first Ruler

[molly-pot]

Who was the first king / queen of england? Thanks.

[coccinelle]

Alfred the Great

[sweetpea...!]

Egbert (802-39 AD) was known as the first King of All England.

[craft1948]

Athelstan

[VHG]

Before England became one country is was made up of different smaller "kingdoms" such as Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia, Northumbria and so on.

Each "kingdom" had its own ruler or king, and these rulers fought each other to take over each others kingdoms.

We were also attacked by the Danes, who took over parts of England, and they had their own "kings". The Norwegians also attacked parts of England as well.

So parts of England were ruled by an English king, and parts ruled by a Danish king.

It is difficult to give an exact date when we became one country known as "England" as written history from that time is rare.

During the years 800 and 900 the Wessex kings gradually took over other parts of the country like Kent and Sussex and became the dominant rulers, while the Danish invaders took over parts like East Anglia and Northumbria.

At one time Alfred the Great of Wessex was the only English king alive, but at that time the Danes ruled much of the rest of England so he did not rule all of England.

Gradually the Danes were driven out of England and Athelstan became the first king of a unified England so he could said to be the first king of England.

Northumbira was again attacked by Danes and Norwegians so parts of England were still under foreign rule.

King Edred in 954 gradually drove out the last of the Danes and Norwegians so he could be said to the the official first king of a unified England.

So as you can see, there is no simple answer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Englan d

[craft1948]

According to QI the other week it is Athelstan

[VHG]

This is the official royal family web site, on the page for the early kings (anglo saxon).

http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page14.asp

There is a drop down list at the top (where it says "choose an option") and you can read about each of the early kings there

[jno]

Athelstan is the one usually given, though as VHG says England wasn't quite the same country as it is now.

[adrenochrome]

As a Lancastrian, I don't acknowledge anyone prior to Henry 4th.

[jno]

so you'd call him Henry I then, adrenochrome? And the one at Agincourt was Henry II and the one with all the wives was Henry V... tricky.

[dot.hawkes]

but that's all it affects cos it would then be Elizabeth 1st and not change after that

mind, as a Yorkshirewoman i would disagree anyway

[jno]

the Williams and Edwards would have to be renumbered as well, Dot