Ethelred II the Unready Biography

Birth of Ethelred II the Unready

Death of Edward the Martyr, Ethelreds stepbrother

Succeeds as King of England, his followers murder his half-brother, Edward the martyr

King Edward is murdered by the servants of his stepmother Elfthryth, Queen of England, succeeded by his stepbrother Ethelred the Unready

Crowned by Dunstan at Kingston

The Vikings begin a new wave of raids on England

Danish raids on Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall begin, and continue for a further seven years

Dorset is ravaged

London is put to the torch

Marries Elfgiva, daughter of Ealdorman Thored of Northumbria

Denmark under King Sweyn begins to invade England

After defeat at Maldon Ethelred makes a Treaty of peace & mutual assistance with Olaf

The first Danegeld, of 10,000, is paid to the Danes in return for their leaving England

The first Danegeld, of 10,000, is paid to the Danes in return for their leaving England

The first Danegeld, of 10,000, is paid to the Danes in return for their leaving England. King Sweyn I Forkbeard invades England

After defeat at Maldon Ethelred makes a Treaty of peace & mutual assistance with Olaf

Norse invasion force sack Ipswich

Ethelred signs a Treaty with Duke Richard I of Normandy, by which each agrees not to aid the others enemies

Signs a peace Treaty with Duke Richard I of Normandy. England & Normandy agree not to assist the others enemies. Ends hostilities caused by Normandys protection of Viking raiders

Vikings are paid the 1st Danegeld after victory at Maldon

Vikings are paid the 1st Danegeld after victory at Maldon

The Danes raid Northumbria

The 2nd Danegeld payment is set at œ16,000

Ethelred buys the Vikings off for œ16,000

New law code defines the legal position in Danelaw

New law code defines the legal position in Danelaw. Introduces the Scandinavian custom of trial by jury

Ethelred issued the Wantage Code for the Five Boroughs, preserving several Scandinavian legal terms and procedures.

Marries Emma, sister of Richard II the Duke of Normandy, secures his southern flank

Launches a pogrom against all Danish settlers

The Danish revenge for the massacre results in Ethelreds name, "the unready"

Sweyn burns Norwich, the renewal of a campaign which ends in Danish rule over England

Ethelred’s government paid thirty-six thousand pounds to a Viking army after extensive raids.

The 3rd Danegeld payment is set at 36,000 pa. Pays the Danes 40,000 to gain 2 yrs free from the attacks of King Sweyn

Laws to protect the Christians are drafted by Archbishop Wulfstan of York

Builds a new English fleet

Vikings take winter quarters on the Thames. Vikings move on to Isle of Wight, ravage Sussex, Hampshire & Berkshire

Canterbury & East Kent buy off the Vikings

Vikings take winter quarters on the Thames

Vikings burn Thetford and Cambridge, Bedford and Tempsford & Northampton

Vikings storm Ipswich

Vikings burn Oxford

While Ethelred II is invading south Wales Canterbury is taken by the Danes. The Archbishop of Canterbury, later St Alphege, is held captive

While Ethelred II is invading south Wales Canterbury is taken by the Danes

Archbishop Alphege is killed before the Danes leave England

The 4th Danegeld payment is set at œ48,000pa

Pays Sweyn œ48,000 to stop Danish raids. Pays Sweyn œ48,000 to cease the Danish raids

Archbishop Alphege is killed before the Danes leave England

Alphege is killed before the Danes leave England despite agreement to pay Danegeld

Fleesto the Isle of Wight

Forced to flee to Normandy after the Viking invasion

Sweyn I invades England after the pogrom against Danish settlers initiated by Ethelred

London surrenders to Sweyn I

Ethelred II the Unready escapes to Normandy

London surrenders to Sweyn I

Returns from Normandy & restored to the throne by the Council of Witan

Canute captures all of England except for London

Dies while fighting the Viking invaders

Buried in St Pauls chapel "after a life of much hardship & many difficulties"