FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   >>   >|  
nd Ironside who was a very brave soldier. He became, by his father's death, the king of Saxon England and at once raised an army to defend his kingdom. A battle was fought and Edmund was victorious. This was the first of five battles that were fought in one year. In none of them could the Danes do more than gain a slight advantage now and then. However, the Saxons were at last defeated in a sixth battle through the act of a traitor. Edric, a Saxon noble, took his men out of the fight and his treachery so weakened the Saxon army that Edmund Ironside had to surrender to Canute. But the young Dane had greatly admired Edmund for the way in which he had fought against heavy odds, so he now treated him most generously. Canute took certain portions of England and the remainder was given to Edmund Ironside. Thus for a short time the Anglo-Saxon people had at once a Danish and a Saxon monarch. [Illustration: DANES EMBARKING FOR THE INVASION OF ENGLAND] II Edmund died in 1016 and after his death Canute became sole ruler. He ruled wisely. He determined to make his Anglo-Saxon subjects forget that he was a foreign conqueror. To show his confidence in them he sent back to Denmark the army he had brought over the sea, keeping on a part of his fleet and a small body of soldiers to act as guards at his palace. He now depended on the support of his Anglo-Saxon subjects and he won their love. Although a king--and it is generally believed that kings like flattery--Canute is said to have rebuked his courtiers when they flattered him. On one occasion, when they were talking about his achievements, one of them said to him: "Most noble king, I believe you can do anything." Canute sternly rebuked the courtier for these words and then said: "Come with me, gentlemen." He led them from the palace grounds to the sea-shore where the tide was rising, and had his chair placed at the edge of the water. "You say I can do anything," he said to the courtiers. "Very well, I who am king and the lord of the ocean now command these rising waters to go back and not dare wet my feet." [Illustration: CANUTE REBUKES HIS COURTIERS] But the tide was disobedient and steadily rose and rose, until the feet of the king were in the water. Turning to his courtiers, Canute said: "Learn how feeble is the power of earthly kings. None is worthy the name of king but He whom heaven and earth and sea obey." During Canute's reign Engla
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Canute
 

Edmund

 

fought

 

Ironside

 

courtiers

 
rebuked
 
rising
 

Illustration

 
England
 

palace


battle

 

subjects

 
sternly
 

depended

 
believed
 

guards

 
courtier
 
flattery
 

generally

 

flattered


Although

 

achievements

 

talking

 

support

 

occasion

 

feeble

 

Turning

 

COURTIERS

 

disobedient

 

steadily


earthly

 
During
 

heaven

 

worthy

 

REBUKES

 
CANUTE
 

grounds

 
waters
 

soldiers

 
command

gentlemen
 

traitor

 
defeated
 
slight
 

advantage

 

However

 
Saxons
 

greatly

 
admired
 

treachery