The Story of King Athelstan
The Story Storks version!
This timeline includes a brief overview of the events that are included in the Story Storks version of this story. We research our stories thoroughly using credible historical sources. However, we do sometimes take artistic license - where we've done so on this page, we've made it obvious.
Before 894AD
VIKINGS! Everywhere!!
The Viking invasion is in full swing, and had they mastered the arts of bureaucracy and committee, they might have taken over England during the reign of Alfred the Great! But Alfred was wily, and by the time our story begins, Alfred the Great is the King of Wessex.
894AD (ish)
Athelstan is born
There are no records of Athelstan’s birth, so we’re relying on William of Malmesbury who stated that Athelstan was 30 in 924AD. We also don’t know where he was born, but most experts would guess somewhere in Wessex. In the Story Storks version, a baby boy was born in Winchester!
Before 899AD
Athelstan's Investiture
Alfred the Great had a vision from god that his grandson, Athelstan was going to be the King to unite the whole of England. To ensure that everyone knew this, he held an Investiture Ceremony where, in front of the Wessex Court, he presented Athelstan with a scarlet cloak, a belt with jewelled scabbard and an “enormous sword!”
899AD
Athelstan's Father becomes King of Wessex
Alfred the Great died, and Edward, his son, was crowned King. Edward put aside Athelstan’s mother and married Aelfflaed, a woman from a more powerful family. In the Story Storks version, Aelfflaed is the evil stepmother who wants to ensure her own children are put on the throne, so Athelstan is sent to live with his Aunty in Mercia.
899-918AD
Athelstan becomes a Mercian
Aethelflaed, Alfred the Great’s oldest child, brought Athelstan up, teaching him all the skills he would need to fulfil her father’s vision of becoming the first King of England. She taught him how to read and write, and she also taught him how to be a fierce warrior. By the time he was a man, his reputation had spread far and wide. He wasn’t someone you wanted to meet in combat.
NB We love Aethelflaed! When her husband, the Lord of the Mercians, died, she became the Lady of the Mercians and was the only woman to rule a Saxon Kingdom. Aunty Ethel was quite something. In the full stage version of this story, she has her own number!
918AD
Aethelflaed dies
When Aethelflaed died, Edward marched up into Mercia and declared himself the King of the Anglo-Saxons. He carried on the campaigns that his sister (and probably Athelstan) had fought against the Vikings, taking great strides towards creating a united England.
924AD
King Edward dies
King Edward died in Chester in battle against a faction of Mercians and Welsh who didn’t want to submit to his rule. The Mercians immediately declared Athelstan their King.
Still 924AD
Athelstan vs Aelfweard
However, remember that evil stepmother from earlier on? She’d given birth to boys, and her eldest, the unfortunately named Aelfweard, made a claim to the throne. Wessex did not submit to Athelstan’s rule. Two weeks after his father’s death, Aelfweard took a small army to Oxford in Mercia and then mysteriously died there. There is no record of foul play. Doesn’t mean there wasn’t, of course – we’ll never know.
925AD
King Athelstan
Wessex still didn’t want to submit to Athelstan’s rule, even though his stepbrothers were way too young to take on the throne. So in the Story Storks version, he made a deal that he would not marry or have heirs. That way, the throne would revert to the sons of the Evil Step Mother when he died, and the Evil Step Mother would get to continue playing Queen in Winchester.
4th September 925AD #1
King Athelstan
Wessex finally voted to submit to Athelstan’s rule, and he was crowned in Kingston Upon Thames in a church that sat on the site of All Saints Church. He was declared to the people on a great big wooden platform that was erected in Kingston’s marketplace, before entering the church for the ceremony.
4th September 925AD #2
The Coronation Ceremony
Athelstan had a new coronation ceremony written for the occasion, with a theme of unity. He wanted this ceremony to heal old wounds and bring together people from different kingdoms and cultures under a banner of peace and stability.
He was presented with coronation regalia, which represented different values for his reign. A sceptre for peace, a ring for faith, a rod for guidance, a sword for compassion and the crown for unity. Athelstan was the first King in this country to wear a crown. Before Athelstan, kings had been ‘crowned’ with a fancy helmet. Or maybe they’d been helmeted? Is that thing?!
NB Story Storks created those values from the actual words used in the ceremony. For more details of that, we would recommend Sarah Foot's book on Athelstan.
4th September 925AD #3
Athelstan's first act as King of the Angles and Saxons
After many prayers, Athestan’s first act as King was to free a slave. He washed his feet as Jesus had washed the feet of the disciples at the last supper. Presumably, there was then an enormous party!
927AD
Athelstan's eyes turn to The North
King Sitric, Viking King of the North had started to retake parts of Mercia during his reign. Athelstan came to an agreement with Sitric, which was cemented when he offered Sitric the hand in marriage of his sister. This lasted until King Sitric died in 927AD. Athelstan took an army north and took York. He did the necessary committees and meetings and was finally declared the King of England on the 12th July 927AD.
NB: There’s so much more to this, but 2027 is going to be a big year for some new chapters in this story. Check back for details nearer the time.
937AD
The Battle of Brunanburh
The Viking Kings in Ireland believed that York was their birthright. They joined with the Scottish and Welsh Kings and marched it take it back. It was a formidable force, and by the end of the battle five kinds lay slain on the battlefield, with King Athelstan victorious. There is a cracking poem translated by Lord Tennyson on this battle which is worth a read.
938AD
Athelstan dies
Athelstan died in Gloucester, aged around 45. The cause of death is not specified. Some say that he was worn out! He left behind him laws, coins, a crown and many other things that historians will tell you shaped the world we live in today, and they’re not wrong. But what we take from this story at Story Storks is that he was trying to unite people to bring about peace. Admittedly, his methods were a tad violent, but with more modern diplomatic methods, that message still stands strong today.
The English have never been from one culture. We have always been a cultural mish-mash. It’s part of what makes us brilliant. And the more we embrace that, the stronger we’ll be.
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