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My Book Recommendations on Understanding English History
To understand the history of England, it is first necessary to know how the kingdom of the English came into beginning with the unification of England in 927 CE by the House of Wessex, ruled England from 927 CE to 1016 CE and then was in power again under Edward the Confessor from 1041 CE to 1066.
(Here is my behind the paywall link.)
The founders of the kingdom of the English were Alfred the Great, king of the West Saxons and Anglo-Saxons from 871 CE until his death in 899 CE. He was succeeded by his son Edward the Elder, who was king from 899 CE until 924 CE.
Before these two Kings, England was dominated by Wessex, East Anglia, Murcia and Northumbria kingdoms.
The Great Heathen army that invaded England in the 860s CE and was active in the 870s destroyed the old Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of East Anglia and Northumbria and permanently weakened the kingdom of Murcia, making it a client state of the kingdom of Wessex, which dominated southern England and won control over Cornwall during King Alfred’s rule.
Previously, that territory was called South Wales.
Founder of the Kingdom of England
The kingdom of England’s founder was Athelstan.
