Edmund Ironside facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edmund Ironside |
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Edmund in the early 14th-century Genealogical Roll of the Kings of England
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| King of the English | |
| Reign | 23 April – 30 November 1016 |
| Predecessor | Æthelred the Unready |
| Successor | Cnut |
| Born | c. 990 England |
| Died | 30 November 1016 (aged 25–26) Oxford or London, England |
| Burial | Glastonbury Abbey |
| Spouse | Ealdgyth |
| Issue | Edward the Exile Edmund Ætheling |
| House | Wessex |
| Father | Æthelred the Unready |
| Mother | Ælfgifu of York |
Edmund Ironside (born around 990, died November 30, 1016) was King of the English from April 23 to November 30, 1016. He was also known as Edmund II. His father was King Æthelred the Unready, and his mother was Ælfgifu of York.
Edmund's short time as king was spent fighting a war. This war had started during his father's rule. His nickname "Ironside" was given to him because he was very brave. He showed great courage fighting against the Danish invasion led by Cnut the Great.
Edmund was not expected to become king. But by 1014, his two older brothers had died. This made him the next in line for the throne. England was taken over by Sweyn Forkbeard in late 1014. Sweyn died soon after. Æthelred was able to get his throne back. Sweyn's son, Cnut, was defeated and went back to Denmark. He then gathered a large army to invade England again.
When Æthelred became king again, the royal family tried to make their power stronger. They punished people who had helped the Danes. Some were even killed. Edmund later married Ealdgyth, a powerful woman from the Midlands. This marriage helped him gain more support. Cnut returned to England in August 1015. He attacked many parts of England. Edmund joined his father to defend London. But in 1016, Edmund started his own rebellion against his father.
King Æthelred died on April 23, 1016. This made Edmund the new king. He fought five battles against the Danes. The last big battle was the Battle of Assandun on October 18. Edmund was defeated there. He and Cnut then agreed to divide the kingdom. Edmund ruled Wessex, and Cnut took the rest. Edmund died shortly after, on November 30, 1016. He left behind two sons, Edward and Edmund. But Cnut became king of all England. He sent Edmund's family members away from the country.
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Early Life of Edmund Ironside
The exact year Edmund was born is not clear. It was likely around 990. He was the third of six sons of King Æthelred the Unready. His mother was Ælfgifu of York, who was probably the daughter of a powerful noble named Earl Thored. Edmund's older brothers were Æthelstan and Egbert. He also had younger brothers and four sisters.
Edmund's mother died around the year 1000. His father then married Emma of Normandy. Emma had two sons, Edward the Confessor and Alfred. Edmund and his brother Æthelstan were very close. They might have worried about Emma's plans for her own sons to become king.
A Brave Prince and Warrior
When Sweyn Forkbeard took the throne in late 1013, King Æthelred fled to Normandy. Edmund and his brothers stayed in England. Æthelstan died in June 1014. He left Edmund a special sword that once belonged to King Offa of Mercia. This showed how close they were.
Sweyn died in February 1014. His son Cnut was accepted as king by some parts of England. But Æthelred returned and attacked the Vikings. Cnut was forced to leave England. In 1015, two nobles, Sigeferth and Morcar, were killed. King Æthelred ordered Sigeferth's wife, Ealdgyth, to be held in a monastery.
However, Edmund took Ealdgyth from the monastery and married her. He did this against his father's wishes. This marriage helped him gain power in the East Midlands. Soon after, Cnut launched a new invasion of England. Edmund gathered an army in late 1015. But many English nobles joined Cnut instead. In early 1016, Edmund's army broke up because King Æthelred was too sick to lead them. Edmund then gathered a new army. He fought against Cnut's forces. But Cnut took over Northumbria. Edmund then went to London.
Edmund Becomes King
King Æthelred died on April 23, 1016. The people and leaders in London chose Edmund as their new king. He was likely crowned in London. But other important leaders, meeting in Southampton, chose Cnut as king.
Edmund then made a final effort to defend England. The Danes began to attack London. Edmund went to Wessex, where people supported him. He gathered an army there. He fought several battles against the Danes and their English helpers. He managed to break the siege of London. He defeated the Danes near Brentford. The Danes attacked London again. Edmund went back to Wessex for more troops. He returned to help London again. He defeated the Danes at Otford and chased Cnut into Kent.
At the important Battle of Assandun on October 18, Edmund was defeated. After this, the two kings agreed to a peace treaty. They divided England between them. Edmund received Wessex, and Cnut took Mercia and Northumbria.
Edmund's Death
Edmund died on November 30, 1016. He was buried near his grandfather, King Edgar the Peaceful, at Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset. However, the abbey was destroyed in the 1500s. So, it is not known exactly where his remains are today.
Edmund's Reputation
Historians believe that Edmund's fight against the Danes in 1016 was as intense as Alfred the Great's battles in 871. This shows how strong and determined Edmund was, especially compared to his father. Edmund was able to raise many armies. This suggests that the government worked well when it had a strong leader. He was likely a very determined, skilled, and inspiring leader. Cnut even visited Edmund's tomb every year on the anniversary of his death. He placed a special cloak there to honor him.
Edmund's Children
Edmund had two sons with Ealdgyth: Edward the Exile and Edmund Ætheling. Cnut sent them away to Sweden. He probably hoped they would be forgotten or killed. But the King of Sweden sent them to Kiev. The boys eventually ended up in Hungary. Edmund died there, but Edward grew up and did well.
Edward returned to England in 1057. But he died just a few days after arriving. His son, Edgar Ætheling, was briefly named king after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. But Edgar later gave up his claim to William the Conqueror. Edgar lived a long and exciting life. He fought against William the Conqueror. He also went on the First Crusade. He was still alive in 1125.
In 1070, Edward the Exile's daughter, Margaret, became queen of Scotland. Through her and her children, Edmund is an ancestor of all later British monarchs.
Edmund in Culture
- Edmund Ironside is an old play from the Elizabethan era about him. Some people think William Shakespeare might have written it.
- John Horn played Edmund in the 1970 TV movie The Ceremony of Innocence.
- Edmund is a main character in Justin Hill's novel Shieldwall (2011). This book is the first in the Conquest Trilogy.
- Edmund is a character in the 2022 Netflix TV series Vikings: Valhalla. Louis Davison plays him.
See also
In Spanish: Edmundo II de Inglaterra para niños
