Æthelred the Unready, or Æthelred II (circa 968 – 23 April 1016), is king of England (978–1013 and 1014–1016).

He is the son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth.

Æthelred is only about 10 (no more than 13) when his half-brother Edward is murdered.

Æthelred is not personally suspected of participation, but as the murder had been committed at Corfe Castle by the attendants of Ælfthryth, it makes it more difficult for the new king to rally the nation against the military raids by Danes, especially as the legend of St. Edward the Martyr grows.

From 991 onwards, Æthelred pays tribute, or Danegeld, to the Danish King.

In 1002, Æthelred orders a massacre of Danish settlers.

In 1003, King Sweyn invades England and in 1013, Æthelred flees to Normandy and is replaced by Sweyn, who is also king of Denmark.

However, Æthelred returns as king after Sweyn dies in 1014.

"Unready" is a mistranslation of Old English unræd (meaning bad-counsel) —a twist on his name "Æthelred" (meaning noble-counsel).

A better translation would be Redeless—without counsel (Rede).