ABSTRACT
Cnut was the son of Sweyn the Viking and in many respects his character bore resemblance to that of his terrible father; especially does he seem to have inherited the elder monarch's remarkable shrewdness and love for diplomatic methods, but he was less violent and bloodthirsty. The English church enjoyed Cnut's favor from the very beginning: the king was a Christian, and, furthermore, he no doubt saw in the Church a mighty force that should not be antagonized. The army that conquered England for Cnut was no doubt also largely heathen. It seems therefore safe to assume that during the early years of the new reign the worship of Woden was carried on in various places on English soil, surely in the Danish camps, possibly also in some of the Danish settlements. Both in Denmark and in England the situation was therefore such that it might give Cnut some concern. It was time for a more definite policy of conciliation.
