When King Edmund died in 955, Edwy became King of Wessex (England), and his brother Edgar became King of Mercia ( During the reign of his brother Edwy, he was chosen King of Mercia and Northumbria ).Edwy died in 959 and his brother became sole king. So many say that England was united geographically in 959 and Edgar was the first King of a united England. Although Edgar was not crowned till 973.

It has been said that Alfred started to make people think of themselves as one English people uniting the country in mind if not politically or geographically.