Did Ethelred the Unready make optimal choices when paying Danegeld to Svein Forkbeard? Viking Age England and game theory
Published online on May 25, 2026
Abstract
Rationality and Society, Ahead of Print.
King Ethelred’s repeated payments to Viking armies are often portrayed as evidence of political weakness and strategic failure. This paper reinterprets these actions within a rational choice framework, asking whether Ethelred the Unready acted optimally ...
King Ethelred’s repeated payments to Viking armies are often portrayed as evidence of political weakness and strategic failure. This paper reinterprets these actions within a rational choice framework, asking whether Ethelred the Unready acted optimally ...