<P> In 1018 AD the House of Knýtlinga brought the crowns of Denmark and England together under a personal union . At the height of its power, in the years 1028--1030, the House reigned over Denmark, England and Norway . After the death of Cnut the Great's heirs within a decade of his own death and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the legacy of the Knýtlinga was largely lost to history . </P> <P> The House of Knýtlinga ruled the Kingdom of England from 1013 to 1014 and from 1016 to 1042 . </P> <P> In 1013 Sweyn Forkbeard, already the king of Denmark and of Norway, overthrew King Æthelred the Unready of the House of Wessex . Sweyn had first invaded England in 1003 to avenge the death of his sister Gunhilde and many other Danes in the St. Brice's Day massacre, which had been ordered by Æthelred in 1002 . </P> <P> Sweyn died in 1014 and Æthelred was restored . However, in 1015 Sweyn's son, Cnut the Great, invaded England . After Æthelred died in April 1016, his son Edmund Ironside briefly became king, but was forced to surrender half of England to Cnut . After Edmund died in November that same year, Cnut became king of all England . </P>

Who was the first danish king to rule england