aethelstan) biography (c. 894-939). Britain Express. Retrieved January 14, 2022, from https://www.britainexpress.com/History/athelstan.htm