Editing Harthacnut (section)

== Succession ==
[[Image:Magnus den godes saga - Magnus og Horda-Knut - H. Egedius.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Harthacnut (left) meeting the young  King [[Magnus the Good]] at the [[Göta älv]] river in modern-day Sweden. Illustration by [[Halfdan Egedius]].]]

The political agreement between Harthacnut and [[Magnus the Good]] included the appointment of the latter as heir to Harthacnut. At the time, the agreement would have only affected the throne of Denmark. The ''[[Heimskringla]]'' reports that when Harthacnut died, Magnus extended his claim to England. He reportedly sent a letter to Edward the Confessor, pressing his claim to the English throne and threatening invasion. His own heir, [[Harald Hardrada]], would also press this claim. Both considered themselves legal heirs to Harthacnut.{{sfn|Howard|2008|pp=40–44}} The ''[[Fagrskinna]]'' contains a scene where Magnus proclaims: "I will take possession of all the Danish empire or else die in the attempt."{{sfn|Finlay|2004|p=173}}

According to the ''Encomium'', Edward the Confessor already served as co-ruler of England since 1041. There is an emphasis on Harthacnut, Edward, and Emma serving as a trinity of rulers, in emulation of the [[Trinity|Holy Trinity]]. Edward, by surviving his co-ruler, would be king by default. The ''Heimskringla'' depicts Edward portraying himself as brother and legal heir to both Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut, while pointing out that he had already won the support "''of all the people of the country"''. Unstated in both is that the marriage of Edward to [[Edith of Wessex]] would also support his claim by earning him both the political support of her father Godwin and an additional connection to Cnut. She was a niece to the king.{{sfn|Howard|2008|pp=40–44}} The ''Fagrskinna'' has Edward point out that he was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, the half-brother to [[Edmund Ironside]], the stepson of Cnut, the stepbrother of Harold Harefoot, and the half-brother of Harthacnut. In short, he had a much stronger family claim to the throne than Magnus. All the leaders of England had already acknowledged him as their king, and he was consecrated by an archbishop. England was his own heritage. Whether Magnus defeated him in war or not, he was told: "You can never be called king in England, and you will never be granted any allegiance there before you put an end to my life." This was supposedly enough to cause Magnus to doubt the strength of his own claim.{{sfn|Finlay|2004|pp=174–175}}

The marriage agreement between [[Gunhilda of Denmark]] (sister of Harthacnut) and [[Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor]] was meant to allow descendants of the marriage to claim the throne of Denmark and potentially of England. From Henry's perspective, it was probably orchestrated to allow the [[Holy Roman Empire]] to claim control of Denmark and the western areas of the [[Baltic Sea]]. She died in 1038 with no known sons.{{sfn|Howard|2008|pp=40–44}} Her only daughter was [[Beatrice I, Abbess of Quedlinburg]], who never married.