Everything about Harthacnut Of Denmark totally explained
» For the later son of Canute the Great see Harthacanute.
Harthacnut (born c.
880) was a legendary
King of Denmark. He was either the son of an otherwise unknown "Sweyn," or, as presented by
Ragnarssona þáttr, of the semi-mythic
viking chieftain Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, himself one of the sons of the legendary
Ragnar Lodbrok. Historians have suggested that Harthacnut was a grandson of Sigurd rather than a son; both claims are impossible to verify.
Early years
In the 890s Denmark was conquered by the
Swedes and king
Helge was deposed by
Olaf who founded the
House of Olaf in Denmark. According to
clergyman Adam of Bremen, who came from Germany to record the history of the
Archbishop of Bremen, Olaf and two or more of his sons took the realm "by weapons and violence."
When Olaf died, two of his sons seem to have ruled simultaneously, and around 915 a son of Olaf's son
Gnupa and a Danish noblewoman Asfrid, assumed the throne. This son of Gnupa,
Sigtrygg, is remembered on two
runestones erected by his mother after his death.
According to
Adam of Bremen, Harthacnut (Danish: Hardeknud) came from "Northmannia," the "land of the Northmen," by which he may have meant either
Norway or
Normandy, which had recently been colonized by Danish vikings. It is also likely that Harthacnut was brought up in the
Danelaw territories in
East Anglia.
Rise to power
In 916, Harthacnut immediately deposed the young king Sigtrygg. Harthacnut then ruled unopposed for approximately thirty years. Some researchers have relied on a single source, the
Saxon chronicles of
Widukind of Corvey, to establish that Sigtrygg's father Gnupa was still king in 934 when the Danes had an altercation with the German king
Henry. Therefore, it's unclear whether the king who was forced to pay tribute to the German ruler was Gnupa or Harthacnut.
Harthacnut and Christianity
Harthacnut is usually portrayed as indifferent or hostile towards
Christianity.
Adam of Bremen as only source
The only primary source about
Harthacnut of Denmark are two clauses from Adam of Bremen (1,52 and 1,55).
1,52 reads:
king Sveins son, Hardegon in the oldest manuscript which was later changed to
king Sveins son, Harthacnut but also changed to
king Sveins son, Athelstan.
1,55 says
Hardecnudth Vurm, a double name not uncommon in that era, later changed to
Hardecnudths son, Vurm but also changed to
Athelstan Vurm.
The interview by king Sweyn Estridsson is very likely fictitious. The reliability of Adam as a source is called into question since he omits any reference to Sweyn I's exile in Scotland.
Further Information
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