Canute VI of Denmark
Canute VI | |
---|---|
St. Bendt's Church | |
Spouse | |
House | Estridsen |
Father | Valdemar I of Denmark |
Mother | Sophia of Minsk |
Canute VI (
Background
Canute VI was the eldest son of King
Reign
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had compelled Canute's father to acknowledge him as overlord, and in 1184 Barbarossa sent a messenger to Canute requiring him to acknowledge the emperor as his liege. Canute failed to respond, so the emperor sent a second messenger threatening the emperor's wrath if Canute failed to acknowledge his liege lord. Bishop Absalon replied to the messenger on behalf of Canute. "Canute is as free a king as the emperor. He has as much right to Denmark as the emperor has to the Holy Roman Empire, and so the emperor should expect no allegiance from this place."[6]
The emperor flew into a rage when he received Canute's reply, but because of troubles farther south, ordered his vassal,
The Danish fleet weighed anchor and sailed through the fog toward the Pomeranians. Bugislaw's fleet saw nothing of the Danes until they were close enough to hear their war cries. Fear swept through the Pomeranians, and they tried to row away, but they were in such close quarters that the ships couldn't turn. The men panicked and began jumping from ship to ship which caused eight ships to founder. The Danes threw themselves onto the ships to plunder them when Absalon shouted that they should leave the goods and go after the ships. Few complied and with just seven ships, Absalon routed the entire Pomeranian fleet, capturing 35 enemy ships. Absalon sent Bugislaw's own great tent to Canute, who was still in Jutland. With Bugislaw's defeat the emperor gave up, for a time, his attempt to rule Denmark.[6]
Canute ordered two invasions of Pomerania and in 1185 forced Bogislaw to acknowledge Canute as his overlord. From that time until 1972 the kings of Denmark used the title "
Canute's younger brother Valdemar, Duke of Southern Jutland, was just twelve years old when his father died and Bishop
Succession
Canute's friend and chief advisor, Bishop Absalon died on 21 March 1201. He had been one of the most important figures in all of Danish history. Under King Canute VI, Absalon was the chief policymaker in Danish politics. Absalon was buried beside his father in Sorø church. His epitaph reads "a good and brave man". Less than two years later on 12 November 1202, Canute died suddenly at age 39.[7]
In 1177, Canute married Gertrude (ca.1155–1197), daughter of Duke Henry the Lion of Saxony. She was first married to Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia in 1166 and had become a widow in 1167. During their marriage, Canute and Gertrude had no children. King Canute was succeeded by his younger brother Valdemar II of Denmark (1170–1241) who ruled from 1202 to 1241. [10] [11]
References
- ^ Henry Petersen (1882): Et dansk Flag fra Unionstiden i Maria-Kirken i Lübeck, Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, p. 26 (in Danish)
- ^ Bain, Robert Nisbet (1911). . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 222–223.
- ^ Per G. Norseng. "Knud 4 Valdemarssøn". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-520-06677-9.
- ^ "Canute VI (king of Denmark)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ a b c d Huitfeldt, Arild. Danmarks Riges Krønike
- ^ a b Danmarks Historie II www.perbenny.dk
- ^ "Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ "Adolf III., Graf von Holstein". Adolf III. (Graf von Holstein und Stormarn). Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. 1875. p. 107. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ "Gertrud, 1154-1197, Knud VI's Dronning". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ Knut Are Tvedt. "Valdemar 2 Sejr". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
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