Ethelred
Pronunciation: /ˈɛθəlrɛd/
Definition of Ethelred
- Ethelred II (circa 969–1016), king of England 978–1016; known as Ethelred the Unready. Ethelred’s inability to confront the Danes after he succeeded his murdered half-brother St Edward the Martyr led to his payment of tribute to prevent their attacks. In 1013 he briefly lost his throne to the Danish king Sweyn I.[Unready, later form of obsolete unredy 'badly advised']