por Who was Athelstan?
athelstan (894-939), grandson of Alfred the Great, was a King of England. After his father’s death he took over the reins of Mercia and, after his brother’s disappearance, he too ruled Wessex. He was a dominating figure, capable of destroying all the Viking and Scottish forces.
By winning the Battle of Brunanburh against the Vikings, he was distinguished as a great leader throughout all the British Isles. He became known as a pious man. He amassed great wealth and built several churches in the kingdom. He had great control over the administration and the legal system, and his reign was instrumental in laying the political foundations of the 10th century.
Athelstan’s real biography
Family
Athelstan was born the fruit of the marriage of Edward the Elder to his first wife, Ecgwynn. Many historians do not know Ecgwynn’s lineage, but they claim that she was of low social status.
After giving birth to Athelstan his mother died and the child was left in the hands of his paternal aunt, Ethelfleda. It is known that he was a tall and handsome boy and his grandfather gave him thousands of jewels and gave him other high value gifts. Athelstan completed his education at the Mercian court and then entered the military school. When his father died, he took control of Mercia.
Thrones of Mercia and Wessex
After their father’s death in 924, his sons succeeded to the thrones of Mercia and Wessex. Ælfweard ruled Wessex and Athelstan Mercia. His brother died at 16 days.
Athelstan was crowned in 926 at a place on the Wessex-Mercian border. Despite his coronation, the people of Wessex continued to harass him, even threatening to kill him.
Influences with weddings
He got his sister to marry Sihtric in 926 and with this he managed to refrain both kings from invading their territories. Sihtric, however, died a year later, and Athelstan invaded and attacked the region.
Several kings surrendered, thus Athelstan managed to take over all of northern Britain. In 937 the Vikings attacked him and tried to overthrow his kingdom, but Athelstan emerged victorious at the famous Battle of Brunanburh. He married off his sisters to influential rulers in order to continue to control the surrounding kingdoms politically.
Legal system and sanctions
He developed an advanced legal system to deal with petty crime, fraud, and oppression. A large number of these laws have been found in documents from the 10th century. Their laws were based on Carolingian laws, from the time of Charlemagne.
He imposed strict penalties, such as death, for crimes that were prevalent in his day. He was very compassionate with the poor, and he came to declare that all lords had to pay an annual fee to help those most in need.
Support for the Church
He had great respect for the Church and donated money for the construction of various monasteries. He was also an art collector, works that he gave away to various churches in order to gain their support.
Death
He died in 939 at Gloucester aged 45. Although almost all of his family was buried in a mausoleum in Winchester, he preferred not to be buried there because he had suffered fierce opposition from that town.
He opted for Malmesbury Abbey where other cousins of his were, and as support for both the abbot there and the place. Although his achievements might pale next to those of his grandfather Alfred the Great, he was considered one of the great kings of the Anglo-Saxon dynasty.
Athelstan in the series Vikings
Athelstan is a young Anglo-Saxon monk in Northumbria, and in the first Viking raid on England, he is taken by Ragnar as a slave. By living with the Vikings, he begins to understand and know them, and thus begins a division in his faith, between the Christian world and the pagan world.
Despite having vast knowledge of the Bible and handle language very well, he looks innocent talking with others, with the most powerful.
Season 1
Athelstan has been present since this first season in the series Vikings. The monastery has been taken over by the Vikings and he is being taken prisoner. He begs for his life to be spared, but he speaks in Norse, in Ragnar’s language, and Ragnar is surprised.
When Ragnar asks where he learned it, Athelstan replies that the monastery encourages them to go out and spread the word of God on their travels.
Ragnar thinks that Athelstan can be very useful if he talks, he can have very valuable information for the Viking raids. Later it is seen how Ragnar gets him drunk in order to get information from him so that he reveals the location of some cities.
Athelstan the slave
Arriving in Scandinavia, Earl Haraldson, the earl, is surprised by the great loot Ragnar has brought with him. However, he tells Ragnar that each member of his crew take only one item, as the rest will be his. Ragnar chooses Athelstan as his slave and takes him home, while his sons taunt the man about his long hair.
Celibate
That first night, Athelstan tries to sleep to no avail while Ragnar and Lathgertha have sex. Later they come to Athelstan and invite him to join them, but he says that he can’t since he has taken vows of celibacy and, besides, his God would punish him because he would know about his sin. Ragnar and Lathgertha pay little attention to it and continue to love each other.
Take care of children
Ragnar prepares for his next raid in the company of Lathgertha, so they will leave the children in Athelstan’s care. Björn is angry because he doesn’t want to be bossed around by a slave. For her part, Gyda has no problem because she is very close to the monk.
Haraldson attacks everyone
Haraldson sends his men to Ragnar’s house to attack him and his family. Lathgertha flees to a boat with the children and Athelstan while Ragnar repels the attack. He then goes to meet his family, but falls from the cliff into the river, so Athelstan will rush to rescue him.
Later they all sail to Floki’s house. Already at Floki’s house they heal Ragnar’s wounds. Ragnar’s allies are contacted and arrive there. For their part, Floki and Athelstan talk. Floki asks him about the Christian faith and the creation story, and he in turn tells him about the Viking creation.
the new count
Ragnar sends Floki to Haraldson’s house to challenge him to a fight to the death and define who will be the new earl. The challenge is accepted and days later Ragnar fights Haraldson. Although Ragnar is wounded, he is able to kill Haraldson, making him the new earl.
Athelstan has watched as Ragnar killed Haraldson, his bodyguard, and his son-in-law. The crowd surrounds Ragnar, who is victorious. Athelstan attends Haraldson’s funeral and then accompanies the Lodbroks to their new home, the official house. In this time Athelstan learns the Norse legend of Ragnarok and others.
no longer christian
Athelstan watches Lathgertha’s work as queen. He worries more when she has a miscarriage and worries about what Ragnar might think when she returns, since he had been prophesied that he would have many children. One year and 18 months later, Athelstan rails against Christianity and tells the Vikings that he shares their beliefs.
Ragnar later confronts him about what the Bible about pain. He tells her that they are going on a pilgrimage to Uppsala, the sacred place for the Norse, and asks if he wants to join them. Before leaving, she goes to Ragnar’s house to review some passages from the Bible that she has, already very worn. In Uppsala they ask him if he is still a Christian and Athelstan again denies his religion.
The ritual in Uppsala
Athelstan observes all the pagan rituals and Rollo gives him hallucinogenic mushrooms. He tours the camp observing the rituals and is accosted by Haraldson’s daughter, who kisses and washes him.
The seer leads him to the main temple, and Athelstan denies Christ three times. He later finds out that he has been taken to Uppsala to be offered as a sacrifice and he takes up the cross and escapes from the temple. Later, the seer tells Ragnar that Athelstan is still a Christian.
Return with the Vikings to their homes while Ragnar goes to Götaland. A plague attacks, but Athelstan survives. He later learns that Ragnar’s daughter has died from the plague and is very grieved. He watches the funeral that Lathgertha prepares for her daughter and how she creams her.
Season 2
Learning of his daughter’s fate, Ragnar wants to fight the Borg and his traitorous brother, but ultimately makes peace. He brings Ragnar back to his brother Rollo and gets her saved in court by bribing a judge.
Ragnar confesses to his family and Athelstan his affair with Princess Aslaug. Later she arrives pregnant and creates tensions within the family and discomfort in Athelstan. Lathgertha eventually leaves him.
Distrust of Floki
Four years later, Athelstan has converted to the Viking religion, although Floki does not believe in his conversion. Also, he accompanies Ragnar on his first foray. When they are on their way to England, a storm takes them by surprise and directs the Viking ships towards an unknown island.
There they are ambushed by some soldiers. Athelstan helps kill some soldiers and Ragnar, in gratitude, gives him his bracelet. Athelstan investigates the captured English and discovers that there are Vikings in Wessex, and that their king is cruel during battles.
athelstan kills
The Vikings continue their journey to Wessex and storm an abbey church. Athelstan stumbles across a Bible and contemplates her. A monk surprises him and asks him not to steal anything. She threatens him with crucifixion and then Floki arrives. He ties the bishop to a post and tortures him. Finally Athelstan kills him and Floki no longer doubts him.
Ragnar gathers his closest friends to go get his land back, though Athelstan wants to stay in England with Horik. This creates friction between the two, but eventually Ragnar lets her stay.
Athelstan is tired from all the looting and killing; he discovers a Bible and has a vision of a crucifixion. Later they are ambushed and Athelstan is captured and crucified, although the king of Wessex, Ecbert, asks his people not to kill him, as he can be very useful.
Ecbert takes care of Athelstan
Ecbert cares for him and tends to his wounds, even asking Athelstan for advice. A great friendship is established between the two, and Ecbert teaches him all the ancient Roman scrolls that he kept, and thus Athelstan becomes a scribe again, as before. In addition, he translates for Ecbert passages from the Gallic Warsby Julius Caesar.
In a new Viking raid, Athelstan discovers a badly wounded Rollo and takes care of him and heals him. Ecbert then sends Athelstan to negotiate with Ragnar.
Later Athelstan falls in love with Judith and she becomes pregnant. After negotiations, Athelstan chooses to go with his friend Ragnar.
Season 3
Aethelwulf destroys the Viking settlement in Wessex. Floki thinks that it has happened because the Vikings have cooperated with the Christians. He even accuses Athelstan of conspiring with King Ecbert.
In this season it is discovered that Judith of Northumbria gave birth to Athelstan’s bastard son. Ecbert orders Aethelwulf to raise the son as his own. The boy is named Alfred, who will later be known as King Alfred the Great.
In this season, Athelstan regains his…