{"product_id":"the-first-king-of-england-aethelstan-and-the-birth-of-a-kingdom-hardcover","title":"The First King of England: ÆThelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDavid Woodman\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom one of today's leading historians of the early medieval period, an enthralling chronicle of  thelstan, England's founder king whose achievements of 927 rival the Norman Conquest of 1066 in shaping Britain as we know it\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe First King of England\u003c\/i\u003e is a foundational biography of  thelstan (d. 939), the early medieval king whose territorial conquests and shrewd statesmanship united the peoples, languages, and cultures that would come to be known as the \"kingdom of the English.\" In this panoramic work, David Woodman blends masterful storytelling with the latest scholarship to paint a multifaceted portrait of this immensely important but neglected figure, a man celebrated in his day as much for his benevolence, piety, and love of learning as he was for his ambitious reign. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSet against the backdrop of warring powers in early medieval Europe, \u003ci\u003eThe First King of England\u003c\/i\u003e sheds new light on  thelstan's early life, his spectacular military victories and the innovative way he governed his kingdom, his fostering of the church, the deft political alliances he forged with Europe's royal houses, and his death and enduring legacy. It begins with the reigns of Alfred the Great and Edward the Elder,  thelstan's grandfather and father, describing how they consolidated and expanded the \"kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons.\" But it was  thelstan who would declare himself the first king of all England when, in 927, he conquered the viking kingdom at York, required the submission of a Scottish king, and secured an annual tribute from the Welsh kings. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBeautifully illustrated and breathtaking in scope, \u003ci\u003eThe First King of England\u003c\/i\u003e is the most comprehensive, up-to-date biography of  thelstan available, bringing a magisterial richness of detail to the life of a consequential British monarch whose strategic and political sophistication was unprecedented for his time.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid Woodman\u003c\/b\u003e is Professor and Fellow in History at Robinson College, University of Cambridge. His books include \u003ci\u003eEdward the Confessor: The Sainted King\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Chronicle of John of Worcester, Volume IV: \"Chronicula\u003c\/i\u003e.\" X: @DavidWoodman45 Bluesky: @davidwoodman45.bsky.social\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 344\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 x 9.3 x 6.1 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 02, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52054209134893,"sku":"9780691249490","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/the-first-king-of-england-aethelstan-and-the-birth-of-a-kingdom-hardcover-8420006.webp?v=1780169405","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/the-first-king-of-england-aethelstan-and-the-birth-of-a-kingdom-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}