Talk:Athelstan of England

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Note: Battle of Brunanburh is currently an empty page, voted for deletion. If anyone knows anything about it, now's a good time to do the article :) -- Sam

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Contents 1 Children or no children? 2 Meaning? 3 Another children question 4 Date of crowning

[edit] Children or no children?

In Policital and Military life, it is stated that Athelstan had no children of his own. However, in the next section, it is stated that "Athelstan's daughter Aelfgifa married Boleslav, King of Bohemia." So, did he have children or not?

As far as I can tell, other online sources confirm that Athenstan was unmarried, and I could find no source other than Wikipedia that he had any daughter named Aelfgifa.

It is generally accepted in the academic community that Athelstan had no legitimate children. It has even been suggested that this was dynastic policy, in order to allow his brother Edmund to succeed. Little proof for this (as of yet), though.

I'm planning to expand on this article considerably. I'll probably break it into sections:

• Sources
• Political Developments
• Athelstan and the Continent
• "rex totius Britanniae"

Comments/additions would be appreciated. Harthacanute 18:01, 21 Oct 2005 (UTC)

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Athelstan certainly did not have a daughter called Aelfgifa (or Aelfgifu) - she was the son of his brother Edward and is one of the many siblings of his mentioned in Athelweard's 'Chronicon'. Also as a general comment for this page I would certainly a section on charters - under Athelstan's reign for the first time we have evidence for a royal chancery, producing a series of charters that provide perhaps our best insights into the workings of his court and his imperial asperations.

I've added a little on Athelstan's administration, and touched on his charters, though not their wider implication. Perhaps someone who knows a bit about them could add something? Harthacanute 17:21, 21 January 2006 (UTC)

I've just completed my Part II ASNaC dissertation (part of which is forthcoming as an article) on kingship ideology in Athelstan's charters, so once I've finished my finals I'd be happy to add some information. Also I might do a bit of work on the Anglo-Saxon charters page...

[edit] Meaning?

" Only a year after his crowning he had a sister to Sihtric, the viking King of York." What does this mena? Shoould it read " Only a year after his crowning he gave a sister in marriage to Sihtric, the Viking King of York"?

[edit] Another children question

I keep seeing Alwara, the mother of Leofric (famous for being the husband of Lady Godiva) listed as Athelstan's daughter. Is this correct, or just a innacuracy that's spread around? - Indy Gold 19:05, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

The king Æthelstan is not known to have had children. Of course, there are plenty of other Æthelstan's in C10th England with whom he might be confused, accidently-on-purpose, to improve a genealogy. Most obviously, there's Æthelred the Unready and Cnut's brother-in-law Æthelstan son of Thored, Ealdorman of York. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England says of Leofric: "His family were perhaps related by marriage to that of Ælfgifu of Northampton, Cnut's first wife ...". Angus McLellan (Talk) 19:41, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, that gives me some other things to look into as possibilities for her parents. I could definately see where accidental-on-purpose genealogy could have mixed up who was who online. Thanks again. :) - Indy Gold 21:04, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

I'd think that the confusion predates printing, never mind the interweb; medieval people loved improving genealogies. I've corrected my brainstorm about Ælfgifu earlier. Angus McLellan (Talk) 23:02, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Date of crowning

It strikes me as curious that the article states Athelstan was crowned in 924, yet the following picture of the crowning stone is date DCCCCXXV, that is 925. I'm certainly no British History scholar, but it would be nice to clarify this. Perhaps the date on the stone relates to a different event? --Daxav

Athelstan became king (but apparently only in Mercia) in 924. The stone refers to his coronation as king of Wessex, after the death of his half-brother Ælfweard of Wessex. Hope this helps, Angus McLellan (Talk) 22:23, 20 December 2006 (UTC)