Sweyn

King of Denmark. Father of Canute. He led the expedition to England and stayed in the Danelaw, organizing it with York as the base. He once usurped the throne from his father out of concern for the kingdom, but he too became consumed by the desire to maintain and expand the power that the throne brought.

Regarding the succession, he feared the weakening of national power due to internal strife among vassals caused by his two sons, and plotted to have the weaker second son, Canute, killed in battle in England, preferring the elder brother Harald. However, contrary to his intentions, Canute overcame hardships, so he attempted to appease him by granting him the frontier of Cornwall, but was instead outmaneuvered by Canute's confidant, Askeladd. Noticing Askeladd's attachment to Wales early on, he forced him to choose between Wales and Canute at a banquet in York, but Askeladd chose to save both at the cost of his own life, beheading him.

After his death, he frequently appeared before Canute as a severed head, mocking Canute for walking the same path as he did.