Ed′mund, for his bravery surnamed Ironside, king of England for seven months in 1016, was son of Ethelred the Unready and half-brother of Edward the Confessor. He is said to have been born in 989. He was chosen king by the Londoners, while Canute was chosen by the witan or council. Edmund entered the struggle with great energy. He gathered an army and defeated Canute in two hard-fought battles. He then raised the siege of London, and again was defeated in Essex, and this forced him to agree with Canute to a division of the kingdom, Canute taking the north side, while Edmund took the south. It also was agreed that, in case one of the kings should die, the other should become king of the whole of England. A few weeks after this agreement Edmund was murdered in 1016.
