Cnut and the Rise of Earl Godwin
Ulf’s rebellion was growing and in 1026AD, Cnut was back in Denmark to suppress the rebels and press the war with Norway. Having accomplished the former, even forgiving Ulf, the two met a combined force of Swedes and Norwegians led by Olaf Haraldsson and Anund Olafsson at the Battle of Helgea or Holy River. Although Cnut was defeated it was the enemy who retreated and were forced to flee to Sweden, leaving Cnut free to take control of Scandinavia.
Despite Ulf’s help in the battle, Cnut was still not totally convinced of his loyalty and when the two met at Roskilde at Christmas, an argument broke out between them over a chess game. You would think that Ulf would have been aware of the similar circumstance in which Eadric Streona was killed on Cnut’s order years before and perhaps try to placate Cnut, but the two parted in anger. The next day one of Cnut’s house-carls murdered Ulf in the church of the Holy Trinity, probably on his master’s order.
Clearly feeling that he now had everything under control, Cnut made a visit to Rome to the coronation of the new Holy Roman Emperor. It is thought that he also wished to seek forgiveness for the killing of Ulf in a holy place. In an audience with the Pope he negotiated a reduction in the costs of the pallium for English Archbishops as well as arranging for lower taxes on English pilgrims travelling through Europe and a promise of better protection for them in the region. On his return to England he again sent out a letter to his subjects giving details of his negotiations, this time signing himself as “King of all England and Denmark and the Norwegians and some of the Swedes”.
The Scots had, in his absence, began raiding south again and in 1027AD, Cnut travelled north with a large army, forcing King Malcolm and Earls Macbeth and Ichmarc to bow and render homage to him. This oath of fealty to the English throne made by many Scottish rulers, was just as regularly broken. A year later Cnut was back in Norway fighting Olaf and, as the Chronicle relates, “drove him from the land and secured his claim on it”. He was crowned in Trondheim, confirming the rather grand title he had taken for himself.
In 1032AD, the Chronicle reported, as it often did in times of unrest, that, “wildfire appeared, such as no man remembered before. It did damage everywhere, even in many holy places”.
Cnut died on the 12th of November 1035AD at Shaftsbury in Dorset. He was buried in the Old Minster which, following the Norman invasion, was knocked down to make way for Winchester Cathedral. His remains, along with Emma’s and Harthacanute’s, were placed in mortuary chests. During the English Civil War in the 17th century, plundering soldiers scattered all the bones on the floor. They were later gathered and replaced among the various chests, together with the remains of king Edwy, queen Elgiva and William Rufus.
It is ironic that a man who had accomplished so much, had successfully invaded England and made it a vassal state, held Denmark, regained Norway and part of Sweden and established dominion over it all as king and who was cruel enough to spitefully maim and disfigure hostages at Sandwich and casually order the murders of Eadric Streona, Uhtred of Northumbria and Ulf Jarl, yet could negotiate with Popes and Emperors, elevate the clergy and rebuild places of worship, and be mainly remembered for a legendary occasion at Bosham when some sycophantic courtiers suggested that his worldly power was limitless and he supposedly commanded the incoming tide to retreat to disprove the notion.
A great meeting was held in Oxford following Cnut’s death, attended by many Earls, counsellors and clergy to discuss the accession. Harthacanute, now King of Denmark, was unable to attend the meeting due to renewed invasion threats from Magnus of Norway and Anund of Sweden. Earl Godwin and the nobles of Wessex, in accordance with Cnut’s wishes, wanted Harthacanute to take the English throne. Leofric and other northern thanes however demanded that the crown be given to Harold Harefoot, Cnut’s son by Aelgyfu. The cognomen “Harefoot” is thought to be a reference to his skill and speed while hunting.
Godwin took Emma and the royal treasure into his “safe keeping” and began to promote Hathacanute’s cause. Godwin and queen Emma tried to persuade the meeting to elect Harold as regent until Harthacanute could return, but the northern faction won the argument and Harold was duly installed as king. He did not make much of a mark in history and his mother Aelgyfu was thought to be the real power in England during his reign.
The once united kingdoms were now riven with Harold ruling England, Harthacanute in Denmark and Magnus of Norway taking the opportunity to raise rebellion and reclaim his throne.
Emma was taken to safety in Winchester, guarded by Godwin, but Harold was swift to visit her and demand the royal treasures. In 1037AD, she escaped to Bruges and found refuge there.
To make matters worse, Alfred Atheling, the son of Ethelred and Emma, chose to visit England in the same year. The visit was supposedly to see his mother, but it is thought that he also wanted to test the mood of the people for his own, or his brothers bid for the throne. He was met and entertained at Guildford by Godwin but, was then attacked by Godwin’s men and handed over to Harefoot. The Chronicle reports that his followers were”killed wretchedly, some were chained, some blinded, some mutilated and some scalped”.
Alfred himself was put on a ship and taken to Ely where he was cruelly blinded and mutilated by Harold Harefoot’s men. He died from these wounds shortly after and it was this episode which caused much enmity later between Harold Godwinson and Edward the Confessor who blamed Godwinson for his brother’s death.
Harold Harefoot died at Oxford on the 17th of March 1040AD at a time when his half brother Harthacanute, also known as Hardicanute, having made peace with Magnus of Norway was preparing an invasion to take the English throne which, in accordance with his father’s wishes, he believed was rightly his. Harthacanute landed at Sandwich on the 17th of June 1040AD, with a fleet of sixty two warships. His reception was peaceful and he assumed the English throne later that year. One of his first acts was to have Harold exhumed, beheaded and thrown into a fen bordering the Thames. Harold’s supporters later rescued the body and reburied it in a London church now known as St Clement’s Dane.
With Harold dead, the opportunist Godwin quickly gave his support to Harthacanute. The new king was far from popular however, due to his increases in taxation to pay for his fleet and when in 1041AD, two of his housecarls were killed in Worcester while collecting taxes, he retaliated by burning the town. He is also thought to have ordered the murder of the northern Jarl Edwulf, who he believed was plotting against him. It is thought that the Lady Godiva legend of her riding naked through the streets of Coventry to persuade her husband, Leofric, Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes stems from this time.
The Chronicle dismisses Harold with a rather bald statement that, “He never accomplished anything kingly for as long as he ruled”, and goes on to say, “Then were alienated from him all that before had desired him. He ordered the dead Harold to be deagged up and thrown in a ditch. He was king over all England two years, wanting ten days. And his mother, for his soul, gave New Minster the head of St Valentine”.
Harthacanute never married although he was thought to have fathered one illegitimate son, William. With the succession probably in mind, he invited his half brother Edward the Confessor back from exile in Normandy to join his household and, according to the Chronicle “was sworn in as future king”. Godwin, described in the Chronicles as “a man of ready wit” quickly moved to ingratiate himself to Edward and became his mentor. Harthacanute died at the wedding of a daughter of one of his thanes, Osgod Clapa, on the 10th of June 1042AD, “while standing at his drink and suddenly fell to earth with an awful convulsion”, and those who were close took hold of him and he spoke no word afterwards”.
This would indicate either a stroke or perhaps poison. He was buried at Winchester and Edward assumed the throne, thus restoring the Saxon royal line of Wessex.
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