Ethelred II, also known as Ethelred the Unready, was a king of England who reigned from 978 to 1016. He was born in 968, the son of King Edgar and Queen Elfrida, and he ascended to the throne at the age of 12 following the death of his half-brother Edward the Martyr. Ethelred's reign was marked by political instability, Viking raids, and an ongoing struggle to maintain control over the English throne. In this essay, we will discuss the events and issues of Ethelred's life and times.

Ethelred's reign began with a period of relative stability, but this soon changed as Viking raids became more frequent and more devastating. Ethelred was faced with the challenge of defending his kingdom against these raiders, who were often from Denmark and Norway. He attempted to pay tribute to them in order to buy them off, but this proved to be ineffective, and the Vikings continued to attack. In 991, the Vikings attacked London, and Ethelred was forced to pay them a large sum of money to leave.

In response to these attacks, Ethelred began to organize the defense of his kingdom. He created a network of fortified towns and began to raise a standing army. However, these measures were not enough to stop the Viking raids, and in 1002, the Vikings attacked again, this time with a new tactic. They attacked on St. Brice's Day, when many Danes were living in England peacefully. Ethelred issued an order for their massacre, which led to a wave of retaliatory attacks by the Danes.

The massacre of the Danes was a turning point in Ethelred's reign. It damaged his reputation and made it clear that his policy of paying tribute to the Vikings was not working. In response, he called for a meeting of all the nobles in England to discuss how to deal with the Viking threat. The result was the creation of a fleet of ships, known as the "Great Army," which was intended to defend England against the Vikings.

Despite these efforts, the Vikings continued to attack, and Ethelred's position became increasingly precarious. In 1013, the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard invaded England and defeated Ethelred's army. Ethelred was forced to flee to Normandy, leaving Sweyn in control of the kingdom. However, Sweyn died soon after, and Ethelred was able to return to England and reclaim his throne.

Ethelred's final years were marked by renewed Viking attacks, led by Sweyn's son, Cnut. Ethelred died in 1016, and Cnut became king of England. Ethelred was buried at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

In conclusion, Ethelred the Unready's reign was marked by political instability and Viking raids. He attempted to defend his kingdom by organizing a standing army and creating a network of fortified towns, but these measures were not enough to stop the Viking attacks. His decision to order the massacre of the Danes damaged his reputation and made it clear that his policy of paying tribute to the Vikings was not working. Ethelred's reign ended with his forced exile to Normandy and the invasion of England by the Danish king Cnut. Despite his efforts, Ethelred was unable to prevent the Viking raids that would continue to threaten England for many years to come.