Edmund II (d. 1016), king of England (1016), known as ‘Ironside’. After the death of Æthelred in April 1016, his vigorous son Edmund, then in his early twenties, was recognized as his successor and took command of the forces resisting Cnut. A season of hard campaigning resulted in varying fortune. Cnut failed in his efforts to take London, but Edmund, after some successes, was defeated in the autumn at Ashingdon in Essex. Even so Cnut was content to come to terms and reached an agreement near Deerhurst to partition the kingdom, leaving Edmund in possession of Wessex. However, Edmund himself died on 30 November 1016, and Cnut then was received as king throughout England. Edmund's children went into exile in Hungary, and his grandson Edgar the Atheling was briefly acclaimed as king in London immediately after the battle of Hastings.

Henry Loyn

Edmund II (c.980–1016) ( Edmund Ironside) King of the English (1016), son of Ethelred II (the Unready). In 1015 he became ruler of the Danelaw. Edmund resisted the Danish King Canute II, who defeated him at the Battle of Ashingdon (1016). Forced to divide the kingdom, retaining only Wessex, Edmund died shortly after, leaving Canute as sole ruler.