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Glite Dictionary
Ethelred II

Ethelred II

9.9
A king of England from 978 to 1016 called the Unready who struggles against Danish invasions
  • proper noun
translation icon : Ethelred II
  • Historians often refer to Ethelred II as 'the Unready,' highlighting his difficulties as king.

Examples

  • During his reign, Ethelred II faced repeated invasions by Danish forces.

  • Did Ethelred II ever successfully defend against the Danes?

  • The policies of Ethelred II had long-term effects on the English monarchy.

  • King Ethelred II ruled England during a tumultuous time.

  • During his reign, Ethelred II faced repeated invasions by Danish forces.

  • Historians often refer to Ethelred II as 'the Unready,' highlighting his difficulties as king.

  • King Ethelred II ruled England during a tumultuous time.

Synonyms

Ethelred
vsEthelred II
9.9

A king of England from 978 to 1016 who struggled to stop Viking invasions

omits birth year and keeps only the basic reign summary
Ethelred the Unready
vsEthelred II
9.9

A king of England who failed to stop Danish invasions and whose nickname meant he had poor advisers

uses the epithet without explaining that it criticizes advisers

Surface Forms

Ethelred II main

Morphology

Ethelred + II

The expression is a proper name composed of the personal name 'Ethelred' plus the regnal numeral 'II'; a learner who knows the name and that 'II' means 'the second' will understand it denotes the second Ethelred. Specific historical details (dates, reign, epithet 'the Unready') are not derivable from the parts, but the basic referential meaning is fully compositional and follows common naming conventions across languages.

Etymology

Ethelred II was king of England from 978 to 1016 and struggled with repeated Danish invasions. He became known as 'the Unready' from an old English word that meant 'bad advice' or 'no good plan', so the nickname shows he was seen as a ruler who often made poor decisions.