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Ethelred II (the Unready)

A Dictionary of World History | 2000 | Copyright

Ethelred II (the Unready) (c.968–1016) King of England (978–1016). He succeeded his stepbrother EDWARD THE MARTYR, who had been murdered on instructions from Ethelred's mother Alfrida. This inauspicious beginning to the reign was compounded by further blunders which earned Ethelred the title “unready”, meaning “devoid of counsel”. Encouraged by his misfortunes the Danes renewed their invasions. Ethelred bought them off on five occasions (991, 994, 1002, 1007, 1012) with DANEGELD. His attempt (1002) to massacre all the Danes in his kingdom was answered (1013) by the invasion of the King of Denmark, SWEYN I, who ruled England until his death (1014) when Ethelred was restored.

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Ethelred II

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

Ethelred II ( the Unready) (968–1016) (Old English, evil rede, ‘counsel’) King of England (978–1013; 1014–16). Following continuous Danish attacks, he paid off the raiders with money raised by the Danegeld (994). The Danes returned nevertheless in 997, and again in 1002 when they were massacred by Ethelred's forces. The Danish King Sweyn retaliated and conquered England (1013). Ethelred was made king again on Sweyn's death, but was succeeded by Sweyn's son Canute II.

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"Ethelred II." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Ethelred II." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-EthelredII.html

"Ethelred II." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-EthelredII.html

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