General Notes

Name Suffix:<NSFX> II King of England
Nickname:<NICK> "The Unready"

1   [large-G675.FTW]
was called either Aethelred or Ethelred II the Unready, KIng of England.Reigned 979-1013 (deposed) and 1014-1016. In light of repeated Danishraids, he was forced to pay huge tributes (Danegeld). He was driven intoexile by Sweyn but returned after his death. Died during Canute'sinvasion of England. Burke says he died 1010.
tried to buy off renewed attacks by the Vikings with money levied througha tax called the Danegeld. Eventually, in 1013 Ethelred fled to Normandywhen Sweyn (the
Sweyn's death in 1014.


rival factions supporting his sons Edward and Ethelred. The elder sonEdward (reigned 975-978) was murdered in 978 at Corfe Castle, Dorset, byhis seven year old half-brother's supporters. For the rest of Ethelred'sreign (reigned 978-1016), his brother became a posthumous rallying pointfor political unrest; a hostile Church transformed Edward into a royalmartyr. Known as the Un-raed or 'Unready' (meaning no counsel, or that hewas unwise), Ethelred failed to win or retain the allegiance of many ofhis subjects. In 1002, he ordered the massacre of all Danes in England toeliminate potential treachery.
increasingly rapacious Viking raids from the 980s onwards by diplomaticalliance with the duke of Normandy in 991 (he later married the duke'sdaughter Emma) and by buying off renewed attacks by the Danes with moneylevied through a tax called the Danegeld. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in1006 was dismissive: 'in spite of it all, the Danish army went about asit pleased'. By 1012, 48,000 pounds of silver was being paid in Danegeldto Danes camped in London.
dispossessed him. Ethelred returned to rule after Sweyn's death in 1014.
Danelaw. After Ethelred's death in 1015, Edmund cleared southern Englandof Danish marauders in a series of fiercely fought and highly mobilefighting, but he lost the battle of Ashingdon of 1016 (his Mercian alliesdeserted him) against Sweyn's son Canute, and died in the same year.Before his death, Edmund made an agreement with Canute giving Canuteterritorial concessions, including Wessex. Edmund was buried atGlastonbury.