The powerful and innovative King Æthelstan reigned only briefly (924-939), yet his achievements during those eventful fifteen years changed the course of English history. He won spectacular military victories (most notably at Brunanburh), forged unprecedented political connections across Europe, and succeeded in creating the first unified kingdom of the English. To claim for him the title of "first English monarch" is no exaggeration. In this nuanced portrait of Æthelstan, Sarah Foot offers the first full account of the king ever written. She traces his life through the various spheres in which he lived and worked, beginning with the intimate context of his family, then extending outward to his unusual multiethnic royal court, the Church and his kingdom, the wars he conducted, and finally his death and legacy. Foot describes a sophisticated man who was not only a great military leader but also a worthy king. He governed brilliantly, developed creative ways to project his image as a ruler, and devised strategic marriage treaties and gift exchanges to cement alliances with the leading royal and ducal houses of Europe. Æthelstan's legacy, seen in the new light of this masterful biography, is inextricably connected to the very forging of England and early English identity. "[An] enthralling work of historical detection. . . . In the pages of this remarkable biography—a work suffused with a rare empathy—Æthelstan emerges as a character of flesh and blood.”—Hywel Williams, Times Literary Supplement (Hywel Williams Times Literary Supplement 2011-09-30) "[A] compelling new biography….Foot manages to construct a remarkably clear vision of this king who deserves to be more widely known.”—David Musgrove, BBC History Magazine (Books of the Year) (David Musgrove BBC History Magazine (Books of the Year) 2011-12-01) “[An] outstanding biography….From a wide range of sources….Foot has pieced together a narrative that speaks of the realities of a vanished world…..Foot has amassed and arranged the evidence for Æthelstan life with great skill and flair….a triumph of historiography that celebrates a life rich in spiritual, intellectual and martial endeavor. Revisionary, thoughtful, beautifully written and exhaustively researched, this biography of Æthelstan is set to become a classic.”—Helen Fulton, Times Higher Education (Helen Fulton Times Higher Education 2011-09-22) “[A] definitive and comprehensive study that fully does justice to Æthelstan for the first time.”—Nicholas Orme, Church Times (Nicholas Orme Church Times 2011-11-18) “Very welcome indeed . . . the first book-length treatment of the king . . . a measured and well-written account.”—Charles Insley, Historian (Charles Insley Historian ) Sarah Foot is Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Christ Church, Oxford, and a foremost scholar of tenth-century history.