Norman Conquest Encyclopedia

The name Ethelred could be seen as being formed of the words athel meaning noble and raed meaning counsel, thus suggesting great wisdom. In fact King Ethelred II was much inclined to change his mind or vacillate, the opposite of the implied meaning of his name, and so was nicknamed raedless or unread - which has come down to us as "unready"; a very different meaning. He married Elgiva, daughter of Thored of Northumbria and had thirteen children by her. She died in 1002 and the king then married Emma, the sister of Duke Richard II of Normandy and they had three children, one of whom was Edward the Confessor. The Norman interest in the throne of England stems from this marriage.

See also: Duke Robert the Magnificent; Edward the Confessor; Norman

Related Reading:

• Hastings 1066 (Revised Edition) - The Fall of Saxon England
  (Campaign 13 )