Æthelred the Unready facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Æthelred the Unready |
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Æthelred II in an early thirteenth-century copy of the Abingdon Chronicle
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| King of the English | |
| Reign | 18 March 978 – 1013 |
| Predecessor | Edward the Martyr |
| Successor | Sweyn Forkbeard |
| Reign | 1014 – 23 April 1016 |
| Predecessor | Sweyn Forkbeard |
| Successor | Edmund II |
| Born | c. 966 England |
| Died | 23 April 1016 (aged about 50) London, England |
| Burial | Old St Paul's Cathedral, London, now lost |
| Spouse | |
| Issue Detail |
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| House | Wessex |
| Father | Edgar, King of the English |
| Mother | Ælfthryth |
Æthelred II (born around 966 – died 23 April 1016) was a King of the English. He ruled from 978 to 1013 and again from 1014 until his death in 1016. He is often known as Æthelred the Unready. This nickname doesn't mean he wasn't ready for things. Instead, it comes from an Old English word, unræd, which means "poorly advised" or "bad counsel". It was a clever play on his own name, Æthelred, which means "well advised".
Æthelred was the son of King Edgar the Peaceful and Queen Ælfthryth. He became king when he was about 12 years old. This happened after his older half-brother, King Edward the Martyr, was killed. A big challenge during Æthelred's rule was dealing with attacks from the Danes. These raids started again in the 980s and became very serious. In 1013, King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark invaded England. Æthelred had to flee to Normandy. He returned to the throne in 1014 after Sweyn died. But Æthelred himself died just two years later. His combined reign of 37 years was the longest of any Anglo-Saxon English king.
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Understanding King Æthelred's Name
Æthelred's first name, Æthelred, means "noble counsel" or "good advice". This kind of name was common for kings in the House of Wessex. It was similar to names like Alfred the Great ("elf-counsel") or Edgar the Peaceful ("rich-spear").
His famous nickname, Unræd, means "evil counsel" or "bad plan". So, "Æthelred Unræd" was a bit of a joke. It meant "Noble counsel, No counsel". It could also be translated as "Æthelred the ill-advised". This nickname was first written down about 150 years after Æthelred died. So, it might not show what people thought of him when he was alive.
Æthelred's Early Life and Becoming King
Historians believe that the way Æthelred became king affected his rule. His father, King Edgar, died suddenly in 975. Edgar left behind two young sons. The older son, Edward, was likely not born in wedlock. He was a young man who was known for being difficult. The younger son was Æthelred, whose mother was Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred was only about 10 years old when his father died.
Edward was the older son, so he was expected to become king. However, many important people did not like Edward. They supported Æthelred's claim to the throne instead. Æthelred was the son of Edgar's last wife. Both boys were too young to be involved in these political fights. Their supporters were the ones arguing over who should be king.
Edward's supporters were stronger, and he was crowned king. But Edward ruled for only three years. He was killed in March 978 at Æthelred's estate. After Edward's death, Æthelred became king.
Starting His Rule as King
When Æthelred became king, he was between nine and twelve years old. At first, important advisors helped him rule. These included Bishop Æthelwold, Queen Ælfthryth (his mother), and Archbishop Dunstan.
Bishop Æthelwold was very important. When he died in 984, Æthelred started making his own decisions. He sometimes made choices that went against the Church. Later, he regretted these actions. His mother, Queen Ælfthryth, also became more important in the 990s. She helped raise his children and her brother became a top advisor. She died around 1000-1002.
Even with problems, England grew during Æthelred's reign. The population, trade, and wealth all increased.
Battles with the Danes
England had been peaceful for a while before Æthelred became king. But in 980, Danish raiders started attacking England's coast again. Æthelred was only about 14 years old then. These were small attacks at first. They hit places like Hampshire, Devon, and Dorset.
The Danish attacks became much more serious in the early 990s. They caused a lot of damage in 1006–1007 and 1009–1012. Æthelred often paid a tribute, or tax, to the Danes to make them leave. But this did not stop the attacks for long.
During this time, the Normans (people from Normandy in France) sometimes helped the Danes. This caused problems between England and Normandy. The Pope even stepped in to help them make peace in 991.
The Battle of Maldon
In August 991, a large Danish fleet attacked the south-east of England. They sailed up the River Blackwater to Northey Island. Near there was the town of Maldon. An English leader named Byrhtnoth was stationed there with his soldiers.
A famous battle happened between the English and the Danes. It is remembered in an old English poem called The Battle of Maldon. The poem describes Byrhtnoth's brave but losing fight to defend Essex. This battle was one of many defeats for the English.
Paying Tribute to the Danes
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After the Battle of Maldon, the English decided to pay the Danes a large sum of money, £10,000, for peace. But the Danish fleet kept attacking the coast. In 994, the Danish fleet, which had grown bigger, attacked London. The battle there was not decisive.
Around this time, Æthelred met with the Danish leaders. They made a treaty. It seemed to set up peaceful rules for trade and settling disagreements. But the treaty also said that the English had to pay £22,000 in gold and silver for peace.
In 994, a Norwegian prince named Olaf Tryggvason became a Christian in England. King Æthelred was his sponsor. Olaf promised not to attack England again and left for Norway. However, other Viking groups stayed in England. Some even became soldiers for Æthelred.
More Danish Raids
In 997, Danish raids started again. It seems the Viking soldiers Æthelred hired might have turned against him. They attacked Cornwall, Devon, and other parts of England. In 1000, they left England for Normandy. Perhaps the English had refused to pay them tribute this time.
This break from attacks allowed Æthelred to prepare his armies. But in 1001, a Danish fleet returned. It attacked West Sussex and other areas. In 1002, the English paid another large sum, £24,000, for a truce. Æthelred often paid these huge tributes, called Danegeld (Dane-payment). Some people think this showed he was a bad ruler. But historians point out that other kings also paid tributes. It could have been seen as the best way to protect people from harm.
The St. Brice's Day Massacre of 1002
On 13 November 1002, Æthelred ordered the killing of all Danish men in England. This event is known as the St. Brice's Day massacre. This order could not be carried out everywhere, especially where Danes were strong. But Gunhilde, the sister of Sweyn Forkbeard, the King of Denmark, was said to be among those killed.
This massacre was a main reason why Sweyn Forkbeard invaded England the next year. By 1004, Sweyn was in East Anglia. He attacked Norwich. An English nobleman, Ulfcytel Snillingr, fought Sweyn and caused the Danes heavy losses. The Danish army left England in 1005, possibly because of these losses or a severe famine.
Another Danish attack in 1006 was bought off with £36,000 in 1007. England was peaceful for two years. In 1008, the government built a new fleet of warships. But this fleet was weakened when one of its commanders became a pirate. The most powerful Danish army since Æthelred became king invaded in 1009. It attacked England until it was paid £48,000 in 1012.
The Invasion of 1013
In 1013, Sweyn Forkbeard launched a major invasion. He wanted to become king of England. By the end of 1013, English resistance had failed. Sweyn had conquered the country. Æthelred was forced to leave England and go to Normandy.
But the situation changed suddenly when Sweyn died in February 1014. The Danish soldiers in England immediately supported Sweyn's son, Cnut the Great. However, important English noblemen asked Æthelred to return as king. They asked him to promise to be loyal to them and to make reforms. This agreement was important because it was the first recorded pact between an English king and his people. It also showed that many English noblemen had supported Sweyn because they did not trust Æthelred.
Æthelred then led an attack against Cnut and his allies. Only the people of Lindsey (modern North Lincolnshire) supported Cnut. Æthelred tried to take back London, possibly with help from the Norwegian Olaf Haraldsson. Cnut and his army left England in April 1014. They left their allies in Lindsey to face Æthelred's anger.
Around 1016, Cnut returned to England. The situation was complicated. Æthelred's son, Edmund Ironside, had rebelled against his father. Edmund had support in the Danelaw area, which was angry at both Cnut and Æthelred.
Death and Burial
Over the next few months, Cnut conquered most of England. Edmund rejoined Æthelred to defend London. Æthelred died on 23 April 1016. After his death, the war continued between Edmund and Cnut. Cnut won a big victory at the Battle of Assandun.
Edmund was a strong warrior. So, Cnut agreed to divide England. Edmund would rule Wessex, and Cnut would rule the rest of the country. However, Edmund died in November 1016. Cnut then became king of all England.
Æthelred was buried in Old St Paul's Cathedral in London. His tomb and monument were destroyed when the cathedral burned down in the Great Fire of London in 1666. A modern monument lists his name among the important graves that were lost.
Laws and Achievements
Æthelred's government created many laws. He made sure these laws were followed strictly. At least six law codes from his reign still exist. They cover many topics. One of his important advisors was Wulfstan II, the Archbishop of York. Wulfstan likely wrote the last three law codes from Æthelred's reign. These laws focused a lot on Church matters.
Even though his government struggled against the Danes, Æthelred's rule had some important achievements. The quality of England's coins greatly improved during his reign. This was thanks to his many laws about coinage. Good coins show a strong economy.
Æthelred's Legacy and Reputation
Later on, people did not think highly of Æthelred. Many stories and legends appeared that made fun of his character and failures. This is where his nickname "the Unready" became very popular.
However, since the 1980s, historians have tried to look at Æthelred's rule more fairly. Historian Simon Keynes argues that our bad impression of Æthelred comes mostly from accounts written long after he died. These accounts, like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, were written knowing that England would eventually be defeated by the Danes. This made them interpret events in a negative way.
Because there are almost no writings from Æthelred's exact time, historians have to rely on what they have. Keynes and others point out that it's easy to judge someone badly when later stories are so negative. Recent studies suggest that Æthelred's problems were not so much about his character. Instead, they were due to very difficult situations that anyone would have struggled to control.
The Idea of the Jury System
Some people believe Æthelred helped create the English grand jury system. He is credited with forming local groups of twelve noblemen. These groups were sworn to find and report any criminals in their areas. Because they took a serious oath, some legal historians see them as an early form of the jury.
However, the way this is written suggests Æthelred might have been improving an existing custom. He might have expanded an English practice for use among the Danish people in the North (the Danelaw). The idea that the jury system started in Anglo-Saxon England has been debated by historians for a long time. Some think it came from France or Scandinavia. There is no clear agreement among experts yet.
Appearance and Personality
Æthelred was described as a "youth of graceful manners, handsome countenance and fine person". He was also called "a tall, handsome man, elegant in manners, beautiful in countenance and interesting in his deportment."
Marriages and Children
Æthelred married Ælfgifu around 985. She was the daughter of Thored, an earl from Northumbria. Their known children were:
- Æthelstan Ætheling (died 1014)
- Ecgberht Ætheling (died around 1005)
- Edmund Ironside (who became King of England, died 1016)
- Eadred Ætheling (died before 1013)
- Eadwig Ætheling (killed by Cnut in 1017)
- Edgar Ætheling (died around 1008)
- Eadgyth or Edith (married Eadric Streona)
- Ælfgifu (married Uhtred the Bold, an earl of Northumbria)
- Wulfhild? (married Ulfcytel Snillingr)
- An Abbess of Wherwell Abbey?
In 1002, Æthelred married Emma of Normandy. She was the sister of Richard II, Duke of Normandy. Their children were:
- Edward the Confessor (who became King of England, died 1066)
- Alfred Aetheling (died 1036–37)
- Godgifu or Goda of England (married twice)
All of Æthelred's sons were named after English kings.
See Also
In Spanish: Etelredo II el Indeciso para niños
- Burial places of British royalty
- Cultural depictions of Æthelred the Unready
- House of Wessex family tree
