Hacker News Reader

Didn't Alfred describe himself as "King of the Anglo-Saxons" rather than "King of England" - a very minor point but it reminds me of the title "King of Scots" - the Scots being incomers to what become Scotland in a similar way that the Anglo-Saxon "English" were incomers to what became England?

View on HN

Alfred was styled "King of the Anglo-Saxons"; his grandson and (indirect) successor Æthelstan was first styled "King of the English". The same kingdom was taken by William I, who also styled himself "King of the English", as would be common amongst the Normans until John.

While Alfred may have borne a different title, he held the same office as the (later) Kings of England.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com