Canute VI of Denmark
Encyclopedia
Canute VI (1163 – 12 November 1202) was King of Denmark (1182–1202). Canute VI was the eldest son of King Valdemar I
and Sophia of Polotsk.
's tithe. They met at the Skåne Assembly and chose Harald Skreng, one of Canute friends to represent them to the king to plead their case. The king refused to hear Skreng out and began to gather an army to teach the peasants their place. Before the king could muster his army, the nobles of Halland
and Skåne cobbled together their own army and defeated the peasants in a bloody battle at Dysjebro. Canute arrived with his army and proceeded to teach the peasants a lesson with fire and sword. Canute was so relentless that Bishop Absalon begged the king to desist.
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had compelled Canute's father to acknowledge him as overlord, and in 1184 Barbarossa sent a messenger to Canute requiring him to acknowledge the emperor as his liege. Canute failed to respond, so the emperor sent a second messenger threatening the emperor's wrath if Canute failed to acknowledge his liege lord. Bishop Absalon replied to the messenger on behalf of Canute. "Canute is as free a king as the emperor. He has as much right to Denmark as the emperor has to the Holy Roman Empire, and so the emperor should expect no allegiance from this place."
The emperor flew into a rage when he received Canute's reply, but because of troubles farther south, ordered his vassal, Bugislaw of Pomerania
to invade Denmark. Count Bugislaw, recognizing a great opportunity quickly gathered 500 ships. The first notice of the pending invasion came from Chief Jærmer
of Rügen
who sailed to Zealand to give warning. The king was in Jutland, and so it was left to Bishop Absalon to order every available ship from Zealand, Funen and Skåne to meet him in six days. Absalon sailed for Rügen with his fleet and waited for Bugislaw to show up. When the enemy failed to appear, Absalon sent out scouts to bring word when the Pomeranian fleet arrived. He ordered his men to go ashore so he could celebrate mass on Second Easter Day. In the middle of services, one of the scout ran into the church shouting that the enemy had been sighted through the fog. "Now will I let my sword sing the mass to the praise of God!" exclaimed Absalon as he set aside the altar implements.
The Danish fleet weighed anchor and sailed through the fog toward the Pomeranians. Bugislaw's fleet saw nothing of the Danes until they were close enough to hear their war cries. Fear swept through the Pomeranians, and they tried to row away, but they were in such close quarters that the ships couldn't turn. The men panicked and began jumping from ship to ship which caused eight of them to flounder. The Danes threw themselves onto the ships to plunder them when Absalon shouted that they should leave the goods and go after the ships. Few complied and with just seven ships, Absalon routed the entire Pomeranian fleet, capturing 35 enemy ships. Absalon sent Bugislaw's own great tent to Canute, who was still on in Jutland. With Bugislaw's defeat the emperor gave up, for a time, his attempt to rule Denmark.
Canute ordered two invasions of Pomerania and in 1185 forced Bugislaw to acknowledge Canute as his overlord. From that time until 1972 the Kings and Queens of Denmark used the title "King of the Wends
" as part of a lengthy list of duchies, counties, and regions ruled by Danish monarchs through the centuries. Contemporary sources describe Canute as an earnest, strongly religious man. Canute personally led a crusade against the pagan Estonians
in 1197.
Canutes' younger brother Valdemar, Duke of Southern Jutland, was just twelve years old when his father died and Bishop Valdemar
of Schleswig
was appointed regent until Valdemar came of age to rule. Bishop Valdemar was ambitious and began gathering support of German nobles to support him against the king. Disguising his own interests as young Valdemar's, Bishop Valdemar plotted with Count Adolph III of Holstein to overthrow Canute and set himself up as king. When Valdemar was selected as Archbishop of Lund, he spoke openly of his plans. Young Duke Valdemar asked to meet with Bishop Valdemar at Åbenrå in 1192. When the powerful bishop arrived, young Valdemar ordered his men to arrest the bishop and sent him in chains to Søborg Tower in North Zealand for the next 13 years. In 1199 Count Adolph tried to raise opposition to Valdemar in southern Denmark, so the young Duke attacked Adolph's new fortress at Rendsburg. Valdemar defeated Adolph's army in the Battle of Stellau
in 1201 and captured the count who spent the next three years in Søborg Tower with the archbishop. In order to buy his freedom, the count had to turn over all his lands north of the Elbe to Duke Valdemar in 1203.
At his death Canute ruled from the Elbe north to the Arctic Circle and east as far as Estonia and Sweden. Denmark had almost reached its largest extent. Then without warning, Canute's friend and advisor, Bishop Absalon died. He had been one of the most important figures in all of Danish history. Absalon was buried beside his father in Sorø church. His epitaph reads "a good and brave man". Just a year later Canute died suddenly at age 40.
Canute married Gertrud
, a daughter of Duke Henry the Lion
of Saxony
. She did not bear him any children.
Valdemar I of Denmark
Valdemar I of Denmark , also known as Valdemar the Great, was King of Denmark from 1157 until 1182.-Biography:...
and Sophia of Polotsk.
Life
Canute VI was proclaimed King of Denmark at the Urnehoved Assembly (Danish: landsting) and subsequently at the other assemblies throughout Denmark. He immediately faced a peasant uprising in Skåne. The peasants refused to pay Bishop AbsalonAbsalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
's tithe. They met at the Skåne Assembly and chose Harald Skreng, one of Canute friends to represent them to the king to plead their case. The king refused to hear Skreng out and began to gather an army to teach the peasants their place. Before the king could muster his army, the nobles of Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
and Skåne cobbled together their own army and defeated the peasants in a bloody battle at Dysjebro. Canute arrived with his army and proceeded to teach the peasants a lesson with fire and sword. Canute was so relentless that Bishop Absalon begged the king to desist.
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had compelled Canute's father to acknowledge him as overlord, and in 1184 Barbarossa sent a messenger to Canute requiring him to acknowledge the emperor as his liege. Canute failed to respond, so the emperor sent a second messenger threatening the emperor's wrath if Canute failed to acknowledge his liege lord. Bishop Absalon replied to the messenger on behalf of Canute. "Canute is as free a king as the emperor. He has as much right to Denmark as the emperor has to the Holy Roman Empire, and so the emperor should expect no allegiance from this place."
The emperor flew into a rage when he received Canute's reply, but because of troubles farther south, ordered his vassal, Bugislaw of Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
to invade Denmark. Count Bugislaw, recognizing a great opportunity quickly gathered 500 ships. The first notice of the pending invasion came from Chief Jærmer
Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen
-Background:Jaromar was a Ranish nobleman, who was a native of the island of Rügen. Jaromar rose to be ruler of the Principality of Rügen as result of the Danish conquest of Rügen in 1168...
of Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
who sailed to Zealand to give warning. The king was in Jutland, and so it was left to Bishop Absalon to order every available ship from Zealand, Funen and Skåne to meet him in six days. Absalon sailed for Rügen with his fleet and waited for Bugislaw to show up. When the enemy failed to appear, Absalon sent out scouts to bring word when the Pomeranian fleet arrived. He ordered his men to go ashore so he could celebrate mass on Second Easter Day. In the middle of services, one of the scout ran into the church shouting that the enemy had been sighted through the fog. "Now will I let my sword sing the mass to the praise of God!" exclaimed Absalon as he set aside the altar implements.
The Danish fleet weighed anchor and sailed through the fog toward the Pomeranians. Bugislaw's fleet saw nothing of the Danes until they were close enough to hear their war cries. Fear swept through the Pomeranians, and they tried to row away, but they were in such close quarters that the ships couldn't turn. The men panicked and began jumping from ship to ship which caused eight of them to flounder. The Danes threw themselves onto the ships to plunder them when Absalon shouted that they should leave the goods and go after the ships. Few complied and with just seven ships, Absalon routed the entire Pomeranian fleet, capturing 35 enemy ships. Absalon sent Bugislaw's own great tent to Canute, who was still on in Jutland. With Bugislaw's defeat the emperor gave up, for a time, his attempt to rule Denmark.
Canute ordered two invasions of Pomerania and in 1185 forced Bugislaw to acknowledge Canute as his overlord. From that time until 1972 the Kings and Queens of Denmark used the title "King of the Wends
Wends
Wends is a historic name for West Slavs living near Germanic settlement areas. It does not refer to a homogeneous people, but to various peoples, tribes or groups depending on where and when it is used...
" as part of a lengthy list of duchies, counties, and regions ruled by Danish monarchs through the centuries. Contemporary sources describe Canute as an earnest, strongly religious man. Canute personally led a crusade against the pagan Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
in 1197.
Canutes' younger brother Valdemar, Duke of Southern Jutland, was just twelve years old when his father died and Bishop Valdemar
Valdemar of Denmark (bishop)
Valdemar Knudsen was a Danish clergyman and statesman. His mother gave birth to him as the posthumous illegitimate son of Canute V of Denmark...
of Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
was appointed regent until Valdemar came of age to rule. Bishop Valdemar was ambitious and began gathering support of German nobles to support him against the king. Disguising his own interests as young Valdemar's, Bishop Valdemar plotted with Count Adolph III of Holstein to overthrow Canute and set himself up as king. When Valdemar was selected as Archbishop of Lund, he spoke openly of his plans. Young Duke Valdemar asked to meet with Bishop Valdemar at Åbenrå in 1192. When the powerful bishop arrived, young Valdemar ordered his men to arrest the bishop and sent him in chains to Søborg Tower in North Zealand for the next 13 years. In 1199 Count Adolph tried to raise opposition to Valdemar in southern Denmark, so the young Duke attacked Adolph's new fortress at Rendsburg. Valdemar defeated Adolph's army in the Battle of Stellau
Battle of Stellau
The Battle of Stellau was a battle that took place in the year 1201 near the village of Stellau, now part of Barsbüttel, near Wrist, in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. A German army led by Count Adolf III of Holstein fought a Danish army under King Canute VI of Denmark...
in 1201 and captured the count who spent the next three years in Søborg Tower with the archbishop. In order to buy his freedom, the count had to turn over all his lands north of the Elbe to Duke Valdemar in 1203.
At his death Canute ruled from the Elbe north to the Arctic Circle and east as far as Estonia and Sweden. Denmark had almost reached its largest extent. Then without warning, Canute's friend and advisor, Bishop Absalon died. He had been one of the most important figures in all of Danish history. Absalon was buried beside his father in Sorø church. His epitaph reads "a good and brave man". Just a year later Canute died suddenly at age 40.
Canute married Gertrud
Gertrude of Bavaria
Gertrude of Bavaria and Saxony was a German noble, a duchess of Swabia as the spouse of Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia, and a Danish Queen consort as the spouse of King Canute VI of Denmark....
, a daughter of Duke Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion was a member of the Welf dynasty and Duke of Saxony, as Henry III, from 1142, and Duke of Bavaria, as Henry XII, from 1156, which duchies he held until 1180....
of Saxony
Duchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
. She did not bear him any children.