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Biography of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England 1015-1016
Paternal Family Tree: Wessex
Around 985 [his father] King Æthelred II of England (age 19) and [his mother] Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. He the son of [his grandfather] King Edgar I of England and [his grandmother] Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 40).
Around 990 King Edmund "Ironside" I of England was born to King Æthelred II of England (age 24) and Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England.
In 1002 [his father] King Æthelred II of England (age 36) and [his step-mother] Emma aka Ælfgyfu of Normandy Queen Consort England (age 17) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. She the daughter of Richard "Fearless" Normandy I Duke Normandy and Gunnora Countess Ponthieu. He the son of [his grandfather] King Edgar I of England and [his grandmother] Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 57).
Around 1002 [his mother] Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England died.
In 1015 King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 25) and Ealdgyth Unknown were married. He the son of King Æthelred II of England (age 49) and Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1015. This year was the great council at Oxford, Oxfordshire [Map]; where Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia betrayed Sigferth and Morcar, the eldest thanes belonging to the Seven Towns. He allured them into his bower, where they were shamefully slain. Then the king took all their possessions, and ordered the widow of Sigferth to be secured, and brought within Malmsbury [Map]. After a little interval, Edmund Etheling (age 25) went and seized [his wife] her, against the [his father] king's (age 49) will, and had her to wife. Then, before the Nativity of St. Mary, went the etheling west-north into the Five Towns58, and soon plundered all the property of Sigferth and Morcar; and all the people submitted to him. At the same time came King Knute (age 20) to Sandwich, Kent [Map], and went soon all about Kent into Wessex, until he came to the mouth of the Frome; and then plundered in Dorset, and in Wiltshire, and in Somerset. King Ethelred, meanwhile, lay sick at Corsham, Wiltshire; and Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia collected an army there, and Edmund the etheling in the north. When they came together, the alderman designed to betray Edmund the etheling, but he could not; whereupon they separated without an engagement, and sheered off from their enemies. Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia then seduced forty ships from the king, and submitted to Knute. The West-Saxons also submitted, and gave hostages, and horsed the army. And he continued there until midwinter.
Note 58. The "seven" towns mentioned above are reduced here to "five"; probably because two had already submitted to the king on the death of the two thanes, Sigferth and Morcar. These five were, as originally, Leicester, Lincoln, Stamford, Nottingham, and Derby. Vid. an. 942, 1013.
Around 1016 [his son] Edmund Wessex was born to King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) and [his wife] Ealdgyth Unknown.
In 1016 [his son] Edward "The Exile" Wessex was born to King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) and [his wife] Ealdgyth Unknown.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1016. After his decease, all the peers that were in London, and the citizens, chose Edmund king (age 26); who bravely defended his kingdom while his time was. Then came the ships to Greenwich, Kent [Map], about the gang-days, and within a short interval went to London; where they sunk a deep ditch on the south side, and dragged their ships to the west side of the bridge. Afterwards they trenched the city without, so that no man could go in or out, and often fought against it: but the citizens bravely withstood them. King Edmund had ere this gone out, and invaded the West-Saxons, who all submitted to him; and soon afterward he fought with the enemy at Pen near Gillingham.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1016. This year came King Knute (age 21) with a marine force of one hundred and sixty ships, and Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia with him, over the Thames into Mercia at Cricklade, Wiltshire [Map]; whence they proceeded to Warwickshire, during the middle of the winter, and plundered therein, and burned, and slew all they met. Then began Edmund the etheling (age 26) to gather an army, which, when it was collected, could avail him nothing, unless the [his father] king (age 50) were there and they had the assistance of the citizens of London. The expedition therefore was frustrated, and each man betook himself home. After this, an army was again ordered, under full penalties, that every person, however distant, should go forth; and they sent to the king in London, and besought him to come to meet the army with the aid that he could collect. When they were all assembled, it succeeded nothing better than it often did before; and, when it was told the king, that those persons would betray him who ought to assist him, then forsook he the army, and returned again to London. Then rode Edmund the etheling to Earl Utred in Northumbria; and every man supposed that they would collect an army King Knute; but they went into Stafforddhire, and to Shrewsbury, Shropshire [Map], and to Chester, Cheshire [Map]; and they plundered on their parts, and Knute on his. He went out through Buckinghamshire to Bedfordshire; thence to Huntingdonshire, and so into Northamptonshire along the fens to Stamford [Map]. Thence into Lincolnshire. Thence to Nottinghamshire; and so into Northumbria toward York [Map]. When Utred understood this, he ceased from plundering, and hastened northward, and submitted for need, and all the Northumbrians with him; but, though he gave hostages, he was nevertheless slain by the advice of Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia, and Thurkytel, the son of Nafan, with him. After this, King Knute appointed Eric earl over Northumbria, as Utred was; and then went southward another way, all by west, till the whole army came, before Easter, to the ships. Meantime Edmund Etheling went to London to his father: and after Easter went King Knute with all his ships toward London; but it happened that King Ethelred died ere the ships came. He ended his days on St. George's day; having held his kingdom in much tribulation and difficulty as long as his life continued.
On 23 Apr 1016 [his father] King Æthelred II of England (age 50) died. His son King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) succeeded I King of England although tthe Witan meeting at Southampton chose King Canute of England (age 21).
After 23 Apr 1016 King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) was crowned I King of England by Archibishop Ælfstan aka Lyfing. His reign lasted seven months.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. After 23 Jun 1016. The enemy went afterward from London with their ships into the Orwell; where they went up and proceeded into Mercia, slaying and burning whatsoever they overtook, as their custom is; and, having provided themselves with meat, they drove their ships and their herds into the Medway. Then assembled King Edmund (age 26) the fourth time all the English nation, and forded over the Thames at Brentford [Map]; whence he proceeded into Kent.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. After 23 Jun 1016. It was within two nights after that the king (age 26) went over at Brentford [Map]; where he fought with the enemy, and put them to flight: but there many of the English were drowned, from their own carelessness; who went before the main army with a design to plunder. After this the king went into Wessex, and collected his army; but the enemy soon returned to London, and beset the city without, and fought strongly against it both by water and land. But the almighty God delivered them.
On 18 Oct 1016 Battle of Assandun was fought between the Danish army of King Canute of England (age 21) and the English army commanded by King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) who was defeated. Following the battle King Edmund "Ironside" I of England was compelled to agree to King Canute of England reigning over all Engliand except Wessex, and to mutual succession ie one will succeed whoever dies first.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 18 Oct 1016. When the king (age 26) understood that the army was up, then collected he the fifth time all the English nation, and went behind them, and overtook them in Essex, on the down called Assingdon; where they fiercely came together. Then did Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia as he often did before-he first began the flight with the Maisevethians, and so betrayed his natural lord and all the people of England. There had Knute (age 21) the victory, though all England fought against him! There was then slain Bishop Ednoth, and Abbot Wulsy, and Alderman Elfric, and Alderman Godwin of Lindsey, and Ulfkytel of East-Anglia, and Ethelward, the son of Alderman Ethelsy59. And all the nobility of the English nation was there undone! After this fight went King Knute up with his army into Glocestershire, where he heard say that King Edmund was. Then advised Earldorman Eadric "Streona aka Acquisitive" Mercia, and the counsellors that were there assembled, that the kings should make peace with each other, and produce hostages. Then both the kings met together at Olney, Buckinghamshire [Map], south of Deerhurst, and became allies and sworn brothers. There they confirmed their friendship both with pledges and with oaths, and settled the pay of the army. With this covenant they parted: King Edmund took to Wessex, and Knute to Mercia and the northern district. The army then went to their ships with the things they had taken; and the people of London made peace with them, and purchased their security, whereupon they brought their ships to London, and provided themselves winter-quarters therein.
Note 59. There is a marked difference respecting the name of this alderman in MSS. Some have Ethelsy, as above; others, Elfwine, and Ethelwine. The two last may be reconciled, as the name in either case would now be Elwin; but Ethelsy, and Elsy are widely different. Florence of Worcester not only supports the authority of Ethelwine, but explains it "Dei amici."
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. On the feast of St. Andrew died King Edmund (age 26); and he is buried with his grandfather [his grandfather] Edgar at Glastonbury [Map]. In the same year died Wulfgar, Abbot of Abingdon; and Ethelsy took to the abbacy.
On 30 Nov 1016 King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) died. The cause of death is unknown. Some chroniclers describe murder, some describe wounds from battle. He was buried near his grandfather [his grandfather] King Edgar I of England in Glastonbury Abbey [Map].
Kings Wessex: Son of King Æthelred II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Æthelwulf of Wessex
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex
Great x 4 Grandmother: Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex
Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons
Great x 4 Grandfather: Æthelred Mucel Mercia Earldorman Gaini
Great x 3 Grandmother: Æalhswith of Mercia Queen Consort of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eadburh of Mercia
Great x 1 Grandfather: King Edmund I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Sigehelm Earldorman Kent
Great x 2 Grandmother: Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons
GrandFather: King Edgar I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England
Father: King Æthelred II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Ordgar Earldorman Devon
GrandMother: Aelfthryth Queen Consort England
King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
GrandFather: Thored Northumbria