Sweyn Forkbeard

    Sweyn I, king of Denmark (986-1014) was the son of Harold Bluetooth.
    At the beginning Sweyn was just the leader of Vikings. The first record of Sweyn I was made when he raised the revolt against his father. Wounded Harold escaped and soon died. The warriors supported Sweyn and he was created the sole ruler. Sweyn was expelled shortly after his accession by the Swedish king Eric the Victorious, but his subsequent marriage to Eric's widow led to his restoration to the Danish throne and to an alliance with Sweden. Sweyn displayed much less interest in the commonwealth of his country than in invading and devastating other countries. In the year 994 Sweyn and Olaf (the future King of Norway) got up the river Thames and laid siege to London. They did not manage to conquer the city, but the king Ethelred II Unready concluded a treaty with the Vikings, according to which Vikings received about 16 millions of pounds for the peace. Thus Olaf and Sweyn left for their countries. Soon Sweyn decided to appropriate the Norway and started the war against Olaf. Having allied with the Sweden King and with some of Norwegian exiles Sweyn won this battle and was recognized the King of Norway.
    During several next years Sweyn raided England. He found plenty of reasons to perform these invasions, including the one as a punishment for the beating the Danish settlers in England. These raids were taking place till the year 1007, when the Danish received smart-money 37 millions of pounds. Seemingly Sweyn was satisfied and one could thing that he was tired and bored of viking's lfe, but in 6 years he appeared in England, now as a conqueror. He forced the king Ethelred to flee and the English finally submitted and accepted him as king. He died before his coronation. His son Canute succeeded him in England and Denmark.