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By Greg Pliska
Answer: ETHELRED

Each of the pictured rulers can connect two—and only two—of the given boxes. The two boxes form a rebus that clues the nickname of an actual ruler whose name is the same length as the associated ruler. The numbers on each ruler identify the two letters from that name that can be used (in the associated numerical position) in the final message.

Ruler Length Rebus Nickname Name Ruler Numbers Letters
4 P low + 1 cent PLOWPENNY ERIC 4 _ 8 _ E,I
5 f or k + bear D FORK-BEARD SWEYN _ _ _ 7 9 Y,N
6 E w/ bar + 12 in. BAREFOOT MAGNUS _ _ 12 _ 1 _ G,U
7 L ion + heart LIONHEART RICHARD 3 _ _ 13 _ _ _ R,H
8 bi G + northeast ST BIG NEST VSEVOLOD _ _ 10 _ _ _ _ 6 E,D
9 S lit + no southeast SLIT-NOSE JUSTINIAN _ _ _ _ 11 _ _ 5 _ I,A
11 dun G + name D DUNG-NAMED CONSTANTINE _ _ 2 _ _ _ _ 14 _ _ _ N,T

The selected letters, in order, spell UNREADY IN EIGHT, which clues ETHELRED the Unready.