Edmund Ironside in the context of "King of the English"

Æthelred II c.968 – 23 April 1016), known as Æthelred the Unready, was King of the English from March 978 to December 1013 and again from February 1014 until his death in April 1016. He was the son of King Edgar (reigned 959–975) and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred came to the throne after the assassination of his older half-brother, King Edward the Martyr, a crime which deeply shocked people. The epithet "Unready" is a pun on his name in Old English, Æthel (noble) and ræd (counsel).

Shortly after Æthelred's accession Viking attacks resumed after a generation of peace. Minor raids in the 980s escalated to large scale attacks from the 990s, and as the English were rarely victorious in battle the king and his advisers resorted to giving the Vikings tribute to leave England, payments which are often (incorrectly) called Danegeld. In the 1000s increasingly destructive raids by Viking armies wore down English resistance, and in December 1013 King Swein Forkbeard of Denmark conquered England. Æthelred fled to Normandy, but when Swein died in February 1014 he was able to return to the throne and drive out Swein's son Cnut. In early 1015 civil war broke out when Æthelred's favourite Eadric Streona murdered close allies of Æthelred's oldest surviving son, Edmund Ironside. Cnut returned soon afterwards and Edmund and Æthelred tried to unite against him, but they were hampered by suspicion between them, Eadric's treachery and Æthelred's poor health. He died in April 1016 and Edmund carried on the war until he died in December 1016 and Cnut became king of all England.

The House of Wessex, also known as the House of Cerdic, the House of the West Saxons, the House of the Gewisse, the Cerdicings and the West Saxon dynasty, refers to the family, traditionally founded by Cerdic of the Gewisse, that ruled Wessex in Southern England from the early 6th century. The house became dominant in southern England after the accession of King Ecgberht in 802. Alfred the Great saved England from Viking conquest in the late ninth century and his grandson Æthelstan became first king of England in 927. The disastrous reign of Æthelred the Unready ended in Danish conquest in 1014. Æthelred and his son Edmund Ironside attempted to resist the Vikings in 1016, but after their deaths the Danish Cnut the Great and his sons ruled until 1042. The House of Wessex then briefly regained power under Æthelred's son Edward the Confessor, but lost it after the Confessor's reign, with the Norman Conquest in 1066. All monarchs of England (and subsequently Great Britain) since William II have been descended from the House of Wessex through William the Conqueror's wife Matilda of Flanders, who was a descendant of Alfred the Great through his daughter Ælfthryth. All English and later British monarchs since Henry II are descended from the English kings of the House of Wessex through Henry I's wife, Matilda of Scotland, daughter of Margaret of Wessex, a great-granddaughter of Edmund Ironside.

Æthelred II (c. 968 – 23 April 1016), known as Æthelred the Unready, was King of the English from March 978 to December 1013 and again from February 1014 until his death in April 1016. He was the son of King Edgar (reigned 959–975) and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred came to the throne after the assassination of his older half-brother, King Edward the Martyr (reigned 975–978), a crime which deeply shocked people. The epithet "Unready" is a pun on his name in Old English, Æthel (noble) and ræd (counsel).

Shortly after Æthelred's accession Viking attacks resumed after a generation of peace. Minor raids in the 980s escalated to large scale attacks from the 990s. As the English were rarely victorious in battle the king and his advisers resorted to giving the Vikings tribute to leave England, payments which are often (incorrectly) called Danegeld. In the 1000s increasingly destructive raids by Viking armies wore down English resistance, and in December 1013 King Swein Forkbeard of Denmark conquered England. Æthelred fled to Normandy, but when Swein died in February 1014 he was able to return to the throne and drive out Swein's son Cnut. In early 1015 civil war broke out when Æthelred's favourite Eadric Streona murdered close allies of Æthelred's oldest surviving son, Edmund Ironside. Cnut returned soon afterwards and Edmund and Æthelred tried to unite against him, but they were hampered by suspicion between them, Eadric's treachery, and Æthelred's poor health. Æthelred died in April 1016 and Edmund carried on the war until he died in December 1016 and Cnut became king of all England.

Ælfgifu of York (d. 1001) was the first wife of Æthelred the Unready, King of the English. They had many children together, including Edmund Ironside. It is most probable that Ælfgifu was a daughter of Thored, Earl of southern Northumbria and his wife, Hilda.

Æthelstan Ætheling (Old English: Æþelstan Æþeling; early or mid 980s – 25 June 1014) was the eldest son of King Æthelred the Unready by his first wife Ælfgifu, and was the heir apparent to the kingdom until his death. He is first mentioned as a witness to a charter of his father in 993. He probably spent part of his childhood at Æthelingadene, Dean in west Sussex, and his paternal grandmother Ælfthryth may have played an important part in his upbringing. Almost nothing is known of his life, although he seems to have formed a friendship with Sigeforth and Morcar, two of the leading thegns of the Five Boroughs of the East Midlands.

In December 1013 the Danish king Sweyn conquered England and King Æthelred was forced into exile in Normandy, but he returned following Sweyn's death in February 1014. It is not known what became of Æthelstan and his surviving full brothers, Edmund Ironside and Eadwig, during Sweyn's rule, but they probably remained somewhere in England. Æthelstan's last mention in a charter is in one dated 1013.

Edward the Exile (c. 1016 – 19 April 1057), also called Edward Ætheling, was the son of King Edmund Ironside and of Ealdgyth. He spent most of his life in exile in the Kingdom of Hungary following the defeat of his father by Cnut.

Æthelred II (c. 968 – 23 April 1016), known as Æthelred the Unready, was King of the English from March 978 to December 1013 and again from February 1014 until his death. He was the son of King Edgar (reigned 959–975) and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred came to the throne after the assassination of his older half-brother, King Edward the Martyr (reigned 975–978), a crime that deeply shocked people, but Æthelred was too young to be suspected of involvement.

Shortly after Æthelred's accession, Viking attacks resumed after a generation of peace. Minor raids in the 980s escalated to large attacks from the 990s. As the English were rarely victorious in battle, the king and his advisers resorted to giving the Vikings tribute to leave England. In 1002 Æthelred ordered the St Brice's Day massacre of Danes, which is seen by historians as a sign of his increasing paranoia, and this culminated by 1009 in the rise of Eadric Streona to become the most powerful of Æthelred's advisers. Increasingly destructive raids by Viking armies wore down English resistance, and in December 1013 King Swein Forkbeard of Denmark conquered England. Æthelred fled to Normandy, but when Swein died in February 1014 he returned to the throne and drove out Swein's son Cnut. In early 1015 civil war broke out when Eadric Streona murdered close allies of Æthelred's oldest surviving son, Edmund Ironside. Cnut returned soon afterwards and Edmund and Æthelred tried to unite against him, but they were hampered by suspicion between them, Eadric's treachery, and Æthelred's poor health. Æthelred died in April 1016 and Edmund carried on the war until he died in December and Cnut became king of all England.

Morcar (or Morkere) (Old English: Mōrcǣr) (died 1015) was a thane (minister) of King Æthelred the Unready. He was given lands in Derbyshire in 1009, including Weston-on-Trent, Crich, and Smalley by King Æthelred in 1011 and 1012. He was also given the freedom from the three common burdens. He and his brother Sigeferth were murdered in 1015 by Eadric Streona and their lands seized by the king. Sigeferth's widow was sent to Malmesbury Abbey, but the future King Edmund Ironside rescued her from her confinement and married her.

Eadwig Ætheling (sometimes also known as Eadwy or Edwy) (died 1017) was the fifth of the six sons of King Æthelred the Unready and his first wife, Ælfgifu. Eadwig is recorded as a witness to charters from 993.

When Sweyn Forkbeard conquered England in 1013, Æthelred fled to Normandy, but Eadwig, who had previously rarely been associated with his elder brothers, Æthelstan Ætheling and Edmund Ironside, remained behind with them in England. Sweyn died in February 1014, and Æthelred was restored to the throne. Æthelstan died in June 1014 and Æthelred in April 1016, leaving Edmund and Sweyn's son Cnut to dispute the throne. In October 1016 Cnut and Edmund agreed to divide England between them, but Edmund died a month later, leaving Cnut as undisputed king.