Cnut, also known as Cnut the Great and Canute, was king of England from 1016-35, king of Denmark from 1019-35, and king of Norway from 1028-35. As the ruler of substantial territories, he was described as “king of all England and Denmark and the Norwegians and some of the Swedes” in a letter published in 1027. His vast combined territories were referred to together as the North Sea Empire. He was a major political figure in 11th-century Europe and was respected by other royals and powerful religious figures. He was the son of the Danish prince Sweyn Forkbeard and a Polish noblewoman. He was a brave and ambitious young man and took over the charge of his father’s army following his death. He gained the throne of England after defeating the English king, Edmund Ironside. Years later, he ascended the Danish throne and began growing his empire. Cnut was deeply devoted to the church and was actively involved in the consolidation of the English church. He made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1027, further reinstating his devotion to Christianity.
