Æthelred the Unready, King of England from 978 to 1013 and again from 1014 to his death in 1016, is one of the more infamous monarchs in Anglo-Saxon history. His reign was marred by Viking invasions, political instability, and the eventual Danish conquest of England. Æthelred, whose epithet “the Unready” is often attributed to his perceived failure to defend England from the Vikings, left behind a troubled legacy. However, following his death in 1016, the throne of England passed to a succession of rulers that would ultimately shape the future of the English kingdom.

The Sons of Æthelred: Edmund Ironside

After Æthelred's death in 1016, England was once again thrown into a state of civil war between the English and the Danes. Æthelred had left behind two surviving sons, Edmund Ironside and Edward the Confessor, but it was Edmund who became the immediate contender for the throne.

Edmund Ironside, a son of Æthelred and a respected warrior, was one of the few figures capable of challenging the Danish king, Cnut the Great. His reign, however, was brief. Upon Æthelred's death, Cnut, who had been ruling over parts of England as a Viking leader, seized the throne. Edmund Ironside quickly rose in defiance, rallying the Anglo-Saxon nobility to his side. However, after a series of battles, including the famous Battle of Ashingdon in October 1016, Edmund was forced into a truce with Cnut.

The truce agreed upon between the two men stipulated that England would be divided: Cnut would rule over the northern and central parts, while Edmund would govern the south. Tragically, Edmund Ironside died in November 1016 under mysterious circumstances, which many contemporaries suspected was a result of foul play, leaving Cnut as the uncontested ruler of England. shutdown123