Sveinn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svein_Knutsson

Sveinn Alfífuson or Sveinn Knútsson óforsynjukonungr ("a king not to be born"), or Sweno c. 1016–1035, was the son of Cnut the Great, King of Denmark and England, and his first wife Ælfgifu (Old Norse Alfífa), an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman. Svein was regent of Norway on behalf of his father Cnut from 1030 until 1035.

In 1029 Håkon Eiriksson, Cnut's vassal ruler of Norway, was lost at sea and Olaf Haraldsson, who had been deposed as King of Norway by Cnut, tried to recapture the kingdom, but he was defeated and killed at the Battle of Stiklestad. Cnut then sent Svein and Ælfgifu to Norway, with Ælfgifu ruling as regent on behalf her fourteen year old son.[1] This came as a great disappointment to a number of Norwegians who had wished to take the place of the Earls of Lade (Ladejarls). Nobles like Einar Tambarskjelve and Kalf Arnason were especially disappointed because they both believed that Cnut had promised they could take power.

The 1030s were difficult years in Europe. Danish policy in Norway changed - there was closer royal involvement and strict regulations in many areas. This created the basis of a popular resistance against the new regime which can be characterised as being of the same ilk as that which Saint Olav had earlier come up against. According to the Sagas, Ælfgifu's and Svein's tax-demands and new laws created resentment.

Snorri writes that "King Svein brought in new laws on many subjects. They were modelled on Danish laws but some were much stricter. No man was allowed to leave the country without the King's permission; if he did so his property would become the King's. A person who committed murder would lose the right to land and property. If an outlaw was due an inheritance, the King would take it. At Christmas every farmer had to give the king a measure (between 15 and 20 litres)of malt from every hearth and the thigh of a three year-old ox, this was called vinjartodde (land tax) in Old Norse, and also a bucket of butter."

According to Heimskringla, the Battle of Soknasund occurred during 1033 in Ryfylke. Tryggve Olavsson came with an army from England. He said he was the son of Olav Tryggvason and therefore claimed the kingdom as his own. When word reached Sveinn Alfífuson and Aelgifu that Tryggve's invasion was imminent, they summoned the landholders of Halogaland and the Trondheim district to join the royal army in resisting Tryggve. Svein Knutsson and his army, probably including elite Danish troops stood against them. Sveinn and his forces made their way south to Agder, believing that Tryggve would attempt to slip through the Skagerrak and join his supporters in Viken. Tryggve, however, landed instead in Hordaland, then sailed to Rogaland to attack Sveinn's navy. The two fleets met off the island of Bokn. Svein won the Battle of Soknasund and Tryggve Olavsson was killed. An account preserved in Morkinskinna relates that Tryggve was actually killed by a farmer after the battle.

Later that same winter Kalf Arnason and Einar Tambarskjelve met and decided to travel to Gardarike to fetch Olav Haraldsson's son Magnus. When Magnus came to Norway the people sided with him and against the Danes. Svein had to flee home to Denmark where he died a short time later. Thus the King of Denmark had to give up his claim on Norway, and it was several hundred years before the Danes could once again impose themselves on Norway.[2]

Svein in Shakespeare

Svein is an important backstory character in the first act of Macbeth, where Shakespeare calls him Sweno:

Sweno, the Norway's king, craves composition. nor would we deign him burial of his men till he disbursed at at saint colme's inch ten thousand dollars to our general use.

Lydkonung av Norge 1028-36 talet