Sweyn Forkbeard

Sweyn Forkbeard (d. 1014), king of Denmark (c.985-1014), king of England (1013-14). For 20 years before 1013 Sweyn Forkbeard was involved in heavy raiding against England. Attacks intensified after 1004, some said in revenge for the murder of his sister Gunnhild during the massacre of St Brice's Day, 1002. His principal effort came in 1013 when, accompanied by his son Cnut, he invaded England through the Humber and the Trent, setting up his base at Gainsborough, where he was recognized as king by most of Anglo-Danish England. He then moved south where Oxford and Winchester surrendered immediately and when London finally submitted towards the end of the year, Æthelred was forced to flee to Normandy. For five or six weeks Sweyn was thus in control of all his newly conquered kingdom of England, but on 3 February 1014 he died at Gainsborough.