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Æthelred II

Type Figure Region England Time c. 966–1016 Also known as Æthelred the Ill-Advised、the Unready

Wessex king of England (r. 978–1016) facing Viking raids; the 1002 St Brice's Day massacre inflamed Danish hostility.

Timeline

  1. 978–1016Winchester · EnglandÆthelred II succeeded his brother Edward in 978 and ruled England for nearly forty years. His reign was marked by repeated Danegeld payments to the Danes and weak military response; his byname "the Unready" derives from Old English unræd, meaning "ill-advised".
  2. 1002London · EnglandOn 13 November 1002 Æthelred ordered the killing of Danish settlers throughout the kingdom, known as the St Brice's Day massacre. It inflamed conflict with the Danish kingdom and indirectly led to Sweyn Forkbeard's later great invasion of England.
  3. 1003–1010Southern England · EnglandAfter 1003 Danish armies raided southern and eastern England continuously, forcing Æthelred to raise further tribute and replace military commanders. Between 1006 and 1010 the situation worsened and royal authority was severely damaged.

Sources