Editing Magnus the Good (section)

==King of Norway and Denmark==

[[File:Magnus den gode mynt p.jpg|thumb|Coin minted for Magnus the Good in [[Denmark]]]]
Magnus was proclaimed king in 1035 at 11 years of age. At first, Magnus sought revenge against his father's enemies, but on Sigvatr's advice, he stopped doing so, which is why he became known as "good" or "noble".<ref name="larsen"/>

Another son of Cnut, [[Harthacnut]], was on the throne of Denmark and wanted his country to reunite with Norway, while Magnus initiated a campaign against Denmark around 1040.<ref name="kongehuset">[http://kongehuset.dk/lineage.php?id=58197&dogtag=k_dk_monarkiet_kongeraek&list_id=1 Monarkiet i Danmark – Kongerækken] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118011459/http://kongehuset.dk/lineage.php?id=58197&dogtag=k_dk_monarkiet_kongeraek&list_id=1 |date=18 November 2009 }} at [[Monarchy of Denmark|The Danish Monarchy]]</ref> However, the noblemen of both countries brought the two kings together at the [[Göta älv]]. They made peace and agreed that the first of them to die would be succeeded by the other.<ref name="larsen113">Larsen, p. 113.</ref><ref name="lauring">Palle Lauring, ''A History of the Kingdom of Denmark,'' tr. David Hohnen, Copenhagen: Høst, 1960, {{OCLC|5954675}}, pp. 57–59.</ref> In 1042, Harthacnut died while in England, and Magnus also became [[King of Denmark]], in spite of a claim by Cnut's nephew [[Sweyn Estridsen]], whom Harthacnut had left in control of Denmark when he went to England,<ref name="larsen113"/><ref name=DBL>Johannes C. H. L. Steenstrup, [https://runeberg.org/dbl/11/0046.html "Magnus den Gode"], ''[[Dansk biografisk lexikon]]'', online at [[Project Runeberg]] {{in lang|da}}</ref> and who had some support.

As part of consolidating his control, Magnus destroyed the [[Jomsborg]], headquarters of the [[Jomsvikings]]. Sweyn fled east and returned as one of the leaders of an invasion by the [[Wends]] in 1043, which Magnus decisively defeated at the [[Battle of Lyrskov Heath]], near [[Hedeby]].<ref name="lauring"/><ref>[[Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen]], ''The Story of Norway'', The Story of the Nations, New York: Putnam, 1889, {{OCLC|1536116}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCvVAAAAMAAJ&q=Lyrskogs&pg=PA230 p. 237].</ref> In the battle, Magnus wielded Saint Olaf's battle-axe, named Hel after the [[Hel (being)|goddess of death]].<ref name="lauring"/><ref>Hollander (Trans.), ''Heimskringla'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=qHpwje7-wNkC&q=battle-axe+Hel&pg=PA537 p. 562].</ref> He had dreamt of his father the night before, and the Norwegians swore that before the battle they could hear the bell that Saint Olaf had given to the Church of St. Clement in Kaupang, in Nidaros—a sign that the saint was watching over his son and the army.<ref>Hollander (Trans.), ''Heimskringla'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=qHpwje7-wNkC&q=Saint+Clement+in+Kaupang&pg=PA537 p. 561].</ref> It was the greatest victory ever over the Wends, with up to 15,000 killed.

Sweyn continued to oppose Magnus in Denmark, although according to ''Heimskringla'', they reached a settlement by which Sweyn became Earl of Denmark under Magnus.<ref>Hollander (Trans.), ''Heimskringla'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=qHpwje7-wNkC&q=appoint+him+my+earl&pg=PA537 p. 558].</ref>

Magnus wanted to reunite Cnut the Great's entire [[North Sea Empire]] by also becoming king of England. When Harthacnut died, the English nobles had chosen as their king [[Æthelred the Unready]]'s son Edward (later known as [[Edward the Confessor]]); Magnus wrote to him that he intended to attack England with combined Norwegian and Danish forces and "he will then govern it who wins the victory."<ref>Larsen, p. 114.</ref> The English were mostly hostile to Magnus; Sweyn was made welcome there, although Edward's mother, [[Emma of Normandy|Emma]], curiously favored Magnus and in 1043 the king confiscated her property, with which by one report she had promised to assist Magnus.<ref>Stenton, pp. 426–27.</ref>

Meanwhile, Magnus' uncle [[Harald Hardrada|Harald Sigurdsson]] had returned to Norway from the east and contested his rule there, while Sweyn was still a threat in Denmark; Harald allied himself with Sweyn.<ref name="bricka"/><ref name=DBL/> Magnus chose to appease Harald,<ref name="bricka"/> and made him his co-king in Norway in 1046.<ref>Hollander (Trans.), ''Heimskringla'', pp. 593–96.</ref><ref>Larsen, p. 111.</ref>