Æthelred II gathered in Normandy an army that forced Cnut to retreat in Denmark with the rest of his army. Due to attack of Danes, Æthelred II were escaped to Normandy.

However, the noble assembly refuses to accept this and instead votes for Cnut they voted for King of England Æthelred II the Unready (1014-1016-second time) who was defeated in 1013 by Sweyn. His mother was a daughter of the Polish nobleman Mieszko I. After the sudden death of King Sweyn Forkbeard in February 1014, the Danes army declared Cnut for the King. He assumed the throne at the age of 23, having campaigned successfully and ruthlessly for his father Sweyn Forkbeard King of Denmark (986-1014). Cnut was the King of Denmark from 1018 until 1035 and he was also King of Norway (1028-1035). Ĭnut, or Canute, was the first Danish King of all England (1016-1035).

On the left side depicting king Edmund II Ironside and on opposite side is Cnut the Great. Ilumination from manuscript Chronica Majora written in latin by Benedictine monk Matthew Paris (c 1200-1259) showing Battle of Assandun 1016.

First king of denmark skjold