King Sweyn Forkbeard was a member of the House of Knytlinga. He was the son of Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway. He ousted his father from the throne of Denmark in 985, became King of Norway in 1000 and King of England in 1013.
Contents
Sweyn Forkbeard Family Tree Image
Sweyn Forkbeard Family Tree in Table Form
Sweyn Forkbeard Short Biography
King Sweyn Forkbeard Family Tree Image showing:
grandparents, parents siblings, wives, children and grandchildren
King Sweyn Forkbeard Family Tree in Table Form showing:
grandparents, parents siblings, wives, children and grandchildren
GRANDPARENTS
Paternal Grandfather – Gorm the Old, ruler of Denmark – (c900 – 958)
Paternal Grandmother – Thyra – (dates not known)
Maternal Grandfather – Not known
Maternal Grandmother – Not known
PARENTS
Father – Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway – (c. 935 – 986)
Mother – Gunhild or Tove – (945 – 1000)
SIBLINGS
Tyra – (dates not known)
Haakon – (dates not known)
Gunhilde – (d. 1002)
MARRIED
1 Gunhilda of Wenden – (dates now known)
2. Sigrid / Swietoslawa – (dates not known)
CHILDREN
the records are unclear as to which children were born to Gunhilda of Wenden and which were born to Sigrid / Swietoslawa
Harald II, King of Denmark – (994 – 1018)
Canute the Great , King of Denmark, Norway and England – (995 – 1035)
Gytha – (d. 1044)
Santslaue – (dates not known)
Thyra – (d. 1018)
Gunhild – (dates unknown)
Estrid – (c. 990 – 1057)
GRANDCHILDREN
by Canute the Great and Aelfgifu of Northampton
Sweyn Knutsson, King of Norway – (1016 – 1035)
Harold Harefoot, King of England – (d. 1040)
by Canute the Great and Emma of Normandy
Harthacnut, King of England – (1018 – 1042)
Gunhilda – (1020 – 1038)
by Estrid and Jarl Ulf
Sweyn Estridsson, King of Denmark – (1019 – 1076)
Sweyn Forkbeard Short Biography
Sweyn Forkbeard was born in 960 in Norway. He was the son of Harald Bluetooth and either Gunhild or Tove. Sweyn gained the nickname Forkbeard because he had a long forked beard. Throughout his childhood his father made a series raids on England but was unable to conquer the land.
In 985 Sweyn took over as leader of the Vikings, five years later he married Gunhilda, daughter of the Duke of Poland and they had five children including King Canute the great. He divorced Gunhilda around 1000 and married Sigrid. They had a daughter, Estrid.
As leader of the Vikings, Sweyn continued the raids on England. In 1002, King Aethelred ordered the massacre of all Danes living in Britain. Sweyn’s sister Gunhilde and her husband were among those murdered.
Forkbeard was furious and swore revenge on England. He increased the raids on England and negotiated ever increasing payments of Danegeld from King Aethelred the Unready.
By December 1013 Sweyn had conquered most of England and proclaimed himself King. Aethelred and his family fled to Normandy. Sweyn’s reign was short-lived as he died in February 1014.
After his death on 3rd February 1014, the throne returned to Aethelred the Unready because the nobility were unwilling to accept Sweyn’s son, Canute. Aethelred died in 1016 and his son Edmund II became King. The same year Canute invaded and after Edmund died he took the throne of England.
Published Aug 15 2024 @ 11:49 am – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for Sweyn Forkbeard Family Tree:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2024). King Sweyn Forkbeard Family Tree & Biography (960-1014). Available: https://www.treesofblue.com/king-sweyn-forkbeard-960-1014. Last accessed October 16th, 2024