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The First King of England
Æthelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom
Brief Description
From one of today's leading historians of the early medieval period, an enthralling chronicle of Æthelstan, England's founder king whose achievements of 927 rival the Norman Conquest of 1066 in shaping Britain as we know it. The First King of England is a foundational biography of...
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The First King of England
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The First King of England is a foundational biography of thelstan (d. 939), the early medieval king whose territorial conquests and shrewd statesmanship united the peoples, languages, and cultures that would come to be known as the 'kingdom of the English'.
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Description
From one of today's leading historians of the early medieval period, an enthralling chronicle of Æthelstan, England's founder king whose achievements of 927 rival the Norman Conquest of 1066 in shaping Britain as we know it.
The First King of England is a foundational biography of Æthelstan (d. 939), the early medieval king whose territorial conquests and shrewd statesmanship united the peoples, languages, and cultures that would come to be known as the 'kingdom of the English'. In this panoramic work, David Woodman blends masterful storytelling with the latest scholarship to paint a multifaceted portrait of this immensely important but neglected figure, a man celebrated in his day as much for his benevolence, piety, and love of learning as he was for his ambitious reign.
Set against the backdrop of warring powers in early medieval Europe, The First King of England sheds new light on Æthelstan's early life, his spectacular military victories and the innovative way he governed his kingdom, his fostering of the church, the deft political alliances he forged with Europe's royal houses, and his death and enduring legacy. It begins with the reigns of Alfred the Great and Edward the Elder, Æthelstan's grandfather and father, describing how they consolidated and expanded the 'kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons'. But it was Æthelstan who would declare himself the first king of all England when, in 927, he conquered the Viking kingdom at York, required the submission of a Scottish king, and secured an annual tribute from the Welsh kings.
Beautifully illustrated and breathtaking in scope, The First King of England is the most comprehensive, up-to-date biography of Æthelstan available, bringing a magisterial richness of detail to the life of a consequential British monarch whose strategic and political sophistication was unprecedented for his time.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780691249490
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 02 September 2025
Country: United States
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Illustration: 33 color + 1 b/w illus. 7 maps.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 735g
Pages: 344
About the Author
David Woodman is Professor and Fellow in History at Robinson College, University of Cambridge. His books include Edward the Confessor: The Sainted King and The Chronicle of John of Worcester, Volume IV: "Chronicula." X: @DavidWoodman45 Bluesky: @davidwoodman45.bsky.social
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