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Harthacnut was born shortly after the marriage of his parents in July or August 1017. [2] Cnut had put aside his first wife Ælfgifu of Northampton to marry Emma, and according to the Encomium Emmae Reginae, a book she inspired many years later, Cnut agreed that any sons of their marriage should take precedence over the sons of his first marriage.
Harthacnut or Cnut I (Danish: Hardeknud; Old Norse: Hǫrða-Knútr) was a semi-legendary King of Denmark. The old Norse story Ragnarssona þáttr makes Harthacnut son of the semi-mythic viking chieftain Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye , himself one of the sons of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok .
Cnut (/ k ə ˈ nj uː t /; [3] Old Norse: Knútr Old Norse pronunciation:; [a] c. 990 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute and with the epithet the Great, [4] [5] [6] was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway from 1028 until his death in 1035. [1]
At first glance Harthacnut's death seems to have brought about the end of the North Sea Empire. [53] However, Magnus of Norway , utilising the agreement he had made with Harthacnut in 1040, took control of Denmark and had plans to invade England and reunite the kingdoms and Empire.
Following Harald's death, his brother Cnut the Great became king, re-established the Danish North Sea Empire. He married Emma of Normandy with whom he had a son named Harthacnut. When Cnut died (and after the brothers of Harthacnut also had died), Harthacnut became king of Denmark and England.
Harthacnut succeeded Harold as king of England (he is sometimes also known as Cnut II). He died two years later, and his half-brother Edward 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.
Following Harthacnut's death on 8 June 1042, Godwin, the most powerful of the English earls, supported Edward, who succeeded to the throne. [1] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes the popularity he enjoyed at his accession – "before he [Harthacnut] was buried, all the people chose Edward as king in London."
Harthacnut quickly developed a reputation for imposing high taxes on England. [140] He became so unpopular that Edward was invited to return from exile in Normandy to be recognised as Harthacnut's heir, [141] [142] and when Harthacnut died suddenly in 1042 (probably murdered), Edward (known to posterity as Edward the Confessor) became king. [141]