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AETHELRED II (978-1013, 1014-6) |
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King Æthelred, known as Æthelred the Unready, was the king of England from 978 to 1016, giving him one of the longest reigns (approximately 38 years) of any early medieval English monarch. Despite his long reign, he gained the reputation as an incompetent ruler. Æthelred was the son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth. He came to the throne at about the age of 12, following the assassination of his older half-brother, Edward the Martyr. His brother's murder was carried out by supporters of his own claim to the throne, although he was too young to have any personal involvement. The chief problem of Æthelred's reign was conflict with the Danes. After several decades of relative peace, Danish raids on English territory began again in earnest in the 980s. Following the Battle of Maldon in 991, Æthelred paid tribute, or Danegeld, to the Danish king. In 1002, Æthelred ordered what became known as the St. Brice's Day massacre of Danish settlers. In 1013, King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark invaded England, as a result of which Æthelred fled to Normandy in 1013 and was replaced by Sweyn. However, he returned as king for two years after Sweyn's death in 1014. (Wikipedia)
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There is a high degree of regional variation in the dies, particularly in the Last Small Cross type. |
BNJ References - Aethelred II General
