Canute IV of Denmark
Canute IV | |
---|---|
Roman Catholicism |
Canute IV (c. 1042 – 10 July 1086), later known as Canute the Holy (
Life
Canute was born c. 1042, one of the many sons of
When Sweyn died, Canute's brother
King of Denmark
Canute quickly proved himself to be a highly ambitious king as well as a devout one. He enhanced the authority of the church, and demanded austere observation of church holidays.
In May 1085, Canute wrote a letter of donation to
His reign was marked by vigorous attempts to increase royal power in Denmark, by stifling the nobles and keeping them to the word of the law.[2] Canute issued edicts arrogating to himself the ownership of common land, the right to the goods from shipwrecks, and the right to inherit the possessions of foreigners and kinless folk. He also issued laws to protect freed thralls as well as foreign clerics and merchants.[1] These policies led to discontent among his subjects, who were unaccustomed to a king claiming such powers and interfering in their daily lives.[2]
Aborted attempt on England
However, Canute's ambitions were not purely domestic. As the grandnephew of
The warriors of the fleet, mostly made up of peasants who needed to be home for the harvest season, got weary of waiting and elected Canute's brother Olaf (the later Olaf I of Denmark) to argue their case. That raised the suspicion of Canute, who had Olaf arrested and sent to Flanders. The leding was eventually dispersed, and the peasants tended to their harvests,[2] but Canute intended to reassemble within a year.[citation needed]
Death
Before the fleet could reassemble, a
Canonization
Because of his
On 19 April 1101, persuaded by the envoys from
In 1300, his remains and those of his brother Benedict were interred in
Legacy
The reign of Canute has been interpreted differently through the times; from a violent king who tyrannized his subjects, to a strict but fair ruler who devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church and fought for justice without regard to his own person.[3] He was never a thoroughly popular saint in Denmark, but his sainthood granted the Danish monarchy an aura of divine legitimacy.[1] The cause of the rebellion which killed Canute is unknown, but has been speculated as originating in fines issued to the peasants breaking the leding of 1085 as specified in the Chronicon Roskildense, or as a result of his vigorous tithe policy.[3]
The document of his donation to Lund Cathedral was the oldest comprehensive text from Denmark, and provided broad insights into Danish post-
In 2008, an
Popular culture
In parts of Spain, Canute's feast day has reportedly become a
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Stefan Pajung, Knud den Hellige ca. 1042–1086, danmarkshistorien.dk, Aarhus University, 22 January 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Bricka, Carl Frederik, Dansk Biografisk Lexikon, vol. IX [Jyde – Køtschau], 1895, pp.260–263.
- ^ a b c d Knud 4. den Hellige at Gyldendals Åbne Encyklopædi
- ^ Bricka, Carl Frederik, Dansk Biografisk Lexikon, vol. VII [I. Hansen – Holmsted], 1893, p.74.
- ^ Line, Philip (2007). Kingship and State Formation in Sweden: 1130–1290. Brill. pp. 499–500.
- ^ a b c d Knud den Helliges gavebrev 1085 Archived 23 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine, danmarkshistorien.dk, Aarhus University, 6 June 2010
- ^ a b CT-scanning af Knud den Hellige afslører nyt om kongemord Archived 13 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Ingeniøren, 8 March 2008
- ISBN 9780192800589.
- ^ Axelsson, M: Tjugo dagar efter jul, published 13 January 2007 (in Swedish)
- ^ The Scandinavian Remedy: The murder at Haraldsted (3 January 2009) Archived 16 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ^ Rincón, Reyes (20 January 2003). "En honor a San Canuto". El País (in Spanish).
Further reading
- The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. Ed., Peter Sawyer. Oxford University Press, New York, 1997. Chapter Seven: "The Danish Empire and the End of the Viking Age" by Niels Lund. The quote is from page 181.
- The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Ed David High Farmer. Oxford University Press, 2004. See the entry on St Canute.