One of the most famous anecdotes from Medieval England is the story of Canute and the waves. Canute was a Viking who came to England in 1013 with his father Sweyn Forkbeard, the King of Denmark. Sweyn became King of England, but died one year later. In 1016, Canute took the throne. In 1018, he was made King of Denmark and in 1028 he added Norway to his resume. Those three crowns were called the North Sea Empire. Unlike the Vikings that appear on TV and movies, he was a cultured ruler and his reign was noteworthy for being peaceful and prosperous. Being a powerful king, he had court officials and followers who were constantly praising him for his greatness.
One day, he had had enough of the ass-kissing. He had his throne carried down to the sea shore. Sitting there with the waves coming in, he raised his arms and ordered the waves to stop. Of course, they didn’t and soon his feet and robe were wet. He then turned to his retinue and said” Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of king, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.” He had proved that he was not omnipotent. He was a human being, not a god. He then placed his crown on a crucifix and never wore it again. In some clearly wrong versions, the story has Canute thinking he could stop the waves. The arrogant king was embarrassed.
Although the story fits Canute’s personality, it is almost surely apocryphal. It was first recorded by Henry of Huntingdon in the 12th Century. Historians have questioned its veracity. Why put it on this site? Because it is so famous that it needs to be passed on with the caveat that it is apocryphal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Canute_and_the_tide
0 Comments