King Canute

His reign of 18 years stands out conspicuously as a time of peace in England, with wise laws firmly enforced and accompanied by prosperity. He disbanded his host of marauders who had been a terror to the country, keeping around him only a selected body of guards, who formed the first standing army, household troops necessary to overawe rebellious local leaders.

He consulted the prominent English leaders and gave them positions of authority. He had no ecclesiastic of the calibre of Edgar's Dunstan to help him, but he became an ardent friend of the Church, and set himself the task of restoring the religious foundations the Danes and his father had destroyed.

Canute, who was king of Denmark and Norway as well as of England, his father having given his own country, saw clearly that England was the chief part of his dominions, that the mass of its people were English, and that the invading Danes were bound to melt with them into a single nationality under a wise government.

He counted on English influence in Christianising parts of his continental possessions that were still pagan. Those possessions from time to time simmered into rebellion, for they resented his long absences in England. Several times he had to cross the seas and re-establish his power over his subjects there, and he was willingly helped by his English people.

He was tall and handsome, fearless, and liable to flare into passionate anger, but he toned down under the responsibilities of his kingly duties and the influence of religion. He visited Rome, and after his interview with the Pope wrote to his people and renewed earnestly his promises of being a good king; and he kept his word. Nevertheless, the impetuosity of his youth returned when one of his household guards seriously offended him and he struck the man dead.

The old English law fixed a fine for such a deed, and Canute demanded to be tried. His followers declined to try him, whereupon he fined himself nine times the amount of the fine for breaking his own law.

One of the best kings in early English history, he died at Shaftesbury in 1035 in his fortieth year, and was buried in the old cathedral at Winchester, where his bones are kept in a chest in the sanctuary, resting on the arcaded wall by the wonderful screen.

 

 

 

 

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