BattlefieldsCnut Divides England at the Humber 1013
Early Medieval

Cnut Divides England at the Humber 1013

1013
East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
English resistance
VS
Victor
Sweyn Forkbeard
Outcome
Humber established as strategic boundary of initial Danish control; north submitted readily; Sweyn crossed south to receive total English submission; Cnut reorganised after Sweyn died
The Battle

History & Significance

When Sweyn Forkbeard invaded in 1013, the Humber served as the strategic pivot of the conquest. The Danelaw north of Watling Street submitted immediately giving Sweyn a secure base before crossing south. After Sweyn died at Gainsborough in 1014, the Danish fleet elected Cnut as king. The Humber thus marked both the limit of initial submission and the staging point for the completed conquest of 1016.

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