On This Day
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King of Denmark, Cnut the Great [Canute], claims the English throne after the death of Edmund Ironside

Cnut ( kə-NYOOT; Old Norse: Knútr; c. 990 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute and with the epithet the Great, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway from...

Cnut ( kə-NYOOT; Old Norse: Knútr; c. 990 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute and with the epithet the Great, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway from 1028 until his death in 1035. The three kingdoms united under Cnut's rule are referred to together as the North Sea Empire by historians.

As a Danish prince, Cnut won the throne of England in 1016 in the wake of centuries of Viking activity in northwestern Europe. His later accession to the Danish throne in 1018 brought the crowns of England and Denmark together. Cnut sought to keep this power base by uniting Danes and English under cultural bonds of wealth and custom. After a decade of conflict with opponents in Scandinavia, Cnut claimed the crown of Norway in Trondheim in 1028.

Historical Significance

Cnut ( kə-NYOOT; Old Norse: Knútr; c.

Key People

Cnut the Great

11th-century King of Denmark, Norway, and England

11th-century King of Denmark, Norway, and England

Events Before

  1. English earls declare Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard the first Viking king of England, disposing Ethelred the Unready

    English earls declare Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard the first Viking king of England, disposing Ethelred the Unready

  2. Pope Benedict VIII crowns Henry II Holy Roman Emperor

    Henry II (German: Heinrich II; Italian: Enrico II; Latin: Henricus; 6 May 973 – 13 July 1024), also known as Saint Henry, Obl. S. B., was Holy Roman Emperor (Latin: Romanorum Imperator) from 1014.

  3. King Brian Boru of Ireland defeats Viking forces at the Battle of Clontarf, freeing Ireland from foreign control

    The Battle of Clontarf (Irish: Cath Chluain Tarbh) took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland.

  4. Battle of Strumitsa Valley: Byzantines destroy Bulgarian armies

    The Battle of Kleidion (Ancient Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit. 'key'; also known as the Battle of Belasitsa) took place on 29 July 1014, between...

  5. Henry I becomes Count of Leuven

    Henry I becomes Count of Leuven

Events After

  1. The Holy Roman Empire and Poland conclude the Peace of Bautzen

    The Peace of Bautzen (German: Frieden von Bautzen; Polish: Pokój w Budziszynie; Upper Sorbian: Budyski měr) was a treaty concluded on 30 January 1018, between Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and Bolesław...

  2. Synod of Pavia: Emperor Henry II convicts married priest

    Synod of Pavia: Emperor Henry II convicts married priest

  3. Great Al-Andalus earthquake strikes the Umayyad Caliphate around Córdoba (modern southern Spain)

    Great Al-Andalus earthquake strikes the Umayyad Caliphate around Córdoba (modern southern Spain)

  4. Bolesław I the Brave is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland

    Bolesław I the Brave (967 – 17 June 1025), less often known as Bolesław the Great, was Duke of Poland from 992 to 1025 and the first King of Poland in 1025.

More from the 1010s

Pope Benedict VIII crowns Henry II Holy Roman Emperor

Henry II (German: Heinrich II; Italian: Enrico II; Latin: Henricus; 6 May 973 – 13 July 1024), also known as Saint Henry, Obl. S. B., was Holy Roman Emperor (Latin: Romanorum Imperator) from 1014.

King Brian Boru of Ireland defeats Viking forces at the Battle of Clontarf, freeing Ireland from foreign control

The Battle of Clontarf (Irish: Cath Chluain Tarbh) took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland.

The Holy Roman Empire and Poland conclude the Peace of Bautzen

The Peace of Bautzen (German: Frieden von Bautzen; Polish: Pokój w Budziszynie; Upper Sorbian: Budyski měr) was a treaty concluded on 30 January 1018, between Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and Bolesław...

Ransom of 48,000 pounds is paid to Vikings, led by Thorkell the Tall, for the liberation of Canterbury, after a raid on

Ransom of 48,000 pounds is paid to Vikings, led by Thorkell the Tall, for the liberation of Canterbury, after a raid on the city and the capture of Alphege [Aelfheah] Archbishop of Canterbury

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on November 30, 1016?
Cnut ( kə-NYOOT; Old Norse: Knútr; c. 990 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute and with the epithet the Great, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway from 1028 until his death in 1035. The three kingdoms united under Cnut's rule are referred to together as the North Sea Empire by historians.
Why is King of Denmark, Cnut the Great [Canute], claims the English throne after the... significant?
Cnut ( kə-NYOOT; Old Norse: Knútr; c.
Who was involved in King of Denmark, Cnut the Great [Canute], claims the English throne after the...?
Key figures include Cnut the Great (11th-century King of Denmark, Norway, and England).

Explore More

November 30 in HistoryYear 1016