Sarah Foot recovers the life of Æthelstan, the tenth-century ruler whose victories and diplomacy made him the first king to command all England. Because narrative sources are sparse, she draws together charters, law codes, coins, manuscripts and continental testimony to show how he presented his authority at home and abroad.
The book follows Æthelstan’s expansion northward, his triumph at Brunanburh and his cultivation of an imperial style of kingship. It also examines his religious patronage, family alliances and European connections, explaining why his reign was decisive in the formation of the English kingdom despite his limited place in popular memory.
Marc Morris
Tom Holland
5 books