How did Sweyn Forkbeard become king of England?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Exhumed Viking ship with a tall, curved prow on display inside the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway, surrounded by stone flooring and visitors in the background. — Viking Exhumed Viking ship; in the Viking Ship Museum, Oslo, Norway.

Sweyn Forkbeard, a prominent Viking leader and king of Denmark, became king of England through a combination of retaliatory military campaigns and the exhaustion of the English state.12

Following the St. Brice’s Day massacre of Danes in England in 1002, Sweyn led several punitive expeditions against the country. By 1013, the English, worn down by years of continuous warfare and the heavy financial burden of paying Danegeld to buy off invaders, were no longer able to sustain resistance.12

During his 1013 campaign, Sweyn led a highly successful invasion that forced the English king Ethelred II into exile in Normandy. By the end of that year, the English accepted Sweyn as their king. His reign was short-lived, however, as he died in February 1014, less than a year after his victory.123