General Notes

Sweyn, generally called Sweyn Splitbeard, from some peculiarity observed about his beard. Nearly all of his time was spent in making expeditions to Norway, Germany and England. He was successful in his expedition to England. The impotent Anglo-Saxon King Ethelred II, called the Unready, held at this time the supreme authority in that kingdom. Sweyn obliged the English King to acknowledge his superiority and to get rid of the Danes by paying a large sum of money called Danegeld. In the beginning of his reign he persecuted Christianity, but before he expired he began to perceive his folly, and he secured the help of Poppo, a German bishop of great piety and eloquence, and persuasion brought about what the King's authority could not effect. Sweyn Splitbeard had two sons, Harold, who by right of primogeniture succeeded his father as King of Denmark, and Canute or Cnud, who at Sweyn's death was living and was elected King of the Danes there. The English, taking advantage of Canute's youth, called Ethelred II back, whereupon Canute repaired to Denmark, where he brought together a numerous host of brave soldiers and leaders and defeated King Ethelred II. The valiant Edmund Ironside, who succeeded Ethelred, was forced to yield half of England to Canute. Canute married Emma, daughter of the Duke of Normandy, widow of Ethelred. His brother Harold was a weak ruler and after 4 years Canute became King of Denmark also. Sweyn Splitbeard had also a daughter, Estrith.