Sweyn Forkbeard
Sweyn Forkbeard | |
---|---|
King of the English | |
Reign | 1013–1014 |
Predecessor | Æthelred the Unready |
Successor | Æthelred the Unready |
Born | 17 April 963[1] Denmark |
Died | 3 February 1014
(aged 50) Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England |
Burial | |
Spouse | Świętosława / Sigrid / Gunhild |
Issue among others... |
|
House | Knýtlinga |
Father | Knut Danaást or Harald Bluetooth[2] |
Mother | Tove or Gunhild[2] |
Sweyn Forkbeard (
In the mid-980s, Sweyn revolted against his father,
Life
Historiographical sources on Sweyn's life include the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (where his name is rendered as Swegen),[7] Adam of Bremen's 11th-century Deeds of the Bishops of Hamburg, and Snorri Sturluson's 13th-century Heimskringla.[8] Conflicting accounts of Sweyn's later life also appear in the Encomium Emmae Reginae, an 11th-century Latin encomium in honour of his son king Cnut's queen Emma of Normandy, along with Chronicon ex chronicis by Florence of Worcester, another 11th-century author.
There are conflicting accounts of Sweyn's heritage. Recently discovered Polish notes made in the 1960s from a supposedly lost chronicle, Gesta Wulinensis ecclesiae pontificum, apparently written around 990 by Avico, the chaplain of
Sweyn married the widow of Erik, king of Sweden, named "Gunhild" in some sources,[11] or identified as an unnamed sister of Boleslaus, ruler of Poland.[4]
Historian Ian Howard describes Sweyn as "a competent military commander, politician and diplomat" who made "a formidable and successful king."[8]
Revolt and possible exile
In the mid-980s, Sweyn revolted against his father and seized the throne. Harald was driven into exile and died shortly afterwards in November 986 or 987.[4]
Adam of Bremen depicted Sweyn as a rebellious pagan who persecuted Christians, betrayed his father and expelled German bishops from Scania and Zealand. According to Adam, Sweyn was sent into exile by his father's German friends and deposed in favour of king Eric the Victorious of Sweden, whom Adam wrote ruled Denmark until his death in 994 or 995. Sørensen (2001) argues that Adam's depiction of Sweyn may be overly negative, as seen through an "unsympathetic and intolerant eye".[12] Adam's account is thus not seen as entirely reliable; the claimed 14 years' exile of Sweyn to Scotland does not seem to agree with Sweyn's building churches in Denmark throughout the same period, including the churches in Lund and Roskilde.[13] According to Adam, Sweyn was punished by God for leading the uprising which led to king Harald's death, and had to spend fourteen years abroad (i.e. 986–1000). The historicity of this exile, or its duration, is uncertain. Adam writes that Sweyn was shunned by all those with whom he sought refuge, but was finally allowed to live for a while in Scotland. Adam also suggests that Sweyn in his youth lived among heathens, and only achieved success as a ruler after accepting Christianity.
Battle of Svolder
Harald Bluetooth had already established a foothold in Norway, controlling Viken in c. 970. He may have lost control over his Norwegian claims following his defeat against a German army in 974.
Sweyn built an alliance with Swedish king Olof Skötkonung and Eirik Hákonarson, Jarl of Lade, against Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason. The Kings' sagas ascribe the causes of the alliance to Olaf Tryggvason's ill-fated marriage proposal to Sigrid the Haughty and his problematic marriage to Thyri, sister of Sweyn Forkbeard. According to the sagas, Sigrid pushed Sweyn into war with Olaf because Olaf had slapped her.[14]
The allies attacked and defeated king Olaf in the western Baltic Sea when he was sailing home from an expedition, in the Battle of Svolder, fought in September 999 or 1000. The victors divided Norway among them. According to the account of the Heimskringla, Sweyn regained direct control of Viken district.
King Olaf of Sweden received four districts in
The Jarls Eirik and Svein proved strong, competent rulers, and their reign was prosperous. Most sources say that they adopted Christianity but allowed the people religious freedom, leading to a backlash against Christianity which undid much of Olaf Tryggvason's missionary work.[15]
Religion
Sweyn apparently recruited priests and bishops from England, in preference to the Archbishopric of Bremen. In part, this reflected the fact that there were numerous Christian priests of Danish origin in the Danelaw, while Sweyn had few personal connections to Germany. Sweyn's preference for the English church may also have had a political motive, because German bishops were an integral part of the state. It has been suggested that Sweyn was seeking to pre-empt any diminution of his independence by German leaders.[16] This may have been a reason for Adam of Bremen's apparent hostility in his accounts of Sweyn; by accentuating English ecclesiastical influence in his kingdom, Sweyn was effectively spurning the Archbishop of Bremen.
Invasions of England
The "
At the outset of the invasions, Sweyn negotiated an agreement with Duke Richard II of Normandy whereby the Danes gained permission to sell their spoils of war in Normandy.[18]
Sweyn campaigned in Wessex and East Anglia in 1003–1004, but a famine forced him to return to Denmark in 1005. Further raids took place in 1006–1007, and in 1009–1012 Thorkell the Tall led a Viking invasion into England. Simon Keynes regards it as uncertain whether Sweyn supported these invasions, but "whatever the case, he was quick to exploit the disruption caused by the activities of Thorkell's army".[19] Sweyn acquired massive sums of Danegeld through the raids. In 1013, he is reported to have personally led his forces in a full-scale invasion of England.[20]
The medieval Peterborough Chronicle (part of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) states:
before the month of August came king Sweyn with his fleet to
Uchtred and all Northumbria quickly bowed to him, as did all the people of the Kingdom of Lindsey, then the people of the Five Boroughs. He was given hostages from each shire. When he understood that all the people had submitted to him, he bade that his force should be provisioned and horsed; he went south with the main part of the invasion force, while some of the invasion force, as well as the hostages, were with his son Cnut. After he came over Watling Street, they went to Oxford, and the town-dwellers soon bowed to him, and gave hostages. From there they went to Winchester, and the people did the same, then eastward to London.[21]
But the Londoners put up a strong resistance, because King Æthelred and Thorkell the Tall, a Viking leader who had defected to Æthelred, personally held their ground against him in London itself. Sweyn then went west to Bath, where the western thanes submitted to him and gave hostages. The Londoners then followed suit, fearing Sweyn's revenge if they resisted any longer. King Æthelred sent his sons Edward and Alfred to Normandy, and himself spent Christmas on the Isle of Wight, and then followed them into exile.[21]
Based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Sweyn began to organise his vast new kingdom, but he died there on 3 February 1014,[22] having ruled England for only five weeks. Sweyn's cause of death is unknown.[23] Some theorise that he was killed, whereas other sources say he died after falling off a horse.[23][24] His embalmed body was returned to Denmark for burial in the church he had built. Tradition locates this church in Roskilde,[19] but it is more plausible that it was actually located in Lund in Scania (now part of Sweden).[25]
Aftermath
Sweyn's elder son,
Cnut and his sons, Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut, ruled England over a combined 26-year period (1016–1042). After Harthacnut's death, the English throne reverted to the House of Wessex under Æthelred's younger son Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042–1066).
Sweyn's daughter, Estrid Svendsdatter, was the mother of King Sweyn II of Denmark. Her descendants continue to reign in Denmark to this day.
Issue
The
Sweyn had eight children with Sigrid the Haughty and Gunhild of Wenden:[2]
- Harald II of Denmark[2]
- Cnut the Great[2]
- Estrid Svendsdatter[2]
- Gytha
- Gunnhild
- Santslaue
- Thyra
References
- ^ ISBN 978-9198678017. Archivedfrom the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-0099539735.
- ^ Svæinn Harallz sunr; Latinized forms of the name Sveinn are Suanus, Suenus, or Sveinus (Haraldi filius). The nickname tjúguskegg is a compound of tjúga "fork" and skegg "beard". Sweyn is so named in Fagrskinna chapters 27 and 41 (ed. Finnur Jónsson 1902–08, pp. 161, 206), in both cases in references to Astriðr dottor Svæins tiuguskægs.
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26830. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ISBN 978-9004166707. Archivedfrom the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ISBN 978-9047422044. Archivedfrom the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Manuscripts C Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, D Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, and E Archived 12 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Edited by Jebson, Tony. Accessed 18 August 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0851159281. Archivedfrom the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ Villads Jensen, Kurt; Jezierski, Wojtek (2022). "Recension av Vikingakungens guldskatt" [Review of "The Viking King's Gold Treasure"] (PDF). Fornvännen (in Swedish). 2022/1: 76.
- ^ Adam of Bremen Gesta II.3. Ed. Schmeidler, trans. Tschan, p. 56
- ^ "Svend 1. Tveskæg". Den Store Danske. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ^ Sørensen, M.P. (2001). "Religions Old and New", The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. Ed. P.H. Sawyer. Oxford University Press (2001), p. 202
- ^ ISBN 0192854348.
- ISBN 978-1400850105. Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ This is according to Heimskringla and Fagrskinna, see Lee M. Hollander (trans.) (1991) Heimskringla, p. 244 and Finlay Finlay, Alison (editor and translator) (2004) Fagrskinna, p. 130.
According to Historia Norwegie and Ágrip, the Jarls actively worked to uproot Christianity in Norway, see Driscoll, M.J. (editor) (1995). Ágrip af Nóregskonungasǫgum. Viking Society for Northern Research, p. 35 and Ekrem, Inger (editor), Lars Boje Mortensen (editor) and Peter Fisher (translator) (2003). Historia Norwegie (2003), p. 101.
- ISBN 918670804X.
- ^ Mike Ashley, British Monarchs; A complete genealogy, gazetteer and biographical Encyclopaedia of the Kings and Queens of Britain, Robinson Publishing (1998) p. 483: "Probably his [Æthelred's] worst decision was the St. Brice's day massacre on 13 November 1002...he ordered the killing of every Dane who lived in England, except the Anglo-Danes in the Danelaw. The massacre brought back to English shores the Danish commander Swein, whose sister and brother-in-law had been killed in the massacre".
- from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0631155651.
- ISBN 0521537770. Archivedfrom the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ J. A. Giles(London, 1847). Medieval and Classical Literature Library Release #17. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
- ISBN 0851159281. Archivedfrom the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Sweyn Forkbeard: England's forgotten Viking king". BBC News. 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ "Death of Svein Forkbeard | History Today". www.historytoday.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ "Sweyn Forkbeard". Medieval Histories. 4 February 2014. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
External links
- Sweyn at the official website of the British monarchy
- Swein 1 at Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England
- Northvegr (Scandinavian) – A History of the Vikings (Search) Archived 27 September 2006 at archive.today
- Vikingworld (Danish) – Swein Forkbeard (Svend Tveskæg)
- Sweyn Forkbeard: The Viking King of England on Medieval Archives Podcast
- Portraits of Sweyn Forkbeard at the National Portrait Gallery, London