Vikings

The Vikings

England's line of Viking kings spans a dynasty of three generations and was founded in 1013 by Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, the son of Harald Bluetooth, who after years of conflict, wrested the throne of England from the ineffectual native Saxon king, Ethelred II the Redeless ( 978-1016).

Sweyn was followed by his son Canute, called the Great (1016 - 35), the ablest of his line, who converted to Christianity and married Ethelred's widow, Emma of Normandy.

Canute's two infamous sons, the illegitimate Harald Harefoot (1037-1040) and Hardicanute or Harthacnut (1040-1042), his son by his marriage to Emma, reigned after him, both were antagonistic toward the other. On the death of the youngest of these, Hardicanute in 1042, the old Saxon line of Wessex was restored in the person of Ethelred's son, Edward the Confessor (1042-1066).

Monarch

Born

Reign

Circa 960, son of Harald Bluetooth

1013

Circa 994 son of Sweyn Forkbeard and Gunhilda of Poland

1016-1035

Circa 1012, illegitimate son of Canute

1037-40

Circa 1096 son of Canute and Emma of Normandy

1040-42

 

Additional Information on the era