Bender, Brandon M. The Viking Conquest of England

How Danish Monarchs Ruled from 1013-1042

The Viking conquest of England ranks among the darkest yet most gripping eras of medieval history; just fifty years before the Norman Conquest, Danish armies violently toppled the existing English monarchy. This remarkablethough hitherto little-studiedera was defined by political intrigue and violence, as well as bitter succession disputes, battles, uprisings, and massacres. Ultimately, four Danish kings occupied the English throne between 1013 and 1042. Viking raids on the British Isles had begun as early as the eighth century and were commonplace across much of Western Europe. However, with the emergence of the kingdoms of England and Denmark in the tenth century, the armies grew in size, and the stakes rose. At the start of the eleventh century, Danish leaders such as Thorkell the Tall and King Sweyn Forkbeard pushed English defenses to the brink of collapse. The dramatic years from 1013 to 1016 were marked by a constant see-sawing struggle between Danish invaders and English defenders, with each side gaining the upper hand only to lose the advantage soon after. By the end of 1016, however, two English kings were dead, and the Danish prince Cnut had consolidated the conquest of England. He and his sons would go on to rule the country for a generation.