Background
Canute was born around 1129, the son of King Niels" son Magnus I of Sweden.
Canute was born around 1129, the son of King Niels" son Magnus I of Sweden.
Nothing certain is known about his person and character. After the abdication of Eric III in 1146, the magnates of Jutland declared Canute king, while the magnates of Zealand and Scania crowned Sweyn III, the nephew of Canute Lavard who Magnus had killed in 1131. In the following years, Canute tried in vain to defeat Sweyn III on Zealand for complete control over Denmark.
In 1147, Canute and Sweyn united to undertake the Wendish Crusade, which however ended in the re-ignition of their strife.
Canute attempted a number of reconquests, all of them unsuccessful, and turned to Frederick Barbarossa for help. The resulting compromise of 1152, which was supported by Valdemar, made Canute the inferior co-regent of Sweyn.
However, Sweyn decided not to effectuate the deal
Canute now formed an alliance with Valdemar and Sverker, whose daughter Helena of Sweden Canute was to marry. Sweyn fled Denmark in 1154, and Canute struck a deal with Valdemar, making him his co-ruler under the name Valdemar I. Canute was an inferior king to Valdemar, and after Sweyn"s re-entry into Denmark, a final compromise was struck in 1157, under pressure from the Danish magnates.
Sweyn, Canute, and Valdemar were set up as co-rulers, with Canute ruling Zealand.
During the peace banquet in Roskilde on 9 August 1157, later known as the Bloodfeast of Roskilde, Sweyn attempted to kill both Canute and Valdemar. Canute was allegedly killed by one of Sweyn"s warriors. Not more than a year before his death, Canute married Helena of Sweden, but they had no children.
Canute fathered a number of children out of wedlock:
Saint Niels of Aarhus (died 1180).
He lived as monk
Knud
Valdemar. He was Bishop of Schleswig and Prince-Archbishop of Bremen.