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Ironically, the most famous date in Anglo-Saxon history is that of its demise, 1066, which is why when in 1930 W. C. Sellar, a former schoolmaster, and his classmate at Oxford, the humorist R. J. Yeatman, decided to send up English history as taught in schools with a parody survey, they called it  1066 and All That. In a previous episode Dr. Jenny Paxton and I discussed why 1066 is such a significant date in English history. My very special guest, David Woodman, Professor of History at Robinson College, Cambridge, contends that the year 927 should be as memorable as 1066. And he will explain why in this episode on the first king of England.

And who was the first king of England?  I would love to say that it was King Alfred the Great, but, as I concluded in my biography of Alfred, his legacy was to create the foundations for the kingdom of England. But if not Alfred, then who?  David Woodman has a clear answer, encapsulated in the title of his recent book from Princeton University Press, The First King of England: Æthelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom. 

In this episode David and I discuss the reign of King Æthelstan, and why David believes that 927 should be celebrated as the birthdate of the kingdom of England. Along the way, we discuss sources--or the lack thereof--and commiserate over the challenges faced by biographers of early medieval people. I hope you will join us.

Listen on Podurama https://podurama.com

Intro and exit music are by Alexander Nakarada

If you have questions, feel free to contact me at richard.abels54@gmail.com