The Age of Athelstan - Britain's Forgotten History (Paperback)

British history could have been so different. Beset by Vikings, troubled by internal feuding and haunted by treachery, the tenth-century British Isles experienced a veritable time of troubles. From the chaos emerged the first king of England - Athelstan. Paul Hill had his work cut out in uncovering the truth behind one of Britain's most extraordinary rulers. He had to dissect fact from lyrical fiction and evaluate obscure records from long ago. But his research paid off. For the first time a true picture of Athelstan emerges: a man uniting his lands through military power, fending off rivals and invaders. It's a brilliant world of drama and Paul Hill escorts the reader through the maze of warring factions in order to introduce us to our earliest great king. Paul Hill's book is a valuable corrective to those who say English history began in 1066. Indeed, without books like this the Dark Ages would be all the darker. (Kirkus UK)

In an age of evocative names like Eric Bloodaxe and Egil Skallagrimson, one name has been lost in the mists of time: that of Athelstan, ruler of all Britain. From the first raids of the Vikings on the shores of Britain and Ireland, the book traces the response to threat across the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic worlds. The rise of the kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons, and later, of the English, built from the debris of Viking destruction is analysed in detail and compared to the struggle for independence in Northumbria. Athelstan's achievement in establishing an empire for which he became famous is a key focus of the tale, along with the extraordinary history of the hunt for the lost battle of Brunanburh (AD 937), a clash which defined a people. For hundreds of years, no king would rule as much of Britain as Athelstan. His reputation survived the medieval period in the form of histories, songs and poems only to be lost at a later date, and yet its essence can still be found today all over the country.

General

Imprint:	The History Press Ltd
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	March 2004
First published:	February 2004
Authors:	Paul Hill
Dimensions:	235 x 165 x 10mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	240
ISBN-13:	978-0-7524-2566-5
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > General Books > History > General
LSN:	0-7524-2566-8
Barcode:	9780752425665

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