ATHELSTAN, 925-940. One of the greatest kings in Saxon history, our most famous benefactor and Patron King of Malmesbury. Born in 895, the favourite grandson of Alfred, Athelstan was elected to succeed, after some rather dirty work on his part. The Saxon Kings reigned not by direct descent, but were elected and he managed to "remove" two opponents, but it was a great day for England when he obtained the throne. He was the first King to be crowned on the Kings Stone in the market place at Kingston-on-Thames which is still extant.
History has never made enough of this wonderful man as he has always been overshadowed by his grandfather Alfred, in popular "history". All know "the man who burnt the cakes, the Father of the British Navy," etc., but in actual fact Athelstan makes a greater mark on our history than anyone else at that time in England's history. His claims to fame are manifold. A great warrior and Church-man, and sufficiently "modern" to have governed by the Danish system of law under "Earls." His Court was famous throughout Europe and he was munificent with his gifts. Besides his prowess as a warrior, he was one of the greatest collectors of books and works of art of his time.
He conquered Northumbria and harried the Scots and overran Scotland as far as Aberdeen. His fleet even attacked the Orkneys and he finally beat a combined army of Scots and Welsh at the legendary battle of Brunaburgh. In this battle he was ably supported by Malmesbury men and Godwyn, his Standard Bearer, came here. He confirmed the Charter of his Father after that battle "confirmed by my seal, by the witnessing of Edmund my brother, and by the advice of Master Wolsin my chancellor and Odo my treasurer and Godwyn." He also states that "Godwyn obtained this on behalf of the Burgesses." There are still Godwyns in the neighbourhood. He can therefore claim to be the first King of all Britain as then known. In his Court, then at Nottingham, he is referred to in these terms, and it is interesting to note that among his retinue were three sub-Kings (Welsh princes), six Viking Earls, sixteen Bishops, etc., etc.
His Monastic and Governmental claims to fame are also great. He gave the land on which St. Paul's Cathedral is built in London; he was mainly responsible for the structure of York Minster and built Beverly Minster. He also established what eventually became the Civil Service. Although a keen Churchman, he was suspicious of the Monks and started a lay service to control affairs. We may not personally approve of this achievement but it has lasted a long while since Athelstan's day and appears to be a permanent institution now.
His fame was known throughout Europe and he made political marriages for his four sisters, "all beautiful." Henry, King of the Teutons asked for one and Athelstan sent two on approval. One married Henry but I am unable to find out what happened to the unsuccesful applicant. She probably had to put up with a consolation prize of a mere Duke. Louis, Prince of Aquitania, married a third and Hugh, King of the Franks, married the fourth "in whom the whole essence of beauty had centred, whereas the others only the part." The Doweries of these marriages were magnificent and almost unbelievable in these times.
They largely consisted of sacred relics such as "pieces of the sacred Cross, the spear that pierced the side of our Saviour, portion of the Crown of Thorns," etc., etc., with a great diversity of precious jewels, fleet horses with golden trappings and "perfumes such as which had never been seen in England before, and emeralds which dazzled the eye of the beholder and compelled him to avert his gaze." Many of the relics were given to his favourite Abbey here and at one time we must have held one of the finest collection of them on show anywhere in Europe, although I doubt if they could have been authenticated. It undoubtedly was good for the "tourist trade" and helped to make Malmesbury Abbey famous, both as a seat of learning and piety.
He was a great collector of books and many of the ancient libraries throughout Europe owe some of their greatest treasures to this munificent King. Our own Library he richly endowed, but alas these treasures were scattered at the Dissolution and even before, through sheer neglect.
He gave the Common of Malmesbury to the descendants of the men who helped him in his battles and started the ancient institution of the "Commoners of the Kings Heath" in 939 which became what is known as the "Old Corporation," of which more anon.
Space will not permit more stories of this great King and of his many adventures, and intrigues, but it is to be hoped that someday someone will write a fuller history of a King, so great, and yet so unpublicised.
On his death in 940, still in the prime of his life, he was buried in his Abbey of Malmesbury with great pomp and ceremony, but his tomb there is, alas, a medieaval fake as his remains were moved from time to time during succeeding troubles and his actual burial place is now unknown.
After the death of Athelstan, the Saxon Kings degenerated and a stable government faded away. Malmesbury suffered as a consequence, and the Monks were actually expelled by Edwy (955-959) but were restored by his son after sixteen years, during which time the Abbey was carried on by a "skeleton staff" which managed to keep going. About 1050, in the reign of Edward the Confessor, Malmesbury was again destroyed by fire, this time by accident and the wooden Abbey went as well. Building of a more permanent nature in stone was started and it is interesting to note that about this time Bishop Herman of Sherbourne proposed to unite the Abbey of Malmesbury with the Bishopric. The King consented but the Monks surprisingly defeated the scheme, so we lost the chance to become the Cathedral City of Wiltshire, which eventually went to Salisbury who became our greatest rivals in later years.
