Hans Christian Andersen meets King Canute/Knud

We are in the centre of Odense, Denmark's third largest city, taking a walk along the bank of the river Aafart. You can see in the photo a family group; they have just left a playground next to the river. Beyond them is a red brick gothic church.

Many things here in the town centre are on a small scale, a little like Thumbelina: the houses, the river, the island in its middle. Nearby there is a childrens' playground, a tall statue of Hans Christian Andersen (who was VERY tall), and a SMALL cathedral, which happens to be the red brick church which you can see: the cathedral of King Knud IV the Martyr.


A confusion of Knuds and martyrs

King Knud IV was the grandson of Estrid. And she was sister of Canute the Great of England - a.k.a. King Knud II of Denmark - the man best remembered for washing his feet in Swanage Bay. Lots of people do that nowadays.

(And just in case you were wondering, the intermediate K III was a son of K II, and known by the nickname Hardeknud. Only the book "1066 and All That" will fully enlighten you on these Knud-related nicknames.)

K IV's policy was one of strengthening the church, increasing his own power, at the same time controlling and alienating both the Danish nobility and the peasantry.

K IV knew that his claim to the English throne was every bit as strong as that of William the Bastard (as he was then called). In 1086, in order to oust William, he ordered an armada of 1,060 ships with which to invade England. The fleet never materialised. The expedition had to be paid for, and to this end he unwisely imposed a poll tax on the peasantry. The outcome result was a rapidly spreading rebellion, which resulted in Knud's violent death on church property where he had taken refuge. Thus he was a martyr.

(All rulers since that date are thus aware of the dangers of levying a poll tax; only the most obdurate of them decide to risk martyrdom.)

One thing which K IV clearly was NOT was a patient man. If he had waited for just another year, William I would have been dead.


Hans Christian Andersen

This multi-talented genius and prolific writer was born in Odense. He was best known for his fairy tales, but these were only a small part of his writings.

Odense is home to many sculptures on the theme of H C Andersen and his stories. Most sculptures are whimsical, some are just spooky, some are very weird indeed. If you don't look for them, they will come and find you anyway.