| King Athelstan from his effigy on the empty tomb in Malmesbury Abbey which once held his mortal remains. |
Athelstan or Aethelstan, king of England (king of Wessex c.895-939 and king of Mercia 924-939), was the son of Edward the Elder and grandson of Alfred the Great. His victory over Mercia, of which he was crowned king, was the start of the unification of England. He was later vioctorious over the Danes, Welsh and the Scots.
The king's law declared a single coinage to be used throughout his realm and examples of coins from his reign have been discovered bearing his head and the inscription "Rex Totius Britanniae", "King of All Britain". The penalties for striking bad money werre severe . . .
We declare that there shall be one coinage throughout the King's dominions and that there shall be no minting except in a port. And if a minter be convicted of striking bad money, the hand with which he was guilty shall be cut off and set up on the mint smithy.
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Athelstan was largely responsible for the formalisation of the hundreds and shires of Wessex. It is also during his reign that stannaries are first mentioned.
Athelstan died of an unknown disease at the height of his power at Gloucester on October 27th, 939 and was succeeded by his half-brother Edmund I. He was buried in Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire of which he was a great benefactor.
Howell the Good (Hywel Dda or Hywel ap Cadell in Welsh) came to an arrangement with King Athelstan of England whereby he minted his own coinage in the English city of Chester. He was the only Welsh ruler ever to produce coinage.
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