Danish Kings And Rulers Of England
Danish Rulers Of England
House of Knýtlinga
The Danish House of Knýtlinga (English: "House of Cnut's Descendants") was a ruling royal house in Middle Age Scandinavia and England. Its most famous king was Cnut the Great, who gave his name to this dynasty. Other notable members were Cnut's father Sweyn Forkbeard, grandfather Harald Bluetooth, and sons Harthacnut, Harold Harefoot, and Svein Knutsson. It has also been called the House of Canute, the House of Denmark, the House of Gorm, or the Jelling dynasty.
http://i.picasion.com/resize87/8113c...aef2f4ade4.png
In 1018 AD the House of Knýtlinga brought the crowns of Denmark and England together under a personal union. At the height of its power, in the years 1028–1030, the House reigned over Denmark, England and Norway. After the death of Cnut the Great's heirs within a decade of his own death and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the legacy of the Knýtlinga was largely lost to history.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...x-Knutrike.png
Cnut the Great's domains, in red. Cnut the Great was King of Denmark, England and Norway, aka 'the North Sea Empire.'
Rulers of England
The House of Knýtlinga ruled the Kingdom of England from 1013 to 1014 and from 1016 to 1042.
In 1013 Sweyn Forkbeard, already the king of Denmark and of Norway, overthrew King Æthelred the Unready of the House of Wessex. Sweyn had first invaded England in 1003 to avenge the death of his sister Gunhilde and many other Danes in the St. Brice's Day massacre, which had been ordered by Æthelred in 1002.
Sweyn died in 1014 and Æthelred was restored. However, in 1015 Sweyn's son, Cnut the Great, invaded England. After Æthelred died in April 1016, his son Edmund Ironside briefly became king, but was forced to surrender half of England to Cnut. After Edmund died in November that same year, Cnut became king of all England.
Although Cnut was already married to Ælfgifu of Northampton, he married Æthelred's widow, Emma of Normandy. He ruled until his death in 1035. After his death another of Æthelred's sons, Alfred Aetheling, tried to retake the English throne, but he was betrayed and captured by Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who supported Cnut's son, Harold Harefoot. Alfred was blinded, and died soon after.
Harold ruled until 1040, although his mother Ælfgifu may have ruled during part of his reign. Harold initially shared England with his half brother Harthacnut, the son of Cnut and Emma. Harold ruled in Mercia and Northumbria, and Harthacnut ruled in Wessex. However Harthacnut was also king of Denmark (as Cnut III), and spent most of his time there, so that Harold was effectively sole ruler of England.
Harthacnut succeeded Harold as king of England (he is sometimes also known as Cnut II). He died two years later, and his half-brother Edward the Confessor became king. Edward was the son of Æthelred and Emma, and so with his succession to the throne the House of Wessex was restored.
England after the House of Knýtlinga
Edward the Confessor ruled until 1066. His brother in law, Harold Godwinson—the son of Alfred's betrayer—became king, provoking the Norman conquest of England in the same year. Harold II was the last Anglo-Saxon king to rule over England.
In 1085–86 King Cnut IV of Denmark planned one last Danish invasion of England, but he was assassinated by Danish rebels before he could carry it out. This was the last time the Vikings attempted to attack Western Europe, and Cnut's death is regarded as the end of the Viking Age.
List of Danish kings of England
Sweyn Forkbeard, 1013–14 (also king of Denmark 986/7–1014 and Norway 999–1014)
Cnut, 1016–1035 (also king of Denmark 1018–35 and Norway 1028–35)
Harold Harefoot, 1035–40
Harthacnut, 1040–42 (also king of Denmark 1035–1042)
Queens consort of England during Danish rule
Emma of Normandy (1002–1016 and 1017–1035)
Ælfgifu of Northampton (1016–1035)
Family tree
Main genealogy
http://i.picasion.com/resize87/f52de...d05a9b7fd3.png
The parentage of Strut-Harald and Gunnhild Konungamóðir is disputed; both of them had issue. The existence of Gunhild of Wenden and Sigrid the Haughty is disputed, some details of their lives can be exchanged to each other or associated to another figures.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Knýtlinga
Knýtlinga saga: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knýtlinga_saga
The Danelaw: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danelaw
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...nd_878.svg.png
England, 878
Sweyn Forkbeard
Sweyn Forkbeard (Old Norse: Sveinn Haraldsson tjúguskegg; Danish: Svend Tveskæg; 960 – 3 February 1014) was king of Denmark during 986–1014. He was the father of King Harald II of Denmark, King Cnut the Great and Queen Estrid Svendsdatter.
In the mid-980s, Sweyn revolted against his father, Harald Bluetooth, and seized the throne. Harald was driven into exile and died shortly afterwards in November 986 or 987. In 1000, with the allegiance of Trondejarl, Eric of Lade, Sweyn ruled most of Norway. In 1013, shortly before his death, he became the first Danish king of England after a long effort.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Forkbeard.jpg
Sweyn (Suanus rex) invading England in 1013 (detail of a 13th-century miniature). Cambridge University Library.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweyn_Forkbeard
Harald II of Denmark (died 1018) was King of Denmark from 1014 until his death in 1018. He was the youngest son of Sweyn Forkbeard and Gunhild of Wenden, and was regent while his father was fighting Ethelred the Unready in England. He inherited the Danish throne in 1014, and held it while his brother, the later king Cnut the Great conquered England. After his death in 1018, he was succeeded by Cnut the Great. Little detail is known about Harald II.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_II_of_Denmark
Cnut the Great
Cnut the Great (Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki; c. 995 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute—whose father was Sweyn Forkbeard (which gave him the patronym Sweynsson, Old Norse: Sveinsson)—was King of Denmark, England and Norway; together often referred to as the North Sea Empire.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ße_cropped.jpg
A 14th-century portrait of Cnut the Great
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnut_the_Great
Guthrum.
Guthrum or Guðrum (died c. 890), christened Æthelstan on his conversion to Christianity in 878, was King of the Danish Vikings in the Danelaw. He is mainly known for his conflict with Alfred the Great.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guthrum
Ragnar Lodbrok
Ragnar Lodbrok or Lothbrok (Old Norse: Ragnarr Loðbrók, "Ragnar shaggy breeches") was a legendary Danish and Swedish Viking hero and ruler, known from Viking Age Old Norse poetry and sagas. According to that traditional literature, Ragnar distinguished himself by many raids against Francia and Anglo-Saxon England during the 9th century. There is no reliable evidence, however, that he actually existed under this name and the mythological aspects attributed to it.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...9r_excerpt.jpg
Lothbrocus and his sons Hyngwar and Ubba. 15th century miniature in Harley MS 2278, folio 39r.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar_Lodbrok
Ivar the Boneless
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivar_the_Boneless
Eric Bloodaxe
Eric Haraldsson (Old Norse: Eiríkr Haraldsson, Norwegian: Eirik Haraldsson; c. 885 – 954), nicknamed Eric Bloodaxe (Old Norse: Eiríkr blóðøx, Norwegian: Eirik Blodøks), was a 10th-century Norwegian ruler. He is thought to have had short-lived terms as King of Norway and twice as King of Northumbria, England (c. 947–948 and 952–954).
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...rk_952_954.jpg
Coin of Eric Bloodaxe. The legend reads "ERIC REX" (King Eric) (at British Museum)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Bloodaxe
Harald Sigurdsson
Harald Sigurdsson (Old Norse: Haraldr Sigurðarson; c. 1015 – 25 September 1066), given the epithet Hardrada (Old Norse: harðráði, modern Norwegian Hardråde, roughly translated as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas, was King of Norway (as Harald III) from 1046 to 1066. In addition, he unsuccessfully claimed the Danish throne until 1064 and the English throne in 1066.
Before becoming king, Harald had spent around fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus' and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...d-III-Coin.png
Coin of Harald as the sole Norwegian king, "ARALD REX NAR[vegiae]". Imitation of a type of Edward the Confessor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Hardrada
Sweyn II Estridsson (Old Norse: Sveinn Ástríðarson, Danish: Svend Estridsen) (c. 1019 – 28 April 1076) was King of Denmark from 1047 until his death in 1076. He was the son of Ulf Thorgilsson and Estrid Svendsdatter. He was married three times, and fathered 20 children or more out of wedlock, including the five future kings Harald III Hen, Canute IV the Saint, Oluf I Hunger, Eric I Evergood, and Niels.
He was courageous in battle, but did not have much success as a military commander. His skeleton reveals that he was a tall, powerfully built man who walked with a limp.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...sen_mønt_a.jpg
Coin of Sweyn Estridsson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweyn_II_of_Denmark
Harthacnut (Danish: Hardeknud; "Tough-knot"; c. 1018 – 8 June 1042), sometimes referred to as Canute III, was King of Denmark from 1035 to 1042 and King of England from 1040 to 1042.
He was the son of King Cnut the Great (who ruled Denmark, Norway, and England) and Emma of Normandy. When Cnut died in 1035, Harthacnut struggled to retain his father's possessions. Magnus I took control of Norway, but Harthacnut succeeded as King of Denmark and became King of England in 1040 after the death of his half-brother Harold Harefoot.
Harthacnut died suddenly in 1042 and was succeeded by Magnus in Denmark and Edward the Confessor in England. Harthacnut was the last Scandinavian King to rule England.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...18-1042%29.jpg
Penny struck in Harthacnut's name
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harthacnut
