Aethelred, King of England 978-1016

d. 1016

Aethelred is known by the epithet "the Unread", a term coined by a monk in the thirteenth century and subsequently mistranslated as "the unready". It really meant 'no counsel' or 'poor counsel' and referred to Aethelred's habit of placing his trust in the wrong advisors and his indecision at vital moments.

He came to the throne at a time when there was a growing threat of Danish incursion and his long reign has often been seen as an increasingly desperate and unsuccessful attempt to keep the Danes at bay. After the Battle of Maldon in 991, when a Danish party defeated the Anglo-Saxons of Essex, their raiding became frequent, and in 994 Aethelred took the short-term solution of paying them off. This tribute money become known as Danegeld and large sums were also paid in 1002, 1005 and 1012.

Unlike his predecessors, Aethelred didn't often lead his forces into battle. It was recorded on only three occasions, such as his campaign into Strathclyde during 1000. This lack of leadership may have contributed to the unfortunate habit some of his noblemen had of either avoiding a fight with the Danes,or changing to their side at crucial moments. Eadric of Mercia was the main culprit.

In 1002 Aethelred married Emma, daughter of Richard I of Normandy, thereby establishing the dynastic link that helped establish the pretext for the conquest of England by William of Normandy in 1066. They were to have two sons, Alfred, who was murdered in 1036, and Edward (the Confessor), who became king of England in 1042.

Also in 1002, Aethelred was advised that his life was in danger from the Danes already settled in England. His response, no doubt prompted by the same advisors, was to order the murder of all of his Danish subjects. This in turn provoked another invasion of Danish forces under Sweyn.

In 1009 the Danes invaded with their biggest force yet and they marched unimpaired through much of England,although London held out against them. Two years later they took Canterbury and captured, and subsequently killed, Archbishop Aelfhea.

These were desperate years for the Anglo-Saxon English and Aethelred, seemingly, could do nothing to prevent a demoralised nation from succumbing to Danish attacks. In 1013 Sweyn landed again and was proclaimed king in eastern England and Northumbria. By the end of the year the whole nation recognised him as king and Aethelred fled to Normandy. Sweyn's death in the following year gave Aethelred another chance, but he was still slow to seize his opportunity and it was his son by his first marriage, Edmund, who did most to fight and repel Sweyn's successor, Cnut.

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