England is set to mark the 1,100th anniversary of its founding on 12 July 2027. This date commemorates the events of 12 July 927, when King Æthelstan, described as the most powerful king in Britain, convened a summit beside the river Eamont in Cumbria.
In 927, Æthelstan seized an opportunity following the unexpected death of the Norse king of York. He appeared before York's walls, leading to the submission of Northumbrian lords and bringing all English-speaking lands under a single king for the first time.
The summit at Eamont was held to formalise this new arrangement, with other kings and lords from across the island submitting to Æthelstan's authority. Although oaths against dealings with Vikings were not kept long, the united kingdom of England secured by Æthelstan in 927 endured.
Æthelstan's reign also saw the enshrinement of legal and social assumptions in English governance, including ordinances aimed at preventing starvation among his subjects.