world, died at Shaftesbury, in 1035, as Dahlmann thinks[16],--leaving
two legitimate sons and a busy, intriguing widow (Norman Emma, widow
of Ethelred the Unready), mother of the younger of these two; neither
of whom proved to have any talent or any continuance. In spite of
Emma's utmost efforts, Harald, the elder son of Knut, not hers, got
England for his kingdom; Emma and her Harda-Knut had to be content
with Denmark, and go thither, much against their will. Harald in
England,--light-going little figure like his father before him,--got
the name of Harefoot here; and might have done good work among his now
orderly and settled people; but he died almost within year and day;
and has left no trace among us, except that of "Harefoot," from his
swift mode of walking. Emma and her Harda-Knut now returned joyful to
England. But the violent, idle, and drunken Harda-Knut did no good
there; and, happily for England and him, soon suddenly ended, by
stroke of apoplexy at a marriage festival, as mentioned above. In
Denmark he had done still less good. And indeed,--under him, in a
year or two, the grand imperial edifice, laboriously built by Knut's
valor and wisdom, had already tumbled all to the ground, in a most
unexpected and remarkable way. As we are now to indicate with all
brevity.



Svein's tyrannies in Norway had wrought such fruit that, within the
four years after Olaf's death, the chief men in Norway, the very
slayers of King Olaf, Kalf Arneson at the head of them, met secretly
once or twice; and unanimously agreed that Kalf Arneson must go to
Sweden, or to Russia itself; seek young Magnus, son of Olaf home:
excellent Magnus, to be king over all Norway and them, instead of this
intolerable Svein. Which was at once done,--Magnus brought home in a