King Harold Bluetooth

Harold Bluetooth (ca. AD 930 – 987), son of Gorm, was king when Trelleborg was built. Harold was king of the presentday Denmark, northern Germany, southern Sweden and parts of Norway. He had political alliances with many of the Slavic societies south of the Baltic Sea and with the Norman duke of northern France.

Denmark was an elective kingdom, where in principle all free men elected the king. It was essential to gather the support of enough armed men to win the Crown. As elected king, Harold was never completely safe on his throne. The Icelandic Sagas describe how some Norwegians rebelled against him and the throne was claimed by his brother’s son.

Harold was succeeded by his son Swein Forkbeard (ca. 960 – 1014). Swein managed to conquer England shortly before his death in 1014.

Knut the Great (995 – 1035) was son of Swein Forkbeard and he became the greatest Danish king before he died at the age of ca. 40. He started by conquering England in 1016, and in 1019 he became king of Denmark where he succeeded his brother Harold the Second.