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Harthacnut, his position in Denmark now secure, did plan an invasion, but Harold died in 1040, and Harthacnut was able to cross unopposed with his mother to take the English throne.
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Harthacnut and position
In 1023, Emma and Harthacnut played a leading role in the translation of the body of the martyr St Æelfheah from London to Canterbury, an occasion seen by Harthacnut's biographer, Ian Howard, as recognition of his position as Cnut's heir in England.
Bishop Lyfing of Worcester was also charged with complicity in the crime and deprived of his see, but in 1041 he made his peace with Harthacnut and was restored to his position.
If so, it could mean that Emma abandoned the cause of Harthacnut, probably to strengthen her own position.
As Cnut the Great's sons had chosen to abandon Norway and instead fight over England, and his sons and successors Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut had died young, Magnus ' position had been secured.
Harthacnut and Denmark
After Cnut's death in 1035 the English throne fell to Harold Harefoot, his son by his first wife, while Harthacnut, his son by Emma, became king in Denmark.
Harthacnut, Cnut's legitimate son with Emma of Normandy, reigned in Denmark.
Cnut died in 1035, and Harthacnut succeeded as king of Denmark.
Harthacnut (" Tough-knot "; ; c. 1018 – 8 June 1042 ) was King of Denmark from 1035 to 1042 and King of England from 1040 to 1042.
Magnus I took of control of Norway, but Harthacnut succeeded as King of Denmark, and became King of England in 1040 after the death of his half-brother Harold Harefoot.
Harthacnut died suddenly in 1042, and was succeeded by Magnus in Denmark and Edward the Confessor in England.
Cnut, king of England, Denmark, and Norway, and his sons Harald Harefoot and Harthacnut
He drove the invaders out of Denmark and established his authority over Norway and in 1028, returned to England, leaving Denmark to be ruled by King Harthacnut.
In 1035, Harthacnut succeeded his father on the throne of Denmark as Cnut III.
In 1037, Harold was generally accepted as king, Harthacnut being, in the words of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, " forsaken because he was too long in Denmark ", and Emma fled to Bruges, in Flanders.
M. K. Lawson in his Dictionary of National Biography article on Harthacnut states that it is unclear whether Harthacnut was to have England as well as Denmark, but it was probably a reflection of a formal arrangement that mints south of the Thames produced silver pennies in his name, while those to the north were almost all Harold's.
He probably stayed in Denmark because of the threat from Magnus of Norway, but they eventually made a treaty by which if either died without an heir, his kingdom would go to the other, and this may have freed Harthacnut to pursue his claim to England.
The English had become used to the king ruling in council, with the advice of his chief men, but Harthacnut had ruled autocratically in Denmark and he was not willing to change, particularly as he did not fully trust the leading earls.
The marriage agreement between Gunhilda of Denmark ( sister of Harthacnut ) and Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor would allow descendants of this marriage to claim the throne of Denmark and potentially England.
According to this account, Magnus I of Norway ( reigned 1034 – 1047 ) visited the court of Harthacnut in Denmark, received with all official honors.
Harthacnut was reigning in Denmark, Svein had joined him there following his deposition from the Norwegian throne, Edward and Alfred were in Normandy.
Cnut, king of England, Denmark, and Norway, and his sons Harald Harefoot and Harthacnut
Harthacnut and Gunhilda of Denmark are regarded in the text as his younger siblings.
In the 11th century, when King Magnus I had freed Norway from Cnut the Great, the terms of the peace treaty provided that the first of the two kings Magnus ( Norway ) and Harthacnut ( Denmark ) to die would leave their dominion as an inheritance to the other.
After the death of Harthacnut, which had left the Danish throne vacant, Magnus had in addition been selected to be the king of Denmark, and thereafter also managed to defeat the Danish royal pretender Sweyn Estridsson.
Harthacnut and secure
Harthacnut prepared an invasion force after he had made his Danish Lands secure in 1040 and picked Emma up from Flanders before setting out to England.
Harthacnut and did
Harthacnut was a close ally of Svein, but he did not feel his resources were great enough to launch an invasion of Norway, and the half-brothers looked for help from their father, but instead they received news of his death in November 1035.
In 1039, Harthacnut sailed with ten ships to meet his mother in Bruges but delayed an invasion as it was clear Harold was sick and would soon die, which he did in March 1040.
The earl of Northumbria was Siward, but Earl Eadwulf of Bernicia ruled the northern part in semi-independence, a situation which did not please the autocratic Harthacnut.
Kelly DeVries noted that while Douglas implied that Harthacnut was poisoned, he did not further explore the notion, never mentioning potential murderers or their motivation.
Sten Körner also noted that the death of Harthacnut could be part of a plot, but also did not further explore the notion though the implication would be that Edward the Confessor was behind this plot.
However as Harald did not marry, his brother Cnut the great became king, re-established the Danish Empire and married Emma of Normandy. They had a son named Harthacnut.
Harthacnut and invasion
She then summoned Edward and demanded his help for Harthacnut, but he refused as he had no resources to launch an invasion, and disclaimed any interest for himself in the throne.
According to Ian Howard, Harthacnut agreed to help Svein recover Norway, and planned an invasion in 1036.
Howard dates the treaty to 1036, whereas other historians date it to 1039 and believe it freed Harthacnut to launch an invasion of England.
Harthacnut, however, was unable to travel to his coronation in England because his Danish kingdom was under threat of invasion by King Magnus I of Norway and King Anund Jacob of Sweden.
Harold died at Oxford on 17 March 1040, just as Harthacnut was preparing an invasion force of Danes, and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
However, Harthacnut could not travel to England due to threats of invasion in Denmark, so Harold took the throne.
Harthacnut and Harold
In 1040, Harold Harefoot died and Godwin supported the accession of his half-brother Harthacnut to the throne of England.
Edward was subsequently King of England on the death of Harthacnut, who, like Harold I, met his end in the throes of a fit.
According to a later edition of the Enconium, the English took the initiative in communicating with Harthacnut in 1039, possibly when it was known that Harold had not long to live.
Godwin, the powerful earl of Wessex, had been complicit in the crime as he had handed over Alfred to Harold, and Queen Emma charged him in a trial before Harthacnut and members of his council.
A contradictory account in the Knýtlinga saga ( 13th century ), reports Harthacnut buried in the city of Morstr, alongside his half-brother Harold Harefoot and their father Cnut.
The Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson reports Harthacnut buried at Winchester, alongside Cnut and Harold Harefoot.
The Heimskringla depicts Edward portraying himself as brother and legal heir to both Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut while pointing out that he had already won the support " of all the people of the country ".
The Fagrskinna has Edward point out that he was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, the brother to Edmund Ironside, the stepson of Cnut, the stepbrother of Harold Harefoot, and the half-brother of Harthacnut.
The author considered both Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut to have been sons of Cnut and Emma of Normandy.
Ian Howard points that Cnut had been survived by three sons: Svein, Harold, and Harthacnut.
Harold managed to win the thone against the superior claim of Harthacnut due to mastering the superior support.
With the Kingdom of England practically owned by Harold, Harthacnut could not even approach without securing sufficient military strength.
A contradictory account in the Knýtlinga saga ( 13th century ) reports Harold buried in the city of Morstr, alongside his half-brother Harthacnut and their father Cnut.
The Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson reports Harold Harefoot buried at Winchester, again alongside Cnut and Harthacnut.
Michael Evans points out that Harold was only one of several kings of pre-Conquest England to die following short reigns, and lives, including Edmund I ( reigned 939 – 946 ), Eadred ( reigned 946 – 955 ), Eadwig ( reigned 955 – 959 ), Edmund Ironside ( reigned 1016 ), and Harthacnut ( reigned 1040 – 1042 ).
The author considered both Harold and Harthacnut to have been sons of Cnut and Emma of Normandy.
The narrative has Harold and Harthacnut dividing the realms of their father in an agreement.
Cnut was succeeded in England by his son Harold Harefoot, until he himself died in 1040, after which another of Cnut's sons, Harthacnut, took the throne.
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