Chapter VI

THE DANISH KINGS IN ENGLAND. 1017–1042.
Character of the Reigns of Cnut and his Sons 401–404

§ 1. _The Reign of Cnut in England._ 1017–1035.
1016–1017 Witenagemót of London; Cnut chosen King 405
Outlawry of the two Eadwigs; fate of the Ætheling 406
Fourfold division of England; Cnut’s preference for
Wessex 406–407
First appearance of Earl Godwine; his first Earldom 408–410
1017 Cnut marries Ælfgifu-Emma; his relations with Ælfgifu
of Northampton and her sons 410–412
Banishments and executions 412–415
Execution and character of Eadric 415–418
Leofwine succeeds Eadric in Mercia 418
1018 Danegeld paid; Cnut sends home most of his ships 418–419
Witenagemót of Oxford; renewal of Eadgar’s Law 419–422
1019 Cnut visits Denmark 422
Exploits of Godwine; his marriage with Gytha 422–424
1020 Cnut returns to England; Witenagemót at Cirencester;
banishment of Æthelweard 424–425
Godwine Earl of the West-Saxons 425–426
Consecration of the church on Assandun; import of the
ceremony 426–428
Later policy of Cnut; Danes make way for Englishmen 428
1021 Banishment of Thurkill 428–429
1023 Thurkill viceroy of Denmark 429
1023–1030 Banishment of Eric; banishment and death of Hakon 429–430
1025 Ulf put to death 431
Character and position of Cnut 432–434
1027 His letter from Rome 434
1028–1035 His Laws 434–436
Personal traditions of Cnut; his ecclesiastical
foundations 437–443

§ 2. _The Foreign Relations of Cnut._ 1018–1035.
Unparalleled peace of Cnut’s reign 443–444
The Housecarls; Cnut’s military legislation 444–446
Cnut’s foreign policy; affairs of Wales 446–447
Affairs of Northumberland and Scotland; succession of
the Northumbrian Earls 448
1018 Malcolm defeats Eadwulf at Carham 448–449
1028? Affairs of Cumberland; submission of Duncan 449–450
1031 Submission of Scotland; homage of three Kings 450–451
1015 Cnut’s northern wars; loss of Norway 452–453
1015–1028 Reign of Saint Olaf in Norway 453–454
1025 Cnut’s defeat at the Helga 454
1028 Cnut chosen King of all Norway 454
Cnut’s friendly relations with the Empire; he
recovers the frontier of the Eider 455–456
996–1031 Affairs of Normandy; friendly relations between
Normandy and France 456–458
Affairs of Britanny and Chartres 458–460
1013? Story of Olaf and Lacman 460–463
Foreign expeditions and conquests of the Normans 463–464
1024 Burgundian War 464
1018 Norman exploits in Spain 464–465
1016–1090 Conquest of Apulia and Sicily; its bearing on that of
England 465–467
1026 Unbroken peace between Richard and Cnut; death of
Richard 467
1026–1028 Reign of Richard the Third 468
1028–1031 Accession of Robert; he restores various expelled
princes 468–470
1026 Relations between Cnut and Robert; marriage of Robert
and Estrith 471–473
1028–1035 Robert’s intervention on behalf of the Æthelings; his
attempted invasion of England 473–477
1035 Pilgrimage of Robert; death of Robert and Cnut 477–479

§ 3. _The Reign of Harold the son of Cnut._ 1035–1040.
Extent and partition of Cnut’s Empire 479–481
1036 Swegen expelled from Norway 481
1035–1036 Candidature of Harold and Harthacnut; Witenagemót at
Oxford; division of the Kingdom 481–488
1035–1037 Emma and Godwine Regents for Harthacnut in Wessex 488–489
1036 Attempt of the Ætheling Ælfred; conflicting versions
of the story 489–493
Estimate of the evidence; real position of Ælfred;
real question as to the conduct of Godwine 493–497
Inconsistency of the ordinary story 497–498
Evidence and suspicion against Godwine; his probable
innocence 498–501
Dissatisfaction in Wessex at the absence of
Harthacnut 501–502
1037 Harthacnut deposed and Harold chosen King over all
England 503
He banishes Emma 503
His reign and character 504–506
1039 Welsh inroad and death of Eadwine 506
1040 Duncan besieges Durham and is defeated by the
citizens 507–508
1039 Preparations of Harthacnut 508
1040 Death of Harold 509

§ 4. _The Reign of Harthacnut._ 1040–1042.
1040 Election of Harthacnut; his landing and coronation 509–511
His character; he lays on a Danegeld and digs up
Harold’s body 511–513
1040–1041 His second Danegeld 513
Accusation, trial, and acquittal of Godwine 514–517
1041 The Danegeld levied by the Housecarls; tumult at
Worcester 517–520
Worcester burned and the shire ravaged 521–522
Harthacnut recalls Eadward 522–524
Succession of the Northumbrian Earls; Ealdred,
Eadwulf, Siward; Siward murders Eadwulf by the
connivance of Harthacnut and obtains the whole
Earldom 524–527
Harthacnut sells the See of Durham to Eadred 527
1042 War with Magnus; defeat of Swegen Estrithson 528
Death of Harthacnut; marriage of Tofig and Gytha;
first foundation of Waltham 528–530
Election of Eadward 530
Summary 530–532