General Notes

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