Kings of all England, Aethelred II. 978-1016 AD

Kings of all England, Aethelred II. 978-1016 AD

$875.00

York Mint, c. 1009-1017 AD. AR Penny, 1.26g (20mm). EDELRED REX ANGLO bare headed bust l. / +EADELR ICMΩ ON LVNDEI small cross encircled.

Pedigree: From the Baldwin’s Vault, date uncertain.

References: North 764

Grade:  A small separation of the metal at 1h on obverse. Nice strike with full details present. A few cuts on the reverse. EF  (wc1015)

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Aethelred II was known as the “unready”. The unfriendly pun on his name seems to have been given to him many years after his death so likely wasn’t effecting him in his lifetime. Aethelred came from the House of Wessex and ruled over two periods, the first being 978-1012 AD and then 1013-1016 AD. For a short time he fled to Normandy when Denmark invaded England and the Dane conqueror Sweyn Forkbeard took the throne. After Sweyn died two years later, Aethelred returned and ruled another two years before his death in 1016.