The Scandinavian leaven in the population had put back the shadow on the dial of England some three centuries.

AEthelstan, Eadward's son, found himself obliged to give his sister in marriage to Sihtric or Sigtrig, Danish king of the Yorkshire Northumbrians, which probably marks a recognition of his vassal's equality.

Soon after, however, Sihtric died, and AEthelstan made himself first king of all England by adding Northumbria to his own immediate dominions.

Then "he bowed to himself all the kings who were in this island; first, Howel, king of the West Welsh; and Constantine, king of Scots; and Owen, king of Gwent [South Wales]; and Ealdred, son of Ealdulf of Bamborough; and with pledge and with oaths sware they peace, and forsook every kind of heathendom." In the West, he drove the Welsh from Exeter, which they had till then occupied in common with the English, and fixed their boundary at the Tamar.

But once more the pretended vassals rebelled.