The Consequences of Cnut's death
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 15-05-17 19:56
View mindmap
- The Consequences of Cnut's death
- Death of Cmut - 12th November 1035
- Godwin was foremost of three great earls in Cnut's later years
- Cnut relied on three earls
- Godwin's stability came to an end after Cnut died at Shaftesbury
- Cnut was survived by two sons (different mothers)
- English nobles divided
- Two rival sons of Cnut - Hardecnut and Harold 'Harefoot'
- Hardecnut, Cnut's son by Emma of Normandy, was ruling in Denmark (installed there by Cnut) and fighting Magnus of Norway)
- Harold 'Harefoot' (son of Aelfgifu) was stationed in England with his mother's relations
- Witan (an assembly held in Oxford) saw division between English nobles over Cnut's succession
- Due to be based in England and having support from his mother's relatives, Harold 'Harefoot' was chosen as Kign by Earl Leofric and the Mercians and Cnut's Danish mercenary fleet in London
- Supporters of Hardecnut included Godwine, Archbishop Aelfnoth and the Wessex people - Godwin described as Hardecnut's 'most loyal man'
- Hardecnut may have been intended by Cnut to succeed him in England and Denmark
- Early actions of King Harold 'Harefoot'
- Seize Hardecnut's half of their father's treasure (while Hardecnut was unable to return from Norway) - Godwine feels uneasy
- Harold began to win support South of the Thames - he took control of the minting of coinage on that side too
- There is evidence Harold set a trap for his half-brother (an attempt to deflect blame from Emma for what could occur).
- Queen Emma (mother of Hardecnut) and her sons, Edward and Alfred
- Queen Emma sent a plea to the Athelings (Edward and Alfred)
- They crossed into England, partly to support their mother (but it also appears the two had designs on rallying support for a takeover of England
- Alfred attempted to reach London while Edward made a more direct attempt to join his mother in Winchester
- It appears the brothers were misinformed of the public opinion towards Harold
- Alfred's capture and murder
- Sailing from Wissant to Dover, Alfred intended to now move against Harold's base in London (some claim he wished to speak to Harold)
- It is suggested Alfred only took a few men with him and he wasn't popular with those in power
- Godwine arrested Alfred and dispersed or killed his followers at Guildford (seeing as the tower was in his earldom and also Godwine needed to find favour with Harold)
- At Ely, Alfred was blinded, dying shortly afterwards (his murder would later be blamed on Godwine)
- King Harold 'Harefoot' dies - 17th March 1040
- In 1039, Hardecnut (having resolved issues with Magnus in Norway) intended to return to England to take it by force
- He reached England in summer of 1040
- Harold died in March before Hardecnut could arrive
- This let Hardecnut take control of England unopposed
- King Hardecnut and his actions
- He had his brother's body dug up from grounds of Westminster and thrown in a nearby fen
- He then taxed English nobility (because of their support for Harold) in order to recompense cost of invasion fleet
- Hardecnut ordered Archbishop Aelfric and Earl Godwine to be involved in desecration of Harold's grave as punishment for crowning and supporting Harold
- Hardecnut recalled his brother, Edward, to England - possibly to foster support by two sharing rule
- Hardecnut ordered Godwine and other earls to ravage Worcester and its shire as punishment for murders of two royal housecarls involved in collecting taxes to pay off Hardecnut's fleet
- King Hardecnut dies
- 8th June 1042
- Edward and Hardecnut had ruled England together to avoid strife between Kinsmen
- Hardecnut died at wedding feast in Lambeth allowing Edward to become King (probably because he was the only candidate)
- King Edward the Confessor and his actions
- In order to rally support (as a new arrival to England) Edward did his best to work with three earls)
- Edward had to rely on his three earls to help him preserve and secure throne
- Edward used support of earls to relieve his mother Emma of all of her lands and treasure
- Probably to restore lost riches from treasury Hardecnut spend on his fleet
- Edward marries Edith (Godwine's daughter)
- Edward rewards Swegn and Harold with land (Godwine's sons)
- Death of Cmut - 12th November 1035
Comments
No comments have yet been made