How old is England now?

gdec1

1069 years old, unified in 937 AD by Athelstan- England's first king http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England#_note-3 Jun 19 06, 1:08 PM

dino335

It's somewaht debatable. Alfred the Great was first Anglo/Saxon King to style himself "King of England" in 871 AD. Using that date you get 1,135 years. Jun 19 06, 1:14 PM

lammas1

The first "King of the English" was King Egbert (802-839). Using the start of his reign gives 1,204 years. Jun 19 06, 5:51 PM

elburcher

EGBERT 827-839. Egbert, in Old English Ecgbehrt, the first King of all England. 1,179 years by this website. http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxon.htm Jun 19 06, 6:43 PM

dino335

Like I said, it's somewhat debatable. Looks like we can safely around 1,100 years. However, I would point out that there is a subtle difference between being "King of the English" and "King of England" in that King of the English indicates leadership of a people and not a land and doesn't signify the recognition of an "England" as a geographical entity. For that reason I would lean towards my answer as more correct but would probably defer to gdec as Athelstan truly was King of the entire geographical entity of England while Alfred "styled himself" King of England but didn't control the whole country as Athelstan did. Jun 19 06, 7:12 PM

lammas1

All the most authoritative sites (Britannica, Wikipedia,etc.) give the dates of Egbert's reign as 802-839). He is treated as the first true King of England because he was the first king whose claim to be "King of the English" had real substance (briefly, for a couple of years after 829). An earlier king, Offa (757-796), also claimed to be "King of all the English", but he controlled only Mercia. We shouldn't get hung up over precise borders, because (for example) the area around Berwick-on-Tweed did not finally become part of England until 1482. Jun 20 06, 6:45 AM

elburcher

Actually lammas1 Egbert controlled more than Mercia. On the death of Beothric, Egbert returned to claim the vacant throne of Wessex in 800 and was accepted without opposition. He then embarked on a programme of expansion, bringing the native Britons, or Celts, into subjection, eventually, all of what is now Wales became subject to his authority. Egbert defeated Beornwulf, King of Mercia, in battle at Ellandune, near Swindon. He proceeded to march an army into Kent, at that time under Mercian rule. Baldred, the Mercian under-king of Kent, fled and the Kentish men declared for Egbert. Surrey, Sussex and Essex followed suit. http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxon.htm Jun 20 06, 7:13 AM

elburcher

I'm correcting myself, my own refrence site lists Egbert's reign 802-839. Also, I think we have gotten away from the original question, which is "How old is England ?" Not when or whom was the first "English King" or "King of England". While it's been interesting debate, it dosen't necessarily answer the original question as stated. Jun 20 06, 7:35 AM

lammas1

I think we have answered the question. The idea of 'England' first came into being in the 8th century. Before that there was only a collection of small kingdoms, some not much bigger than present day counties, and before that the Roman province of Britannia (which included present-day Wales). As I've said, the first king to call himself 'King of all the English' was Offa; therefore by that time (mid 8th century) at least some people thought of the English as a distinct group, and therefore England (the land of the English) as a distinct territory. The first king to control all of this area (pretty much the same area we now call England) was Egbert for a few years after 829. Jun 20 06, 8:16 AM