Ethelred II of England

Ethelred II or Æþelræd Unræd (c. 968 – April 23, 1016), known as the Unready, was a King of England (978 – 1013, and 1014 – 1016).

Early life and family

According to William of Malmesbury, Ethelred defecated in the baptismal font as a child, which led St. Dunstan to prophesy that the English monarchy would be overthrown during Ethelred's reign. This story is, however, almost certainly a fabrication.

Related Topics:
William of Malmesbury - Baptismal font - Dunstan

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Ethelred succeeded to the throne aged about 10 following the death of his father King Edgar and subsequent murder of his half-brother Edward the Martyr. His nickname "The Unready" does not mean that he was ill-prepared, but derives from the Anglo-Saxon unræd meaning "without counsel" or "indecisive". This is also a pun on his name, Æþelræd, which means "Well advised".

Related Topics:
King Edgar - Edward the Martyr - Anglo-Saxon

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Ethelred had at least sixteen children from two marriages, the first to Aelgiful/Ælgifu, the daughter of Thored, the ealdorman of Northumbria and the second, in 1002, to Emma of Normandy, whose grandnephew, William I of England, would later use this relationship as the basis of his claim on the throne.

Related Topics:
Ealdorman - Northumbria - 1002 - Emma of Normandy - William I of England

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