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Harthacnut or Cnut I (Danish: Hardeknud) (born c. 873- 880) was a semi-legendary King of Denmark. 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 (more likely the grandson). The saga in turn makes Harthacnut the father of the historical king, Gorm. It has been suggested he is to be identified with the Hardegon of Northmannia whose early-10th century conquest of Denmark was related by Adam of Bremen. Ragnarssona þáttr The saga Ragnarssona þáttr relates the acts of the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, and proceeds to link them genealogically to the later rulers of the Scandinavian kingdoms. For Denmark, it relates that by Blaeja, the daughter of King Ella, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye became father of Harthacnut (Hörða-Knútr). Harthacnut is said to have been his father's successor in Zealand, Scania and Halland, but not the break-away Viken, and he was father of Gorm. Scholarly opinion is divided as to the degree to which the material found in such heroic sources is to be taken as authentic history and genealogy. Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum of Adam of Bremen Two possible references to Harthacnut appear in the work of clergyman Adam of Bremen, who came from Germany to record the history of the Archbishops of Bremen (Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum), partly based on information from Gorm's descendant, Sweyn II of Denmark. Adam states that a king Helghe was deposed and Denmark was conquered by Swedes led by Olof the Brash. Along with two of his sons, Gyrd and Gnupa, Olof took the realm "by force of arms,"[1] and they ruled it together, thus founding the House of Olaf in Denmark. Adam reports that they were followed by a Sigtrygg. That Sigtrygg was the son of Gnupa by a Danish noblewoman named Asfrid, is shown on two runestones near Schleswig, erected by his mother after his death.[2] Adam then relates that after Sigtrygg reigned a short time, during the tenure of Archbishop Hoger of Bremen (909-915/917), Hardegon, son of Sweyn, came from "Northmannia" the "land of the Northmen," by which he may have meant Norway, Normandy, which had recently been colonized by Danish Vikings, or even northern Jutland. Hardegon immediately deposed the young king Sigtrygg, and then ruled unopposed for approximately thirty years. Hardegon is often equated with the Harthacnut of legend, but some historians, such as Lis Jacobsen, instead have concluded that Hardegon is distinct.[3] Adam later refers to an attack on Denmark by Henry I of Germany, naming the defending king as Hardecnudth Vurm in some manuscripts,filius Hardecnudth Vurm in others. Historians generally agree that Vurm (English: worm or serpent) is a German rendering of the Danish name Gorm, and this leads to alternative interpretations, that this is reference to Gorm, son (filius) of Harthacnut, or that it is a double-name indicating that Harthacnut and Gorm were the same person. The Saxon chronicles of Widukind of Corvey reports the defeat and forced baptism of the Danish king Chnuba (Gnupa), in 934 at the hands of German king Henry.[4] Likewise, Olav Tryggvasson's Saga tells of Gnupa's defeat by Gorm the Old.[5] Some historians (e.g. Storm) have taken these as indications that Sigtrygg's father Gnupa still ruled at least part of Denmark much later than credited by Adam of Bremen, and his dynasty was only displaced by Harthacnut's son, Gorm. Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus In the late and legend-influenced Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus, Harthacnut appears as Knut. He is described as a son of Erik, a descendant of Ragnar Lodbrok, by Gudorm, the granddaughter of Harald Klak. In his version of the tale, Harthacnut is raised by Ennignup (suggested to be Saxo's rendition of Gnupa), but never accepts Christianity. Silverdale treasure In the Silverdale Hoard is a silver coin impressed with the name "Airdeconut" an Anglicized variant of Harthacnut. The hoard dates to the early 10th century, but the style is similar to coins of other viking kings of Northumbria. Thus there is no reason to suggest this coin relates to a king Harthacnut of Denmark rather than an otherwise unknown Northumbrian viking. However, some have suggested that Northumbria may be the Northmannia from which Adam's Danish conqueror Hardegon came. Notes Jump up ^ Adam of Bremen, trans. and ed. Francis Joseph Tschan, Timothy Reuter, History of the archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen, Columbia University Press, 2002, p. 44. Jump up ^ Asfriþr karþi kumbl þaun aft Siktriku sun sin aui Knubu (Asfrith carved this gravestone after Sigtrygg, her son and Gnupa's); Ui Asfriþr karþi kubl þausi tutir Uþinkars aft Sitriuk kununt sun sin auk Knubu (Holy Asfrith carved this gravestone, Odinkar's daughter, after Sigtrygg, king, her son and Gnupa's). A. V. Storm, "Pages of Early Danish History, from the Runic Monuments of Sleswick and Jutland", The Saga=Book of the Viking club, vol. 2, pp. 328-347 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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 either the son of an otherwise unknown "Sweyn", or, as presented by Ragnarssona þáttr, of the semi-mythic viking chieftain Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, himself one of the sons of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok. It has also been suggested that Harthacnut was a grandson of Sigurd rather than a son; both claims are 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, and while some researchers have used a somewhat dubious single source, the Saxon chronicles of Widukind, to establish that Sigtrygg's father Gnupa was still king in 934 when the Danes had an altercation with German king Henry, there can be little doubt that the king who was supposedly forced to pay a tribute to the German ruler was in fact Harthacnut. Claims that king Heinrich I forced the "heathen" Danish king to be baptized are almost certainly erroneous. 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. The primary source The only primary source about Harthacnut of Denmark are two clauses from Adam of Bremen (1,52 and 1,55). 1,52 says king Sveins son, Hardegon in the oldest manuscript which was later changed to king Sveins son, Harthacnut but also changed to king Sveins son, Athelstan. 1,55 says Hardecnudth Vurm, a double name not uncommon in that era, later changed to Hardecnudths son, Vurm but also changed to Athelstan Vurm. The "interview" by king Sweyn Estridsson is probably fiction, because Adam do not tell about time and place, and because Adam lie about Sweyn I's exile in Scotland, in the "interview". From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
William B.
