Edmund II, called Ironside (981?-1016), Saxon king of the English (1016), son of King Ethelred the Unready. When Ethelred died, Edmund was chosen king by the people of London, but Canute II, king of Denmark, who was leading an invasion of England, secured the support of the council (witenagemot) at Southampton and of Edric (flourished 1001-17), Ethelred's son-in-law. Edmund met the Danes in battle, winning several engagements and relieving Canute's siege of London. He was defeated at Assandun (now Ashington), however, through the treachery of Edric, who had pretended to desert Canute. A truce was arranged between Canute and Edmund; Edmund was permitted to rule the south of England until his death later in the year, when it reverted to Canute.

• Source/Citation References (2)
  • Individual: Henry Atheling I
  • Individual: Edmund of England