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'''Thorkell the Tall' | {{Short description|Prominent Viking warlord}} | ||
'''Thorkell the Tall''' ([[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: '''Þorke(ti)ll inn hávi)''' was a Danish warlord who prominently took part in battles in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. He was a son of the [[Scania]]n chieftain [[Strut-Harald]], and a brother of [[Jarl (title)|Jarl]] [[Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson|Sigvaldi]], Hemingr and Tófa.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fafnir.fr/thorkell-inn-havi|title=fafnir.com – The encyclopedia of medieval Scandinavia|date=2018|archive-url=http://www.fafnir.fr|archive-date=12 June 2019}}</ref> | |||
Thorkell | {{Infobox military person | ||
| name = Thorkell Haraldsson | |||
| image = U 344, Orkesta.JPG | |||
| caption = The [[Orkesta Runestones|rune stone U 344]] in Orkesta, [[Uppland]], [[Sweden]], was raised by the [[Viking]] Ulfr who commemorated that he had taken a [[danegeld]] in England with Thorkell the Tall. He took two others with [[Skagul Toste]] and [[Cnut the Great]] | |||
| birth_date = c. 970 | |||
| disappeared_date = 1023 | |||
| nickname = The Tall | |||
| allegiance = * [[Kingdom of Denmark]] (970–1013) | |||
* [[Kingdom of England]] (1013–1015) | |||
* [[North Sea Empire]] (1015–1023) | |||
| spouse = Wulfhilda? (m. 1016) | |||
| children = Two unknown sons | |||
| battles = * [[Battle of Hjorungavagr]] | |||
* [[Battle of Svolder]] | |||
* [[Battle of Ringmere Heath]] | |||
* [[Siege of Canterbury]] | |||
* [[Battle of Penselwood]] | |||
* [[Battle of Sherston]] | |||
* [[Battle of Brentford (1016)]] | |||
* [[Battle of Otford (1016)]] | |||
* [[Battle of Assandun]] | |||
}} | |||
==Background== | |||
Thorkell was said to be the chief commander of the legendary [[Jomsvikings]] and the stronghold of [[Jomsborg]], on the Island of [[Wollin]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} He is also credited as having received the young [[Cnut the Great]] into his care and taken Cnut on raids.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Cnut and his Empire|last=Garmonsway|first=G|publisher=[[H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd.]]|year=1963|location=London|pages=6}}</ref> The ''[[Encomium Emmae]],'' a document concerning significant individuals in the Anglo-Scandinavian court in the early 1040s, describes Thorkell as a great war leader and warrior.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title="Danes in Wessex: The Scandinavian Impact on Southern England, c. 800–c. 1100"|chapter="Thorkell the Tall and the Bubble Reputation: The Vicissitudes of Fame"|chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/1682316/Thorkell_the_Tall_and_the_bubble_reputation_the_vicissitudes_of_fame |author-last=Williams |author-first=Ann |editor-last1=Lavelle |editor-first1=Ryan |editor-last2=Roffey |editor-first2=Simon |publisher=Oxbow Books |year=2016 |location=Oxford |pages=147, 148, 150–152}}</ref> | |||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
Thorkell is a historical figure, but his career, especially its early part, is steeped in associations with the legendary Jomsvikings. Thorkell took part in the [[Battle of Hjörungavágr]] in 986 and in the [[Battle of Swold]] in 1000 | Thorkell is a historical figure, but his career, especially its early part, is steeped in associations with the legendary Jomsvikings. Thorkell took part in the [[Battle of Hjörungavágr]] in 986 and in the [[Battle of Swold]] in 1000 | ||
Thorkell lead a campaign that ravaged most of [[Southern England]] Throughout the span of 3 years.<ref name="Peter Sawyer 75">{{cite book | author= Peter Sawyer |title = The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings |year = 2001 |location=London |publisher= Oxford University Press | isbn= 978-0-19-285434-6 | page=75}}</ref> In August 1009, a large Danish army led by Thorkell the Tall landed on the shores of [[Sandwich, Kent|Sandwich]]. They first marched towards the city of Canterbury but were promptly paid 3000 pounds of silver by the people of Kent to sway the army from attacking.<ref>{{cite book | author= Christopher Wright|title = Kent through the years |publisher= Greenwood Press | isbn= 0-7134-2881-3 | page=55}}</ref><ref name="The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle">The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</ref> They instead turned towards London and attempted to take the city several times, but were met with heavy resistance and ultimately abandoned their attack.<ref name="The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" /><ref>{{cite book | author= Gabriel Turville-Petre|title = The Heroic Age of Scandinavia |year = 1976 |location=London |publisher= Greenwood Press | isbn= 0-8371-8128-3 | page=142}}</ref> | |||
On 8 September 1011 Thorkell’s army returned to [[Siege of Canterbury|Canterbury and besieged it]] for two weeks, eventually taking it through the treachery of a man named Ælfmaer, whose life had been previously saved by the archbishop of Canterbury, Ælfheah.<ref name="The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" /> Thorkell and his men occupied Canterbury and took several hostages of importance, including Ælfheah himself, who was held prisoner for seven months. During the captivity, Ælfheah seems to have taken the opportunity to convert as many of the pagan Scandinavians as possible to Christianity, prompting tension.<ref name=":0" /> The army demanded an extra 3000 pounds of silver for the release of the archbishop,<ref name="Angelo Forte 190">{{cite book |author=Angelo Forte |title=Viking Empires |date=5 May 2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-82992-5 |page=190}}</ref> but Ælfheah bravely refused to be ransomed or have his people pay the invaders. As a consequence, Ælfheah was murdered by Thorkell's men during a drunken feast at [[Greenwich]] on 19 April 1012: the Scandinavians pelted him with the bones of cattle before one man finished him off with a blow to the back of the head with the butt of an axe. Thorkell was said to have tried his best to prevent the death of the archbishop, offering the attackers everything he possessed to stop the killing, save for his ship.<ref name="Gwyn Jones 367">{{cite book| author= Gwyn Jones| title= A History of the Vikings| year= 2001| publisher= Cambridge University Press| isbn= 978-0-19-280134-0| page= [https://archive.org/details/historyofvikings00jone_0/page/367 367]| url= https://archive.org/details/historyofvikings00jone_0| url-access= registration}}</ref> And someone, possibly Thorkell, is said to have carried the corpse to London the day after the murder.<ref name=":0" /> Thorkell's army eventually ceased their attacks across Southern England, but only after a large series of [[danegeld]] payments were made, eventually culminating to 48,000 pounds of silver.<ref name="Peter Sawyer 75" /><ref name="Gwyn Jones 367" /> | |||
Thorkell and his loyalists defected, taking 45 longships with them.<ref name="Angelo Forte 190" /><ref name="Gwyn Jones 367" /> He and his men subsequently entered into the service of the English King [[Æthelred the Unready]] as mercenaries, for whom they fought in 1013 against the invasion of Danish King [[Sweyn Forkbeard]] and his son [[Cnut the Great|Cnut]].<ref>Howard, Ian, ''Swein Forkbeard's Invasions and the Danish Conquest of England, 991–1017'', Boydell & Brewer (2003), pg. 44</ref> | |||
During [[Cnut's invasion of England|Cnut’s invasion of England]], Thorkell had defected to Cnut’s side and abandoned the English, where he proceeded to fight five battles in one year against the English army, led by [[Edmund Ironside|King Edmund Ironside]]. After the death of Edmund on 30 November 1016, Cnut became king of England and he divided the country into four earldoms – making Thorkell the Jarl of East Anglia.<ref name="Peter Sawyer 172">{{cite book | author= Peter Sawyer |title = The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings |year = 2001 |location=London |publisher= Oxford University Press | isbn= 978-0-19-285434-6 | page=172}}</ref><ref name="The Viking World">{{cite book |title = The Viking World |publisher= Routledge | date=2012 | isbn= 978-0-415-69262-5 | page=665}}</ref> | |||
In 1021, for unknown reasons, Thorkell is very briefly described as falling out with Cnut, with the former being banished by the king and returning to Denmark.<ref name="Johannes Brondsted 1965 94">{{cite book | author= Johannes Brondsted | title= The Vikings | publisher= Penguin Books | date= 1965 | isbn= 0-14-020459-8 | page= [https://archive.org/details/vikings00brnd/page/94 94] | url= https://archive.org/details/vikings00brnd/page/94 }}</ref><ref name="The Viking World"/> However, Cnut later reconciled with Thorkell in 1023, seemingly aware of the strong connections and influence he had in his home country and that he was too powerful a man to be made an enemy of.<ref name="Johannes Brondsted 1965 94"/> As a result, he was granted the earldom of Denmark and given custody of Cnut's son [[Harthacnut]], to whom Thorkell would serve as foster-father.<ref name="Johannes Brondsted 1965 94"/><ref name="The Viking World"/> Thorkell's rule was a short one, with Cnut's brother-in-law [[Ulf the Earl]] to become Jarl of Denmark a year later.<ref>{{cite book | author= Gabriel Turville-Petre|title = The Heroic Age of Scandinavia |location=London |publisher= Greenwood Press | isbn= 0-8371-8128-3 | page=156}}</ref><ref name="Johannes Brondsted 1965 94"/> The perceived power vacuum<ref name=":0" /> of Thorkell's unexplained absence after 1023 and the commitment of Cnut in England, prompted King [[Olaf II of Norway]] and King [[Anund Jacob]] of Sweden to launch attacks on the Danish in the [[Baltic Sea]]. The Swedish and Norwegian navies led by kings Anund Jacob and Olaf II lay in wait up the river for the navy of King Cnut, which was commanded by Danish earl [[Ulf Jarl]]. Now known as the [[Battle of Helgeå]], the decisive victory left Cnut the dominant leader in Scandinavia. | |||
Thorkell was celebrated in his lifetime by poets and monks, such as Joseph the Bard{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}. He also appeared in the Jomsvikinga Saga<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk|title=Jomsvikinga Saga|editor-last=Blake|editor-first=N. F.|date=1962|website=Viking Society Web Publications}}</ref> and on [[Orkesta Runestones|runestones]] for his exploits. Thorkell's proven shrewd nature and wisdom were well documented.<ref name=":0" /> The sometimes contradictory contemporary literature of the ''[[Encomium Emmae Reginae]]'' has Thorkell as being in service of, rather than the threat to, Cnut and Harthacnut's authority.<ref name=":0" /> It is known one of Thorkell's sons was a prominent member of Harthacnut's retinue; after the collapse and subsequent death of [[Harthacnut]] at the wedding feast of [[Tovi the Proud]] in 1042, Thorkell's wife and two sons were expelled from England. This was possibly linked to the intrigue that surrounded [[Magnus the Good]]'s letter of intention to invade the realm of Edward the Confessor, with the ambition to reunite the kingdoms of what is now described as the [[North Sea Empire]]. | There is no mention of Thorkell after 1023, and it is not known when and how he died.<ref name=odnb/> He was celebrated in his lifetime by poets and monks, such as Joseph the Bard{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}. He also appeared in the Jomsvikinga Saga<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk|title=Jomsvikinga Saga|editor-last=Blake|editor-first=N. F.|date=1962|website=Viking Society Web Publications}}</ref> and on [[Orkesta Runestones|runestones]] for his exploits. Thorkell's proven shrewd nature and wisdom were well documented.<ref name=":0" /> The sometimes contradictory contemporary literature of the ''[[Encomium Emmae Reginae]]'' has Thorkell as being in service of, rather than the threat to, Cnut and Harthacnut's authority.<ref name=":0" /> It is known one of Thorkell's sons was a prominent member of Harthacnut's retinue; after the collapse and subsequent death of [[Harthacnut]] at the wedding feast of [[Tovi the Proud]] in 1042, Thorkell's wife and two sons were expelled from England. This was possibly linked to the intrigue that surrounded [[Magnus the Good]]'s letter of intention to invade the realm of Edward the Confessor, with the ambition to reunite the kingdoms of what is now described as the [[North Sea Empire]]. | ||
==Family== | ==Family== | ||
Thorkell may have married a daughter of Æthelred the Unready called Wulfhild or Edith, who was the widow of [[Ulfcytel Snillingr]]. Thorkell had a son who accompanied Cnut back to England in 1023.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Richard|last =Abels |authorlink=| publisher = Oxford University Press | encyclopedia= Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | title= Thorkell the Tall [Þorkill inn Hávi], earl of East Anglia| year = 2004 | url =https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-27403 | accessdate= 30 March 2021|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/27403 |isbn =978-0-19-861412-8 | url-access=subscription }} {{ODNBsub}}</ref> | Thorkell may have married a daughter of Æthelred the Unready called Wulfhild or Edith, who was the widow of [[Ulfcytel Snillingr]]. Thorkell had a son who accompanied Cnut back to England in 1023.<ref name=odnb>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Richard|last =Abels |authorlink=| publisher = Oxford University Press | encyclopedia= Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | title= Thorkell the Tall [Þorkill inn Hávi], earl of East Anglia| year = 2004 | url =https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-27403 | accessdate= 30 March 2021|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/27403 |isbn =978-0-19-861412-8 | url-access=subscription }} {{ODNBsub}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 20:00, 29 June 2025
Template:Short description Thorkell the Tall (Old Norse: Þorke(ti)ll inn hávi) was a Danish warlord who prominently took part in battles in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. He was a son of the Scanian chieftain Strut-Harald, and a brother of Jarl Sigvaldi, Hemingr and Tófa.[1]
Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Main other
Background
Thorkell was said to be the chief commander of the legendary Jomsvikings and the stronghold of Jomsborg, on the Island of Wollin.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". He is also credited as having received the young Cnut the Great into his care and taken Cnut on raids.[2] The Encomium Emmae, a document concerning significant individuals in the Anglo-Scandinavian court in the early 1040s, describes Thorkell as a great war leader and warrior.[3]
Biography
Thorkell is a historical figure, but his career, especially its early part, is steeped in associations with the legendary Jomsvikings. Thorkell took part in the Battle of Hjörungavágr in 986 and in the Battle of Swold in 1000
Thorkell lead a campaign that ravaged most of Southern England Throughout the span of 3 years.[4] In August 1009, a large Danish army led by Thorkell the Tall landed on the shores of Sandwich. They first marched towards the city of Canterbury but were promptly paid 3000 pounds of silver by the people of Kent to sway the army from attacking.[5][6] They instead turned towards London and attempted to take the city several times, but were met with heavy resistance and ultimately abandoned their attack.[6][7]
On 8 September 1011 Thorkell’s army returned to Canterbury and besieged it for two weeks, eventually taking it through the treachery of a man named Ælfmaer, whose life had been previously saved by the archbishop of Canterbury, Ælfheah.[6] Thorkell and his men occupied Canterbury and took several hostages of importance, including Ælfheah himself, who was held prisoner for seven months. During the captivity, Ælfheah seems to have taken the opportunity to convert as many of the pagan Scandinavians as possible to Christianity, prompting tension.[3] The army demanded an extra 3000 pounds of silver for the release of the archbishop,[8] but Ælfheah bravely refused to be ransomed or have his people pay the invaders. As a consequence, Ælfheah was murdered by Thorkell's men during a drunken feast at Greenwich on 19 April 1012: the Scandinavians pelted him with the bones of cattle before one man finished him off with a blow to the back of the head with the butt of an axe. Thorkell was said to have tried his best to prevent the death of the archbishop, offering the attackers everything he possessed to stop the killing, save for his ship.[9] And someone, possibly Thorkell, is said to have carried the corpse to London the day after the murder.[3] Thorkell's army eventually ceased their attacks across Southern England, but only after a large series of danegeld payments were made, eventually culminating to 48,000 pounds of silver.[4][9]
Thorkell and his loyalists defected, taking 45 longships with them.[8][9] He and his men subsequently entered into the service of the English King Æthelred the Unready as mercenaries, for whom they fought in 1013 against the invasion of Danish King Sweyn Forkbeard and his son Cnut.[10]
During Cnut’s invasion of England, Thorkell had defected to Cnut’s side and abandoned the English, where he proceeded to fight five battles in one year against the English army, led by King Edmund Ironside. After the death of Edmund on 30 November 1016, Cnut became king of England and he divided the country into four earldoms – making Thorkell the Jarl of East Anglia.[11][12]
In 1021, for unknown reasons, Thorkell is very briefly described as falling out with Cnut, with the former being banished by the king and returning to Denmark.[13][12] However, Cnut later reconciled with Thorkell in 1023, seemingly aware of the strong connections and influence he had in his home country and that he was too powerful a man to be made an enemy of.[13] As a result, he was granted the earldom of Denmark and given custody of Cnut's son Harthacnut, to whom Thorkell would serve as foster-father.[13][12] Thorkell's rule was a short one, with Cnut's brother-in-law Ulf the Earl to become Jarl of Denmark a year later.[14][13] The perceived power vacuum[3] of Thorkell's unexplained absence after 1023 and the commitment of Cnut in England, prompted King Olaf II of Norway and King Anund Jacob of Sweden to launch attacks on the Danish in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish and Norwegian navies led by kings Anund Jacob and Olaf II lay in wait up the river for the navy of King Cnut, which was commanded by Danish earl Ulf Jarl. Now known as the Battle of Helgeå, the decisive victory left Cnut the dominant leader in Scandinavia.
There is no mention of Thorkell after 1023, and it is not known when and how he died.[15] He was celebrated in his lifetime by poets and monks, such as Joseph the BardScript error: No such module "Unsubst".. He also appeared in the Jomsvikinga Saga[16] and on runestones for his exploits. Thorkell's proven shrewd nature and wisdom were well documented.[3] The sometimes contradictory contemporary literature of the Encomium Emmae Reginae has Thorkell as being in service of, rather than the threat to, Cnut and Harthacnut's authority.[3] It is known one of Thorkell's sons was a prominent member of Harthacnut's retinue; after the collapse and subsequent death of Harthacnut at the wedding feast of Tovi the Proud in 1042, Thorkell's wife and two sons were expelled from England. This was possibly linked to the intrigue that surrounded Magnus the Good's letter of intention to invade the realm of Edward the Confessor, with the ambition to reunite the kingdoms of what is now described as the North Sea Empire.
Family
Thorkell may have married a daughter of Æthelred the Unready called Wulfhild or Edith, who was the widow of Ulfcytel Snillingr. Thorkell had a son who accompanied Cnut back to England in 1023.[15]
References
Further reading
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
External links
Note
Template:S-end- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Howard, Ian, Swein Forkbeard's Invasions and the Danish Conquest of England, 991–1017, Boydell & Brewer (2003), pg. 44
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Template:ODNBsub
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".