SVEND Estridsen, son of ULF Thrugilson [WULFSIGE Sprakling] & his wife Estrid [Margrete] Svendsdatter of Denmark ([1020]-Søderup[322] [28] Apr 1074, bur Roskilde Cathedral). Adam of Bremen names "Bern ducem et Suein regem" as sons of "Wolf duci Angliæ" & his wife[323]. Morkinskinna names “Sveinn” as son of “Jarl Úlfr sprakalegge and the lady Ástrídr”[324]. He fled to Sweden after the death of his father[325]. Created Jarl in 1042 by Magnus King of Norway. He claimed Denmark on the death of his cousin Hardeknud, but Magnus II "the Good" King of Norway also claimed the Danish throne based on an alleged agreement with Hardeknud before the latter's death. King Magnus invaded Denmark and was master of most of the country before the end of 1046. Magnus King of Norway died on an expedition against Svend Estridsen, who was able to succeed in 1047 as SVEND II King of Denmark. The Chronicon Roskildense records the succession of "Sven, regis Gambliknut ex sorore nepos filius Estrid et Ulf", adding that he had "filios filiasque ex diversis mulieribus"[326]. He was defeated by Harald III "Hardråde" King of Norway at Nissa in1062, but made peace with Norway at Gota in 1064. Orderic Vitalis records that “Suenus rex Danorum” sent a fleet led by “duos...filios suos et Osbernum fratrem suum” to attack England, that they were repulsed at Dover, Sandwich and Ipswich, and at Norwich by “Radulfus de Guader”, that they were joined by “Adelinus, Guallevus, Siguardus” but defeated on the Humber, entered York headed by “Guallevus...Gaius Patricius, Marius Suenus, Elnocinus, Archillus et quatuor filii Karoli” but were eventually expelled, dated to 1069[327]. Saxo Grammaticus says that King Svend was "famed for his generosity, remarkablybenevolent",encouraged the building of churches and the spread ofChristianity, but "soiledthis spotless conduct only by the excesses of his lust"[328]. According to William of Malmesbury, King Svend bound the inhabitants of Denmark by oath that "as he had 14 sons, they should confer the kingdom on each of them in succession as long as his issue remained"[329]. Simeon of Durham records the death in 1076 of "Suane king of theDanes…a man wellimbued with learning"[330]. The Chronicon Roskildense records the death in 1074 of "rex Danorum Sveno Magnus in Iucia" after reigning for 31 years and his burial "Roskildie"[331].
m firstly ([1052], divorced 1054) as her second husband, GUNHILD Svensdatter, widow of ANUND JAKOB King of Sweden, daughter of Jarl SVEN Haakonsson & his wife Holmfrid of Sweden (-1060 or after). Adam of Bremen refers to the marriage of "rex iuvenis Suein" and "consanguineam a Suedia", the king being threatened with excommunication by the Archbishop of Bremen and papal letters, his wife being named "Gunhild [vel Giuthe] reginam" in a later passage which records that after her separation she devoted herself to charitable activities on her estates[332]. Snorre records that "Gunhild, Earl Svein's other daughter" was married to "the Danish king Svein Ulfson"[333]. Her parentage is referred to in Knytlinga Saga[334].
m secondly (divorced 1055) GYDA, daughter of --- (bur Gudheim). Adam of Bremen names Gyda as King Svend's legitimate queen, adding that she was poisoned by Thora[335]. She was the same person as King Svend's first wife shown above, according to Saxo Grammaticus[336].
m thirdly THORA, daughter of ---. Adam of Bremen names Gyda as King Svend's legitimate queen, adding that she was poisoned by Thora[337]. According to Brenner[338], she was Thora Thorbergsdatter, mistress of Harald III “Hardråde” King of Norway, daughter of Thorberg Arnesson [Arnung] from Giske, married after the death of King Harald although there appears to be no direct evidence to corroborate this. Christiansen considers that the identification is far-fetched[339], in view of whatmust have been her age at the time of the supposed marriage: it is likely that she was born in [1020/25] considering the likely birth dates of her sons by King Harald. There appears to be another chronological problem: the proposed consecration of Thora's son Magnus at Rome is best explained if he was King Svend's oldest son, which would place his birth (and therefore hisparents' marriage) in the late 1030s/early 1040s. Another oddity is that Thora would have given the same name to her son by King Svend as her older son by King Harald.