House of Knýtlinga
The Danish House of Knýtlinga (English: "House of Cnut's Descendants") was a ruling royal house in Middle Age Scandinavia and England. Its most famous king was Cnut the Great, who gave his name to this dynasty. Other notable members were Cnut's father Sweyn Forkbeard, grandfather Harald Bluetooth, and sons Harthacnut, Harold Harefoot, and Svein Knutsson. It has also been called the House of Canute, the House of Denmark, the House of Gorm, or the Jelling dynasty.
| Jelling dynasty Jellingdynastiet | |
|---|---|
| Royal dynasty | |
| Country | |
| Founded | c. 916 |
| Founder | Harthacnut I of Denmark |
| Current head | None; extinct |
| Final ruler | Cnut III & II |
| Dissolution | 1042 |
| Branches |
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Under Harald Bluetooth's rule, he is said on a Jelling rune stone to have unified the territory that comprises modern-day Denmark under his rule, as well as Norway. The latter claim is more tenuous, as he most likely only had periodic and indirect power over parts of modern-day Norway. Under the House of Knýtlinga, early state formation in Denmark occurred.
In 1018 AD the House of Knýtlinga brought the crowns of Denmark and England together under a personal union. At the height of its power, in the years 1028–1030, the House reigned over Denmark, England and Norway. After the death of Cnut the Great's heirs within a decade of his own death and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the legacy of the Knýtlinga was almost lost to history.