Edmund II Ironside of England ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

King of the English from April 23 to Nov. 30, 1016, surnamed "Ironside" for his staunch resistance to a massive invasion led by the Danish king Canute.

The son of King Ethelred II the Unready (reigned 978-1016), Edmund defied his father's orders by marrying (1015) the widow of one of the Danish lords then occupying English territory. Nevertheless, when Canute invaded England later in 1015, Edmund raised an army in northern England and ravaged regions that would not rally to his cause.

Upon Ethelred's death (April 1016), a small number of councillors and citizens of London proclaimed Edmund as their ruler, but a larger body of nobles at Southampton declared for Canute. Edmund then launched a series of offensives against his rival. He recovered Wessex and relieved London of a siege before being decisively defeated by Canute at Ashington, Essex, on October 18. In the ensuing peace settlement, Edmund retained Wessex, while Canute held the lands north of the River Thames. After Edmund died (probably of natural causes), Canute became sole ruler of England.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King, Apr 1016.

Edmund married Ealdgyth in 1015. (Ealdgyth was born circa 986.)

  Marriage Notes:

The known children of Edmund and Ealdgyth (Edith) are:
- Edward the Exile "Aetheling" (1016–1057), who was born in Wessex and died in London and who married Agatha around the year 1035;
- Edmund (born c. 1017 in Wessex). ³