Ruler often considered the first true king of England (9)

I believe the answer is:

athelstan

(Other definitions for athelstan that I've seen before include "Anglo-Saxon king" , "King of Mercia and West Saxons" , "Old ruler" , "Historic English king" , "King in the 10th century" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.