The Children of Sweyn, Part 1

King Sweyn II of Denmark (c.1019 - 1076) had two wives and numerous mistresses, resulting in about 20 children. His first wife was Gyda of Sweden, who we are told by later chronicles was the daughter of King of Sweden Anund Jacob and (perhaps) Queen Gunnhildr Sveinsdóttir. The marriage was short-lived, and Adam of Bremen suspects she was poisoned by Thora, a concubine of Sweyn. His second marriage was to Gyda's (step?) mother, Gunnhildr, after Anund Jacob died (c.1050). Although they had a son (Sweyn), Bishop Adalbert of Hamburg ended the marriage by threatening excommunication because the husband was too closely related to his wife/mother-in-law. Gunhild returned to Sweden.

Sweyn never re-married that we know of, but that did not stop him from fathering children. His legitimate child by Gunhild died young. Of his known children, many survived and become known to history.

Harald III Hen, born c.1050, became king after his father, reigning from 1076 to 1080. The election to succeed Sweyn was between Harald and his brother Canute IV of Denmark (later Canute the Saint). His reign was challenged by his brothers, who were supported by Olaf III of Norway, who might have wanted to carry on the legacy of his father, Harald Hardrada, who hassled Sweyn for much of his reign.

Although Saxo Grammaticus, in his Gesta Danorum ("Deeds of the Danish People"), calls Harald III weak and ineffective, another chronicler says he was beloved by the people. He started no new wars, he standardized Danish coinage, allowed public use of royal forests, and eliminated trial by combat and trial by ordeal, replacing them with the English system of calling other men to swear to your bona fides.

Upon his death, he was succeeded by his brother Canute the Saint (born c.1042; reigned 1080 - 1086). Canute was more ambitious than his brother, and led yet another Danish raid on England. Since his great-uncle Cnut was once king of England, Canute IV considered himself the rightful heir to that crown and considered William I "the Conqueror" a usurper.

Canute IV married Adela, daughter of Robert I of Flanders (allies of Denmark). With the help of his father-in-law and Olaf III of Norway, he planned an assault on England and assembled a fleet of ships. At the same time, however, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV was being seen as a growing threat to Denmark and Flanders. The fleet never sailed, because Canute and Robert were afraid to leave Denmark and Flanders undefended against Henry's thoughts of expansion.

Canute was killed in 1086 by a lance thrust in his side by during a peasant revolt. Canute had also been a devout advocate for the Church. A famine that followed his death was attributed to the unjust killing of a saintly man.  Miracles were attributed to him not long after. Pope Paschal II confirmed the "cult of Canute," and he became the first Dane to be canonized. (The illustration is of his statue in St. Peter's Church in Odense, Denmark.)

His successor was another illegitimate child of Sweyn's, Olaf Hunger, and his nickname was not in any way flattering. I'll explain tomorrow.