Cnut and the North Sea Empire

Who was King Cnut?

King Cnut was a Viking who ruled England from 1016 until 1035. He married Emma of Normandy, the widow of the previous Saxon king. As well as being king of England, he became king of Denmark and Norway, creating a North Sea Empire.

When was Cnut king of England?

There are some key dates in the reign of King Cnut:

• ❖ Cnut originally came to England with his father, Sweyn Forkbeard, who defeated the English king Aethelred the Unready in 1013.
• ❖ Sweyn's invasion might have been prompted by the St Brice's Day Massacre of 1002, when Aethelred the Unready ordered the murder of all Danes living in England.
• ❖ However, Sweyn Forkbeard only lived for a short while after defeating Aethelred, dying in 1014. Aethelred resumed the English throne.
• ❖ Cnut succeeded Sweyn as king of Denmark, and now had a 'right' to the English throne, too. So he invaded England again in 1016.
• ❖ He fought against Aethelred's son, Edmund Ironside. Neither could claim outright victory, so eventually they agreed to divide England between them.
• ❖ However, Edmund Ironside died only a couple of months later, and Cnut now became the king of all England.
• ❖ In 1018 Cnut became king of Denmark, and in 1028 he became king of Norway. He now presided over a North Sea Empire, based around Scandinavia.

Why did Cnut become king of England?

There were a number of reasons why Cnut became king of England.

• ❖ Because Cnut's father, Sweyn Forkbeard, had defeated the Saxon king Aethelred, Cnut believed he now had a right to the English throne.
• ❖ He was able to force Edmund Ironside to agree to divide England between them, and then became the king of all England when Edmund died.
• ❖ Because the Vikings had ruled large parts of England in the 9th century, Cnut believed he had a right to take the throne.

Who was Cnut married to?

King Cnut married Emma of Normandy. She had been the wife of Aethelred the Unready, and was the mother of Edward the Confessor.

What was King Cnut's significance?

There are 4 key reasons for King Cnut's significance:

• ❖ He made England part of his North Sea Empire, which increased trade between England and Scandinavia.
• ❖ He created peace in England by sending his Viking soldiers home, and promoting Saxons - such as Earl Godwin - to help him rule the kingdom.
• ❖ He married Aethelred's widow, Emma of Normandy, which ensured that, in the end, England had a Saxon king again in 1042.
• ❖ He treated the Church well, and even visited the pope in 1027. This helped to ensure that Christianity flourished in England.

What was King Cnut's North Sea Empire?

By 1028, Cnut was also king of Denmark and Norway. This meant that England was now part of a 'North Sea Empire'.

What trade was there in Cnut's empire?

As part of Cnut's North Sea Empire, England developed closer ties with Scandinavia. Trade and cultural exchange increased.

How did Cnut's empire collapse?

There are 4 key parts to the collapse of Cnut's empire:

• ❖ The empire began to collapse after the death of Cnut in 1035.
• ❖ Cnut was succeeded by his first son, Harold Harefoot, who ruled from 1035 until 1040.
• ❖ When Harold Harefoot died, his half-brother Harthacnut became king. Harthacnut ruled England until his death in 1042.
• ❖ The North Sea Empire finally collapsed with the death of Harthacnut. In England, the Saxon Edward the Confessor became king.