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The Viking Kings |
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Hardicanute
1040-1042
Hardicanute, King of Denmark, the son of King Canute and Emma of Normandy spent his childhood in Denmark, where he was sent by his father.
He succeeded his detested half-brother Harold I to the throne of England in 1040. He had succeeded to the throne of Denmark in 1035, where he reigned as Canute III , but his involvement in a war against King Magnus I of Norway resulted in his not being able to secure his claim to the throne of England. Consequently his illegitimate half-brother Harold Harefoot was appointed regent there. Harald promptly betrayed his brother and took the throne for himself.
Hardicanute eventually came to an agreement with Magnus, through a treaty of either 1038 or 1039, tby the terms of which if either he or Magnus were to die without an heir, his opponent should become his successor. Harald's death on on 17th March, 1040 while Hardicanute was planning an invasion, made it possible for him to peacefully ascend the English throne. Hardicanute landed at Sandwich on 17 June, 1040, seven days before Midsummer, with a fleet of 62 warships.
His was an even less appealing character than his brother's. Those who expected a return to the just rule of Canute were to be sadly disappointed. His first act on arriving in his new kingdom was to have his half-brother's body disinterred, beheaded and slung into a marsh, causing outrage amongst churchmen. Hardicanute could be brutal and savagely revengeful.
He was said to have hated his paternal half-brother, Harold, for the murder of his other, maternal half-brother, Alfred, at which he had felt great sorrow. Determined to thoroughly avenge this deed Hardicanute had Earl Godwine put on trial, Godwine managed to extricate himself , was acquitted and managed to retain his extensive estates. Extremely wealthy, he bought the friendship of the new King with expensive gift of a magnificently adorned ship. The King invited his other half-brother, Edward, back to England, whom he treated with much kindness and named as his heir.
Hardicanute proceeded to make himself thoroughly unpopular by exacting high taxes. The citizens of Worcester rose against the crushing level of taxation, and in savage retribution, he burned their city to the ground. He further sullied his reputation by resorting to having the northern Jarl Edwulf murdered. A contemporary stated that he never did anything worthy of a King throughout his entire reign.
Hardicanute never married and had no children. After a two year reign, he died during a riotous drinking bout at Clapham, in celebration of the marriage of the daughter of one of his thanes, Osgod Clapa. In the midst of the revelries, Hardicanute suffered a seizure and fell to the ground. He died a few days later on 8th June, 1042. He was succeeded by his Saxon half-brother, Edward, later to become known as Edward the Confessor and the old Saxon line was restored. Hardicanute was buried at Winchester Cathedral.