| Jelling dynasty Jellingdynastiet | |
|---|---|
| Royal dynasty | |
| Country | |
| Founded | c. 916 (916) |
| Founder | Harthacnut I of Denmark |
| Current head | None; extinct |
| Final ruler | Cnut III & II |
| Dissolution | 1042 (1042) |
| Branches |
|
TheDanishHouse of Knýtlinga (English: "House of Cnut's Descendants") was a rulingroyal house inMiddle AgeScandinavia andEngland. Its most famous king wasCnut the Great, who gave his name to this dynasty. Other notable members were Cnut's fatherSweyn Forkbeard, grandfatherHarald Bluetooth, and sonsHarthacnut,Harold Harefoot, andSvein Knutsson. It has also been called theHouse of Canute, theHouse of Denmark, theHouse of Gorm, or theJelling dynasty.
Under Harald Bluetooth's rule, he is said on a Jelling rune stone to have unified the territory that comprises modern-day Denmark under his rule, as well as Norway.[1] The latter claim is more tenuous, as he most likely only had periodic and indirect power over parts of modern-day Norway.[1] Under the House of Knýtlinga, earlystate formation in Denmark occurred.[2][1]
In 1018 AD the House of Knýtlinga brought the crowns of Denmark and England together under apersonal union. At the height of its power, in the years 1028–1030, the House reigned overDenmark,England andNorway. After the death of Cnut the Great's heirs within a decade of his own death and theNorman conquest of England in 1066, the legacy of the Knýtlinga was almost lost to history.
The ruling royal house built impressive ring fortresses, as well as implementing new military organizational innovations, and oversaw the Christianization of Denmark.[1] The ruling royal house also developed a model of royal power, which was consistent with later European kingdoms, as well as engaged in the first Scandinavian minting of coins.[1]
According to Andres Dobat, the Jelling dynasty are an example ofstranger kings, as the first rulers, Harthacnut I or Gorm, were likely foreign.[1] According toSverre Bagge, the first signs of clear rules of succession in Denmark take place under the Jelling dynasty.[3]
The House of Knýtlinga ruled theKingdom of England from 1013 to 1014 and from 1016 to 1042.
In 1013Sweyn Forkbeard, already theking of Denmark and ofNorway, overthrew KingÆthelred the Unready of theHouse of Wessex. Sweyn had first invaded England in 1003 to avenge the death of his sisterGunhilde and many other Danes in theSt. Brice's Day massacre, which had been ordered by Æthelred in 1002.
Sweyn died in 1014 and Æthelred was restored. However, in 1015 Sweyn's son,Cnut the Great, invaded England. After Æthelred died in April 1016, his sonEdmund Ironside briefly became king, but was forced to surrender half of England to Cnut. After Edmund died in November that same year, Cnut became king of all England.Scotland submitted to him in 1017, andNorway followed in 1028.[4]
Although Cnut was already married toÆlfgifu of Northampton, he married Æthelred's widow,Emma of Normandy. He ruled until his death in 1035. After his death another of Æthelred's sons,Alfred Aetheling, tried to retake the English throne, but he was betrayed and captured byGodwin, Earl of Wessex, who supported Cnut's son,Harold Harefoot. Alfred was blinded, and died soon after.
Harold ruled until 1040, although his mother Ælfgifu may have ruled during part of his reign.[5] Harold initially shared England with his half brotherHarthacnut, the son of Cnut and Emma. Harold ruled inMercia andNorthumbria, and Harthacnut ruled inWessex. However Harthacnut was also king of Denmark (as Cnut III), and spent most of his time there, so that Harold was effectively sole ruler of England.
Harthacnut succeeded Harold as king of England (he is sometimes also known as Cnut II). He died two years later, and his half-brotherEdward the Confessor became king. Edward was the son of Æthelred and Emma, and so with his succession to the throne the House of Wessex was restored.
Edward the Confessor ruled until 1066. His brother in law,Harold Godwinson—the son of Alfred's betrayer—became king, provoking theNorman conquest of England in the same year. Harold II was the lastAnglo-Saxon king to rule over England.
TheNormans were descended from Vikings who had settled in Normandy, and although they had adopted the French language, their heritage was essentially Viking. In this manner, the Vikings ultimately (if indirectly) finally conquered and kept England after all.[6]
In 1085–86 KingCnut IV of Denmark planned one last Danish invasion of England, but he was assassinated by Danish rebels before he could carry it out. This was the last time the Vikings attempted to attack Western Europe, and Cnut's death is regarded as the end of theViking Age.
 Harthacnut (Airdeconut) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gorm the Old | Thyra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toke Gormsson King ofScania | Knut Gormsson Co-King of Denmark | Gunnhild Konungamóðir disputed | Strut-Harald disputed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tove of the Obotrites | Harald Bluetooth | Gyrid of Sweden legendary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tyra of Denmark | Gunhilde disputed | Haakon Haraldsson | other sons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gunhild of Wenden disputed | Sweyn Forkbeard | Sigrid the Haughty disputed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Harald II of Denmark | other daughters | Ælfgifu of Northampton | Cnut the Great | Emma of Normandy | Æthelred the Unready King of England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ulf Thorgilsson | Estrid Svendsdatter | Harold Harefoot | Svein Knutsson | Harthacnut | Gunhilda of Denmark | .svg) Henry III Holy Roman Emperor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sweyn II of Denmark | Ælfwine Haroldsson | Beatrice of Franconia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| House of Estridsen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The parentage ofStrut-Harald andGunnhild Konungamóðir is disputed; both of them had issue. The existence ofGunhild of Wenden andSigrid the Haughty is disputed, some details of their lives can be exchanged to each other or associated to another figures.
House of Knýtlinga | ||
| Preceded by | Ruling house of Denmark ca. 900–1042 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ruling house of Norway 985–95 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ruling house of Norway 1028–35 | |
| Preceded by | Ruling house of England 1013–14 | Succeeded by |
| Ruling house of England 1016–42 | ||
| Notes and references | ||
| 1. It is disputed whether the Vestfold dynasty is a cadet branch of the Fairhair dynasty; seeFairhair dynasty for more details. | ||
