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Sweyn Forkbeard

Rank:	16th
Ruled England:	December 25, 1013-February 2, 1014
Ruled Denmark:	985-February 2, 1014
Predecessor:	Ethelred II, Harald Bluetooth, and Harald II
Date of Birth:	960
Place of Birth:	Denmark
Wives:	Gunhilda[?] and Sigrid the Haughty[?]
Buried:	Roeskild Cathedral[?]
Date of Death:	February 2, 1014
Parents:	Harald Bluetooth and Gunhild[?]

Sweyn I "Forkbeard" (sometimes Svein Haraldsson; in Danish, Svend Tveskæg) (circa 965 - February 3, 1014) succeeded his father Harold I as king of Denmark in 986. After recovering his throne (991) following a brief Swedish invasion, Sweyn established Danish control over a part of Norway (1000).

After participating in a Norwegian-led raid against England in 994-995, Sweyn embarked on a series of full-scale invasions (1003-1005, 1006-1007, 1009-1012 and 1013) following the St. Brice's Day[?] massacre of England's Danish inhabitants (November 1002). By December 1013 he was England's effective ruler following the flight to Normandy of king Ethelred the Unready.

Svein died on at Gainsborough[?] in Lincolnshire, having ruled England unopposed for only five weeks, and his body was returned to Denmark. He was succeeded as King of Denmark by his elder son, Harold II[?], and as King of England by his younger son Canute the Great. His son, Canute the Great, ruled in Denmark and England and some part of northern Germany.

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