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In 926 he marched into York. The kings of the Scots and of Strathclyde acknowledged him as their ‘father and lord’ and the Welsh princes agreed to pay tribute.

The Celts, the Danes and the Norwegians led by Constantine, king of the Scots, together with Olaf of Dublin declared war on Athelstan. They met at Brunanburh in 937 and Athelstan's victory was overwhelming.

Athelstan considered himself not only a British sovereign but also a European one. He arranged for his three sisters to marry, respectively, the Carolinian king Charles the Simple, the Capetian Hugh the Great and Otto the Saxon - a future Holy Roman Emperor.

Athelstan died two years later. His legacy was a more United Kingdom with the beginnings of organised courts and councils. He was succeeded by his half brother, Edmund who was followed quickly by Edred.

There now appeared a fearsome Viking leader, Eric Bloodaxe. He invaded Northumbria, the Northumbrians were mainly Vikings and welcomed him until it became obvious that he meant to kill them and burn their towns. The Northumbrians turned against Eric and killed him and his sons at the Battle of Stainmore.