19 Facts About Sweyn Forkbeard

Sweyn Forkbeard was the father of King Harald II of Denmark, King Cnut the Great, and Queen Estrid Svendsdatter.

In 1000, with the allegiance of Eric, Earl of Lade, Sweyn Forkbeard ruled most of Norway.

Historiographical sources on Sweyn Forkbeard's life include the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Adam of Bremen's 11th-century Deeds of the Bishops of Hamburg, and Snorri Sturluson's 13th-century Heimskringla.

One chronicle, Gesta Wulinensis ecclesiae pontificum, only recently discovered in 2019 and written around 990 by Avico, the chaplain of Harald Bluetooth, states that Sweyn Forkbeard was the son of Harald's older brother, Knut Danaast, and Tove.

When Harald converted to Christianity, Sweyn Forkbeard was baptised "Otto".

Sweyn Forkbeard married the widow of Erik, king of Sweden, named "Gunhild" in some sources, or identified as an unnamed sister of Boleslaus, ruler of Poland.

Adam purports that Sweyn Forkbeard was shunned by all those with whom he sought refuge, but was finally allowed to live for a while in Scotland.

Sweyn Forkbeard built an alliance with Swedish king Olof Skotkonung and Eirik Hakonarson, Jarl of Lade, against Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason.

Sweyn Forkbeard gave these to his son in law, Jarl Svein Hakonarson, to hold as a vassal.

Sweyn Forkbeard apparently recruited priests and bishops from England, in preference to the Archbishopric of Bremen.

In part, this reflected the fact that there were numerous Christian priests of Danish origin in the Danelaw, while Sweyn Forkbeard had few personal connections to Germany.

At the outset of the invasions, Sweyn Forkbeard negotiated an agreement with Duke Richard II of Normandy whereby the Danes gained permission to sell their spoils of war in Normandy.

Simon Keynes regards it as uncertain whether Sweyn Forkbeard supported these invasions, but "whatever the case, he was quick to exploit the disruption caused by the activities of Thorkell's army".

Sweyn Forkbeard went very quickly about East Anglia into the Humber's mouth, and so upward along the Trent till he came to Gainsborough.

Sweyn Forkbeard then went west to Bath, where the western thanes submitted to him and gave hostages.

Sweyn Forkbeard's embalmed body was returned to Denmark for burial in the church he had built.

Sweyn Forkbeard's descendants continue to reign in Denmark to this day.

Different theories regarding the number and ancestry of Sweyn Forkbeard's wives have been advanced.

Sweyn Forkbeard had eight children with Sigrid the Haughty and Gunhild of Wenden:.