Name Index

To

The Athelstan Myth

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  48, (1916), pp. 174- 179.

by

J. J. Alexander, M.A., J.P.

Prepared by Michael Steer

The paper was presented at the Association’s July 1916 Plymouth meeting. Athelstan (lit.'noble stone'; c.894 – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939.  He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first wife, Ecgwynn. Modern historians regard him as the first King of England and one of the "greatest Anglo-Saxon kings". He never married and had no children. He was succeeded by his half-brother, Edmund I. King Athelstan set the modern day boundary of Devon and Cornwall at the Tamar, indicating continued cultural and ethnic distinction between the two counties, albeit under his overlordship. As far as the West Country is concerned, the author asserts that he was a generous benefactor and a promoter of concord. The Paper, from a copy of a rare and much  sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.