Canute V Magnussen () ( – 9 August 1157) was a

King of Denmark The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional political system, institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous administrative division, autonomous territories of the Faroe Is ...

from 1146 to 1157, as co-regent in shifting alliances with

Sweyn III Sweyn III GratheFor the significance of the epithet, see (; – 23 October 1157) was the king of Denmark between 1146 and 1157, in shifting alliances with Canute V and his own cousin Valdemar I. In 1157, the three agreed to a tripartition of ...

and

Valdemar I Valdemar I Knudsen (14 January 1131 – 12 May 1182), also known as Valdemar the Great (), was King of Denmark from 1154 until his death in 1182. The reign of King Valdemar I saw the rise of Denmark, which reached its medieval zenith under his s ...

. Canute was killed at the so-called ''Bloodfeast of Roskilde'' in 1157. Nothing certain is known about his person and character.

Biography

Canute was born around 1129, the son of

Magnus the Strong Magnus the Strong (c. 1106 – 4 June 1134), also known as Magnus Nilsson ( Bricka, Carl Frederik, ''Dansk Biografisk Lexikon'', vol. XI aar – Müllner 1897, pp.45Available online/ref>), was a Danish duke who ruled Götaland in southern Sweden ...

and his consort Richeza of Poland. After the abdication of Eric III in 1146, the magnates of

Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...

declared Canute king, while the magnates of

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

and

Scania Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...

crowned

, the nephew of

Canute Lavard Saint Knud, also known as Canute Lavard ( Danish: Knud Lavard; cognate with English Lord; 12 March 1096 – 7 January 1131) was a Danish prince. Later he was the first Duke of Schleswig and the first border prince who was both a Danish and a ...

who Magnus had killed in 1131. In the following years, Canute tried in vain to defeat Sweyn III on Zealand for complete control over Denmark. In 1147, Canute and Sweyn united to undertake the

Wendish Crusade The Wendish Crusade () was a military campaign in 1147, one of the Northern Crusades, led primarily by the Kingdom of Germany within the Holy Roman Empire and directed against the Polabian Slavs (or "Wends"). The Wends were made up of the Slavic ...

, which however ended in the re-ignition of their strife.

Bricka, Carl Frederik Carl Frederik Bricka (10 July 1845 – 23 August 1903) was a Danish archivist, historian and biographer. Biography Carl Bricka was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. His father, Frederik Vilhelm Theodor Bricka (1809–79), was a medical doctor. He ...

(ed.), ''Dansk Biografisk Lexikon'', vol. IX yde – Køtschau 1895. "Knud (Magnussen)",

Hans Olrik Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

pp.263–264
Sweyn and his cousin Duke Valdemar, the son of Canute Lavard, defeated Canute in Jutland in 1150, and Canute fled to his father-in-law

Sverker I of Sweden Sverker the Elder (Old Swedish: ''Swærkir konongær gambli''; c. 1100 - 25 December 1156), also known as Sverker I, was King of Sweden from about 1132 until his murder. Of non-royal descent, he founded the House of Sverker, the rulers of which ...

. Canute attempted a number of reconquests, all of them unsuccessful, and turned to

Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...

for help. The resulting compromise of 1152, which was supported by Valdemar, made Canute the inferior

co-regent A coregency is the situation where a monarchical position (such as prince, princess, king, queen, emperor or empress), normally held by only a single person, is held by two or more. It is to be distinguished from diarchies or duumvirates (su ...

of Sweyn. However, Sweyn decided not to effectuate the deal. Canute now formed an alliance with Valdemar and Sverker, whose daughter

Helena Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer * Saint Helena (disambiguation), this includes places Places Greece * Helena ...

Canute was to marry. Sweyn fled Denmark in 1154, and Canute struck a deal with Valdemar, making him his co-ruler. Canute was an inferior king to Valdemar, and after Sweyn's re-entry into Denmark, a final compromise was struck in 1157, under pressure from the Danish magnates.Knud 5. Magnussen
at Gyldendals Åbne Encyklopædi Sweyn, Canute, and Valdemar were set up as co-rulers, with Canute ruling Zealand. During the peace banquet in

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 53,354 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

on 9 August 1157, later known as the ''Bloodfeast of Roskilde'', Sweyn attempted to kill both Canute and Valdemar. Canute was allegedly killed by one of Sweyn's warriors. Canute's half-sister

Sofia of Minsk Sophia of Minsk or Sophia of Polotsk (died 5 May 1198) was a Danish queen consort by marriage to King Valdemar I of Denmark, and a landgravine of Thuringia by marriage to Louis III, Landgrave of Thuringia. Life Origin Sophia was the daughter o ...

married Valdemar, who avenged him the same year by killing Sweyn at the

Battle of Grathe Heath The Battle of Grathe Heath was fought in 1157 between the Denmark, Danish armies of Valdemar I of Denmark, Valdemar I and his rival for the Danish throne, Sweyn III of Denmark, Sweyn III. Valdemar's forces won the battle, and Sweyn III of Denma ...

to win Denmark for himself.

Issue

Not more than a year before his death, Canute married Helen of Sweden, but they had no children. Canute fathered two or three children out of wedlock: # Saint Niels of

Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...

(died 1180); he lived as monkSkt. Niels af Århus (11??-1180)
by Aarhus Municipal Library #

Valdemar Waldemar, Valdemar, Valdimar, or Woldemar is an Old High German given name. It consists of the elements ''wald-'' "power", "brightness" and ''-mar'' "fame". The name is considered the equivalent of the Latvian name Valdemārs, the Estonian name ...

; he was

Bishop of Schleswig The List of the Bishops of Schleswig contains the names of the bishops of the see in Schleswig (, ) in chronological order. Also Lutheran bishops, who officiated after 1542, superintendents and general superintendents are listed. Note Between 94 ...

and Prince-Archbishop of Bremen # Hildegard; she married Jaromar I, Prince of Rugia (possible daughter but uncertain)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canute 05 Of Denmark 1120s births 1157 deaths House of Estridsen 12th-century murdered monarchs Christians of the Wendish Crusade Year of birth uncertain Year of birth unknown 12th-century kings of Denmark Sons of kings