Edmund II

1 9.9

A king of England around 1016 who fought Canute and briefly ruled before the kingdom was divided

proper noun

: Edmund II

After fierce battles with Canute, Edmund II agreed to divide the kingdom.

Examples

Edmund II became king in 1016 during a period of great turmoil in England.
Historians often refer to Edmund II by his nickname, Edmund Ironside.
King Edmund II fought bravely against the Danes.
Did Edmund II really rule for such a short time?
Edmund II ruled England for a brief period as he fought against the Danish invaders.
During his reign, Edmund II showed remarkable leadership in defending his kingdom from Canute.
Edmund II, also known as Edmund Ironside, is remembered for his resistance against the Danish conquest.

Surface Forms

Edmund II main

Morphology

Edmund + II

Knowing 'Edmund' as a name and 'II' as 'the second' lets a learner infer this refers to a particular person (the second Edmund), but it does not allow them to derive the specific historical meaning or role (King of England who resisted the Danes). The reference is a language- and culture-specific proper name requiring world knowledge, so the full MWE meaning is not compositionally predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Edmund II was called Ironside because he fought hard against the Danish leader Canute; the nickname suggests an 'iron' or very strong side. That's why the name brings to mind a brave king who ruled only a short time before the kingdom was divided.