IV
The Death of King Sweyn and Harald's Election as King
The History of King Sweyn Estridsson and His Sons and of the Martyrdom of King Canute the Holy
De obitu Swenomagni regis et prouectione Haraldi regis.
Inclitus ergo Svegnomagnus rex, nationibus circumquaque uersus regni sui gentes pacificatis, dominicisque edibus tum proprię religiositatis industria in locis precipuis quampluribus eminenter extructis, tum ab aliis pridem perfectis ac per semet regalibus donis decenter adornatis et tam pontificibus quam et religiosi cultus ministris amplificatis, ipse tandem humanę conuersationis usum deserens atque secretum longeuę pausationis ingrediens regni sui heredibus non tam regalium opulentiam gazarum quam et regnandi securitatem pace undique effecta reliquit, eisque paternarum uirtutum prudentiam gnauiter imitandam operum monimentis deseruit.
Sed regiis inter se tyronibus, Haroldo scilicet et Cnutone, iamiamque Canuto nominando, de principatus iure dissidentibus Haroldus, quia et natu anterior et gestu uidebatur modestior, totius gentis electione in regnum asciscitur et, ut felix diu uiuat, princeps Dacie proclamatur. Quod acerrimus Cnuto licet moleste ferret, fraternę tamen potius duxit irę cedere quam secundum Thebanos quondam regios pueros sempiterni rogi incendijs ob regnandi libidinem sese fratremque concertando admittere. Diuinitatis enim sibi affuturum inscius expectabat auxilium, per quod se postmodum tam eminenti gloria ignorabat sublimandum.
Ipse autem dominus deus noster, qui in altis habitans humilia respicit et alta a longe cognoscit, tempora exaltationis electi sui in posterum reseruabat, quem non solum temporali uerum sempiterno honorandum imperio delegabat. Ut uero proposita persequamur, Haroldus patrium nactus imperium populi uotis admodum fauere eisque leges et iura non tam, quę uellent, eligere, immo, quę uel quales elegissent, posteris seruandas regali studebat auctoritate decernere.
Unde leges ab eo sancitas Dani usque in hodiernum ab electis et eligendis sibi regibus expetunt, eumque ueluti pacis ac libertatis publicę prouisorem pro concessis ab eo legibus laude et fauoribus extollunt. Sed et ipso regni sui anno sexto patria uia egresso, locus eum celebris, qui Vallis uilla (id est: Dalbuj Danica lingua) dicitur, futurę resurrectioni reseruandum excepit et exceptum terrę matri religiosis prosecutum exequiis commendauit.
On the Death of King Sweyn Estridsson and the Elevation of King Harald
Thus the illustrious King Sweyn Estridsson, having secured peace for his people on every side and having seen churches of the Lord magnificently raised in many prominent places through his own devotion, while older foundations were fittingly adorned with royal gifts and enriched for bishops and ministers of divine worship alike, at last laid aside the affairs of mortal life and entered the stillness of long rest.
To the heirs of his kingdom he left not so much the wealth of royal treasures as the security of rule made possible by peace firmly established. He also left them living examples of conduct, urging them to imitate diligently the wisdom of his virtues.
But when the royal sons — Harald and Canute, already destined to be known by that name — fell into dispute over the right to rule, Harald, being both the elder in age and appearing more moderate in character, was chosen by the will of the whole people and raised to the kingship. He was proclaimed king of Denmark amid hopes for a long and prosperous reign.
Although Canute bore this decision with deep displeasure, he nevertheless chose to yield out of brotherly restraint rather than, like the royal sons of ancient Thebes, plunge both himself and his brother into destruction through rivalry for power. For, though he did not yet know it, he awaited the help of God, by which he would later be raised to a glory far greater than he could then imagine.
For the Lord our God, who dwells on high yet looks upon the lowly and knows the exalted from afar, was reserving the hour of exaltation for his chosen servant, whom he destined to honor not only with temporal rule but with everlasting dominion.
To continue our account: Harald, having gained his ancestral kingdom, was eager to comply with the wishes of the people. He sought by royal authority not merely to impose laws and rights according to his own will, but rather to confirm and preserve for future generations the laws which the people themselves had chosen. For this reason, the Danes to this very day demand that these laws be upheld by the kings they elect, and they praise and honor Harald as the giver of peace and liberty because of the laws he established.
In the sixth year of his reign, Harald departed this life and was laid to await the resurrection at a well-known place called Dalby in the Danish tongue. There he was commended to the earth and buried with reverent rites.
