Welcome to the British History Podcast. My name is Jamie and this is Episode 342, King

Canute of Denmark and England. This show is ad-free due to member support and it's

a way of thanking members for keeping the show independent, I offer members only content,

including extra episodes and rough transcripts. You can get instant access to all the members

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If you've already heard about King Canute, then probably what you have heard was the story

about King Canute and the tides. The most common version of it goes like this.

Quote,

Canute, the greatest and most powerful monarch of his time, sovereign of Denmark and Norway as well

could not fail of meeting with ad-ulation from his courtiers. A tribute which is literally

paid to even the meanest and weakest of princes. Some of his flatters, breaking out one day in

admiration of his grandeur, exclaimed that everything was possible for him. Upon which the monarch

had said, ordered his chair to be set on the sea shore while the tide was rising. And as the

waters approached, he commanded them to retire and to obey the voice who was Lord of the ocean.

He feigned to sit some time in expectation of their submission, but when the sea still advanced

towards him and began to wash him with its billows, he turned to his courtiers and remarked to them

that every creature in the universe was feeble and impotent and that power resided with one being

in whose hands were all the elements of nature. Who could say to the ocean, thus far

shall thou go and no farther, and who could level with his nod the most towering piles of human

pride and ambition?" End quote. Now that was the account handed down to us by David Hume,

but David Hume was writing in the 18th century, meaning that Canute had been dead for about 700

...