Background and Early Life of Æthelstan
Æthelstan was born around 895, the son of King Edward the Elder of Wessex and his concubine, Wulfrun. He was the eldest of Edward's sons and, thus, a legitimate heir to the throne. Æthelstan's early years were marked by political instability, as the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were divided and threatened by Viking incursions. His father, Edward, was engaged in ongoing military struggles against Viking forces and the Danes, who had established themselves in large parts of the British Isles.
The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, under the leadership of Edward and his father, King Alfred the Great, had been a dominant force in resisting Viking expansion. However, much of the rest of England was still under Viking control or subjected to the fragmented rule of different Anglo-Saxon kings. Æthelstan’s path to power was not assured, as his mother, Wulfrun, was not of royal blood, and his legitimacy was sometimes questioned.
The Rise to Power
Æthelstan ascended to the throne of Wessex in 924, following the death of his father, Edward the Elder. However, it was not until 927 that he succeeded in becoming the king of all of England. His rise to power was not a straightforward process; he faced significant opposition from several of the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, notably Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia. Despite these challenges, Æthelstan displayed remarkable political acumen and military prowess.
One of his first major achievements as king was to assert control over the various kingdoms of England, many of which had long resisted Wessex dominance. In 927, Æthelstan secured the submission of the rulers of Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia, effectively bringing them under his control. This consolidation of power was symbolic of Æthelstan’s vision for a unified English kingdom, and it marked a significant step toward the establishment of England as a single entity. shutdown123