House of Knýtlinga
| Jelling dynasty Jellingdynastiet | |
|---|---|
Royal dynasty | |
| Country | |
| Founded | c. 916 |
| Founder | Harthacnut I of Denmark |
| Current head | None; extinct |
| Final ruler | Cnut III & II |
| Dissolution | 1042 |
| Branches | (non-agnatic) |
The
Under Harald Bluetooth's rule, he is said on a Jelling rune stone to have unified the territory that comprises modern-day Denmark under his rule, as well as Norway.[1] The latter claim is more tenuous, as he most likely only had periodic and indirect power over parts of modern-day Norway.[1] Under the House of Knýtlinga, early state formation in Denmark occurred.[2][1]
In 1018 AD the House of Knýtlinga brought the crowns of Denmark and England together under a
Rulers of Denmark
The ruling royal house built impressive ring fortresses, as well as implementing new military organizational innovations, and oversaw the Christianization of Denmark.[1] The ruling royal house also developed a model of royal power, which was consistent with later European kingdoms, as well as engaged in the first Scandinavian minting of coins.[1]
According to Andres Dobat, the Jelling dynasty are an example of stranger kings, as the first rulers, Harthacnut I or Gorm, were likely foreign.[1] According to Sverre Bagge, the first signs of clear rules of succession in Denmark take place under the Jelling dynasty.[3]
Rulers of England
The House of Knýtlinga ruled the Kingdom of England from 1013 to 1014 and from 1016 to 1042.
In 1013
Sweyn died in 1014 and Æthelred was restored. However, in 1015 Sweyn's son,
Although Cnut was already married to Ælfgifu of Northampton, he married Æthelred's widow, Emma of Normandy. He ruled until his death in 1035. After his death another of Æthelred's sons, Alfred Aetheling, tried to retake the English throne, but he was betrayed and captured by Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who supported Cnut's son, Harold Harefoot. Alfred was blinded, and died soon after.
Harold ruled until 1040, although his mother Ælfgifu may have ruled during part of his reign.[5] Harold initially shared England with his half brother Harthacnut, the son of Cnut and Emma. Harold ruled in Mercia and Northumbria, and Harthacnut ruled in Wessex. However Harthacnut was also king of Denmark (as Cnut III), and spent most of his time there, so that Harold was effectively sole ruler of England.
Harthacnut succeeded Harold as king of England (he is sometimes also known as Cnut II). He died two years later, and his half-brother Edward the Confessor became king. Edward was the son of Æthelred and Emma, and so with his succession to the throne the House of Wessex was restored.
England after the House of Knýtlinga
Edward the Confessor ruled until 1066. His brother in law,
The Normans were descended from Vikings who had settled in Normandy, and although they had adopted the French language, their heritage was essentially Viking. In this manner, the Vikings ultimately (if indirectly) finally conquered and kept England after all.[6]
In 1085–86 King
List of Danish kings of England
- Sweyn Forkbeard, 1013–14 (also king of Denmark 986–1014 and Norway 999–1014)
- Cnut, 1016–1035 (also king of Denmark 1018–1035 and Norway 1028–1035)
- Harold Harefoot, 1035–1040
- Harthacnut, 1040–1042 (also king of Denmark 1035–1042)
Queens consort of England during Danish rule
- Emma of Normandy (1002–1016 and 1017–1035)
- Ælfgifu of Northampton (1016–1035)
Family tree
Main genealogy
 Harthacnut (Airdeconut) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gorm the Old | Thyra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toke Gormsson King of Scania | Knut Gormsson Co-King of Denmark | Gunnhild Konungamóðir disputed | Strut-Harald disputed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tove of the Obotrites | Harald Bluetooth | Gyrid of Sweden legendary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tyra of Denmark | Gunhilde disputed | Haakon Haraldsson | other sons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gunhild of Wenden disputed | Sweyn Forkbeard | Sigrid the Haughty disputed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cnut the Great | Emma of Normandy | Æthelred the Unready King of England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ulf Thorgilsson | Estrid Svendsdatter | Harold Harefoot | Svein Knutsson | Harthacnut | Gunhilda of Denmark | .svg){kind=small} Henry III Holy Roman Emperor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sweyn II of Denmark | Ælfwine Haroldsson | Beatrice of Franconia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| House of Estridsen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The parentage of Strut-Harald and Gunnhild Konungamóðir is disputed; both of them had issue. The existence of Gunhild of Wenden and Sigrid the Haughty is disputed, some details of their lives can be exchanged to each other or associated to another figures.
Relations with other families
See also
- Knýtlinga saga
- Danelaw
- Guthrum
- Ragnar Lodbrok
- Ivar the Boneless
- Eric Bloodaxe
- Harald III of Norway
- Sweyn II of Denmark
- List of English monarchs
References
Citations
- ^ S2CID 161646708.
- JSTOR 45019120.
- ISBN 978-1-4008-5010-5.
- ^ Asimov 1969, pp. 124–125.
- ^ Stenton 1971, p. 421.
- ^ Lacey & Danziger 1999, pp. 75, 80–81.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Kings of Wessex and England 802–1066" (PDF). The official website of The British Monarchy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-08-24. Retrieved 2015-07-05.
Sources
- Asimov, Isaac (1969). The Shaping of England. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-395-06579-2.
- Lacey, Robert; Danziger, Danny (1999). The Year 1000: What Life was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium : an Englishman's World. London: Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-55840-2.
- ISBN 978-0-19-821716-9.
External links
- Sweyn Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine on the official website of the British Monarchy
- Cnut Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine on the official website of the British Monarchy
- Harold on the official website of the British Monarchy
- Harthacnut on the official website of the British Monarchy