Harthacanute (King of Denmark 1035-1042)
After the passing of Canute the Great, his only son Harthacanute, was left with the responsibility of reining the great empire his father had built. In 1035 Harthacanute followed Canute the Great as King of Denmark, where he reigned as Canute III.
Harthacanute however, did not have the greatness of his father to continue ruling both England and Denmark and left his half-brother Harald Harefoot as regent in charge of England while he himself stayed in Denmark.
Because Harthacanute was too busy fighting off enemies in Denmark to worry about England, Harald was soon crowned King of England.
This didn’t sit well with Harthacanute, who readied his ships to invade England and claim the throne, he thought his.
Right before the invasion, Harald died suddenly and Harthacanute took back his crown without a fight.
During his reign in England, Harthacanute quickly became unpopular by raising taxes to unreasonable heights. He was known as a harsh and unfair ruler.
While he was King of England, Harthacanute invited Edward the Confessor back from exile in Normandy. Edward was Harthacanute’s half-brother from his mother Emma’s marriage to Aelthelred the Unready, former king of England. Aelthelred was forced into exile after losing his country to Swein Forkbeard in 1013.
Because Harthacanute had no wife and no known children he invited his younger half-brother into his household and eventually made him his heir to the English throne.
After just two years on the English throne, Harthacanute suddenly died. Legend has it that he was drinking at a wedding party when he fell to the floor in convulsions. The circumstances surrounding his death led to rumors of poisoning.
With Harthacanute dead and Edward the Confessor to claim the throne, the Danish rule of England was suddenly over.
King Magnus the Kind (King of Denmark 1042-1047)
When Harthacanute died, Denmark was left with no obvious heir to the throne.
But while Harthacanute had been busy in England a new King had claimed the throne in Norway, which had been under Danish rule during Canute the Great’s reign. King Magnus of Norway was known as a gentle king and was dubbed “the kind.”
Magnus the Kind was accepted as King of Denmark in 1042.
Magnus didn’t win the crown with ease though. Sweyn Estridsen, Canute the Great’s nephew, attempted to claim the throne from Magnus the Kind several times. Magnus never surrendered the throne to Sweyn, but true to his name and maybe to keep his enemies close, he made Sweyn an earl in Denmark.
In 1047 Magnus died from a fall from his horse. Before his death he chose Sweyn Estridsen to follow him as King of Denmark.
You might also like to read: The Danish Monarchy - The Beginning and The Danish Monarchy 1047-1080, Sweyn Estridsen and Harald Hen
Sources:
http://www.britannia.com
http://www.kongehuset.dk
http://www.kingsofdenmark.dk/
