At last, he followed, and the English declared him King.

The Danes declared CANUTE, the son of Sweyn, King.

Thus, direful war began again, and lasted for three years, when the Unready died.

And I know of nothing better that he did, in all his reign of eight and thirty years.
Was Canute to be King now?
Not over the Saxons, they said; they must have EDMUND, one of the sons of the Unready, who was surnamed IRONSIDE, because of his strength and stature.

Edmund and Canute thereupon fell to, and fought five battles--O unhappy England, what a fighting-ground it was!--and then Ironside, who was a big man, proposed to Canute, who was a little man, that they two should fight it out in single combat.