Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameHarthacnut (Hardeknud) 
Birthabt 870
Deathabt 947
Misc. Notes
Most Danes know that the official line of Danish kings begins with Gorm the Old, the father of renowned king Harald Bluetooth, who ruled Denmark in the 950s. In reality it ought to start with Harthacnut, his father.
In the 890s Denmark was conquered by Swedes and king Helge was deposed by Olaf who founded the House of Olaf in Denmark. According to clergyman Adam of Bremen, who came from Germany to record the history of the Archbishop of Bremen and was allowed to "interview" king Sweyn Estridsson, Olaf and two or more of his sons took the realm "by weapons and violence". When Olaf died, two of his sons seem to have ruled simultaneously, and around 915 a son of Olaf's son Gnupa and Danish noblewoman Asfrid became king. This young man, whose name was Sigtrygg, is remembered on two runestones erected by his mother after his death.
And this is where Harthacnut enters the picture. Probably born in the 880s, he was the son of an otherwise unknown "Sweyn", and is often described as being the grandson (or adopted grandson) of semi-mythic viking chieftain Sigurd Snake-Eye, one of the sons of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok. This is however impossible to verify. Adam says that Harthacnut (Danish: Hardeknud) came from "Northmannia", the "land of the Northmen", by which he may mean either Norway or Normandy, which had recently been colonized by Danish vikings. But it is also likely that Harthacnut was brought up in the Danelaw territories in East Anglia.
He must have been a full-grown man with a certain reputation when he came (back?) to Denmark around 916, and according to Adam and his star witness king Sweyn, Harthacnut immediately deposed the young king Sigtrygg. This happened "in the last days of archbishop Hoger", says Adam, and Hoger died around 917. Harthacnut then ruled unopposed for approximately thirty years.
In 948, the archbishop of Bremen appointed three bishops to Denmark, and that probably signifies a change in government...Harthacnut is usually portrayed as indifferent or hostile towards Christianity, and while that may only be the church's interpretation, it seems likely that a new and more open-minded king had ascended to the throne around 947 or 948.
In the 890s Denmark was conquered by Swedes and king Helge was deposed by Olaf who founded the House of Olaf in Denmark. According to clergyman Adam of Bremen, who came from Germany to record the history of the Archbishop of Bremen and was allowed to "interview" king Sweyn Estridsson, Olaf and two or more of his sons took the realm "by weapons and violence". When Olaf died, two of his sons seem to have ruled simultaneously, and around 915 a son of Olaf's son Gnupa and Danish noblewoman Asfrid became king. This young man, whose name was Sigtrygg, is remembered on two runestones erected by his mother after his death.
And this is where Harthacnut enters the picture. Probably born in the 880s, he was the son of an otherwise unknown "Sweyn", and is often described as being the grandson (or adopted grandson) of semi-mythic viking chieftain Sigurd Snake-Eye, one of the sons of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok. This is however impossible to verify. Adam says that Harthacnut (Danish: Hardeknud) came from "Northmannia", the "land of the Northmen", by which he may mean either Norway or Normandy, which had recently been colonized by Danish vikings. But it is also likely that Harthacnut was brought up in the Danelaw territories in East Anglia.
He must have been a full-grown man with a certain reputation when he came (back?) to Denmark around 916, and according to Adam and his star witness king Sweyn, Harthacnut immediately deposed the young king Sigtrygg. This happened "in the last days of archbishop Hoger", says Adam, and Hoger died around 917. Harthacnut then ruled unopposed for approximately thirty years.
In 948, the archbishop of Bremen appointed three bishops to Denmark, and that probably signifies a change in government...Harthacnut is usually portrayed as indifferent or hostile towards Christianity, and while that may only be the church's interpretation, it seems likely that a new and more open-minded king had ascended to the throne around 947 or 948.