An illegitimate son born to the king's mistress, Athelstan eventually united the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and took over the remaining Viking strongholds in the region, then finally became England's first king in 927.
IanDagnall Computing / Alamy Stock PhotoA modern-day portrait of Athelstan, the first king of England
Athelstan rose to become England’s first king in the early 10th century. But his journey to the throne was far from easy.
Born to Edward the Elder and his mistress, Athelstan faced opposition due to his questionable legitimacy. Despite this, he secured his position as king of the Anglo-Saxons in 925, unified England in 927, and cemented his rule by defeating his enemies at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937.
As king, Athelstan centralized governance, codified laws, and improved England’s monetary system. He also forged alliances across Europe through intermarriage, bolstering England’s security.
He died in 939 without heirs, leading to political instability and the temporary division of England. Despite this, his legacy as a unifier and reformer has endured, with modern depictions in shows like Vikings and The Last Kingdom rekindling interest in his life and legacy.
The Early Life And Ascendancy Of Athelstan, The First King Of England
Public DomainKing Athelstan kneeling before Guy of Warwick, an English folk hero.
Athelstan was born around 894 C.E. to Edward the Elder, king of the Anglo-Saxons and the son of Alfred the Great, and Egwina (also spelled Ecgwynn or Ecgwynna), the king’s enigmatic consort.
As a child, Athelstan was granted immense privileges. He received a religious and military education, preparing him for his future as king. And as a young man, he sat at the elbow of his powerful paternal aunt, Æthelflæd, who ruled over the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia.
When Edward the Elder died in 924, Athelstan was quickly declared king in Mercia, and his half-brother, Aelfweard, was named king of the West Saxons (Wessex). But when Aelfweard died just a few weeks later, Athelstan took over that kingdom as well. To smooth things over with his new subjects, Athelstan may have also promised to never marry or have any children.
He was crowned king on September 4, 925, in Kingston-upon-Thames, which sat on the border of Mercia and West Saxon. Despite this, pockets of opposition — citing issues of Athelstan’s illegitimacy — continued to plague the new king. William of Malmesbury, a 12th-century English historian, wrote about Athelstan’s difficulties rising to power in his Gesta regum Anglorum.
“He was crowned at a royal town, which is called Kingston,” Malmesbury wrote, “though one Elfred, with his factious party, as sedition never wants adherents, attempted to prevent it. The ground of his opposition, as they affirm, was, that Athelstan was born of a concubine.”
Public DomainA depiction of Athelstan from circa 1300-1400.
Indeed, there was at least one plot to blind Athelstan, rendering his claim to the throne illegitimate. But the plot did not succeed, and Athelstan continued to consolidate his power.
He next turned his attention to Northumbria, the only kingdom that remained under Viking rule. (Vikings had started raiding Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the late eighth century, and had established footholds in the north and east of Britain, but Athelstan’s father and aunt had driven many of them out). The Viking king Sihtric ruled the Kingdom of York in Northumbria, so Athelstan offered up one of his sisters to be Sihtric’s wife.
Sihtric agreed, thereby binding their kingdoms together in blood.
“One Sihtric, presided over this people, a barbarian both by race and disposition, who, though he ridiculed the power of preceding kings, humbly solicited affinity with Athelstan, sending messengers expressly for the purpose; and himself shortly following confirmed the proposals of the ambassadors,” William of Malmesbury wrote.
Public Domain A depiction of Athelstan (left) presenting a book to St. Cuthbert in an illustration from Bede’s Life of Saint Cuthbert.
He continued: “In consequence, honoured by a union with his sister, and by various presents, he laid the basis of a perpetual treaty.”
When Sihtric died a year later in 927, Athelstan seized the opportunity to take his kingdom. He thus became the first Anglo-Saxon ruler to rule over all of England. That same year, kings of Scotland, Strathclyde, and Wales also acknowledged his power and swore allegiance to him.
How The English King Triumphed Over Scotland And Wales
With England unified under his rule, Athelstan looked to increase his power over his neighbors. He made alliances with European powers by offering up his sisters as brides, forced Welsh kings to declare him “mechteyrn” (greater king) and pay him tribute, and, in 934, invaded Scotland.
Though little record remains of this campaign, it seems that Athelstan was joined by several Welsh kings, and that he forced the Scots to retreat.
Ikonact/Wikimedia CommonsBritish kingdoms in the 10th century. Athelstan was able to conquer all of England, and kingdoms in Wales, Scotland, and Strathclyde agreed acknowledge his rule.
But the Scots didn’t quickly forget this humiliation. In 937, Constantine of the Scots, Owain of Strathclyde, and the Viking king Olaf Guthfrithson joined forces to attack Athelstan and his men at the Battle of Brunanburh. Though the exact location of the battle has been lost to time — historians suspect it was in northern England — its violence has been remembered for centuries.
“They left behind to divide the corpses, to enjoy the carrion,” the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states: Nor was there a greater slaughter upon this island ever yet, the people slain before these edges of swords.”
With his enemies defeated and his power over England and its neighbors cemented, Athelstan looked towards reforming his kingdom.
How Athelstan Reformed His Kingdom
Athelstan began by centralizing the English government more than it ever had been. He created a council composed of advisors from across England, crafting what some experts believe to be an early form of parliament. He also dispatched royal tax collectors across the nation, as well as other officials tasked with enforcing the law and keeping order on his behalf.
IanDagnall Computing / Alamy Stock PhotoAlthelstan ordering the Bible to be translated into the Saxon language.
Athelstan also reformed religious and monetary policies. He oversaw the translation of the Bible into English, and his government also replaced the debased currency with high quality silver coins, which bore the words: Rex totius Britanniae (“King of all Britain”).
Public DomainCoins minted during the reign of Athelstan.
Though he never married nor fathered any children, the king fostered several royal children across the European continent, and offered them military support when they needed it.
His widespread influence on the continent led to his name, and that of his family, becoming legendary.
“On this account all Europe resounded with his praises, and extolled his valour to the skies: foreign princes with justice esteemed themselves happy if they could purchase his friendship either by affinity or by presents,” William of Malmesbury wrote.
Though powerful, Athelstan was still a mortal. And his reign came to an end in 939 after 14 years.
The Death Of England’s First King And His Depictions In Popular Culture
Public DomainThe empty 15th-century tomb of Athelstan at Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England.
Athelstan died in Gloucester, England on October 27, 939 at the age of 45. His cause of death is unknown.
In accordance with his own wishes, the monarch was buried at Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England. Unfortunately, his remains would later be stolen or moved from the abbey and they are now considered lost. Instead, contemporary visitors to Malmesbury Abbey can view an empty 15th century tomb created in his honor.
With no heirs or an apparent successor, Athelstan left a void in the seat of power of the newly established English country. This period of instability was worsened when York declared allegiance to the Viking king Olaf Guthfrithson, effectively dividing the country.
During the reign of Edmund I, Athelstan’s half-brother, York was briefly retaken. Upon Edmund’s death, York once again separated. The country would not be unified again until the reign of Athelstan’s other half-brother, Eadred, in 954.
Despite the instability that followed his death, Athelstan remained a popular figure in English history. Interest in his legacy waxed and waned with time but eventually found popularity among modern audiences – leading to a resurgence in historical analysis and representation in popular culture. Today, he is celebrated as one of the most important English kings of all time and has appeared in hit television series such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom.
History ChannelThe character of Athelstan in the show Vikings.
But with limited source material, many of these depictions are highly fictitious. In Vikings, for example, the character of Athelstan is only loosely based on the English king: he is depicted a priest living and working at Lindisfarne monastery off the northeastern coast of England. In the show, he is captured in a Viking raid led by Ragnar Lothbrok, a 9th-century Viking king.
Athelstan’s depiction in The Last Kingdom, however, is more true to life.
Despite inaccuracies like this, these modern-day shows have brought Athelstan into the minds of contemporary audiences. Clearly, the life and legacy of one of England’s greatest kings continues to fascinate the world.
After reading about Athelstan, dive into the story of Excalibur, the mythical sword of King Arthur. Then, read about the true story behind Viking Berserkers, the warriors who conducted raids after taking hallucinogens.
