The Children of Sweyn, Part 1

King Sweyn II of Denmark (c.1019 - 1076) had two wives and numerous mistresses, resulting in about 20 children. His first wife was Gyda of Sweden, who we are told by later chronicles was the daughter of King of Sweden Anund Jacob and (perhaps) Queen Gunnhildr Sveinsdóttir. The marriage was short-lived, and Adam of Bremen suspects she was poisoned by Thora, a concubine of Sweyn. His second marriage was to Gyda's (step?) mother, Gunnhildr, after Anund Jacob died (c.1050). Although they had a son (Sweyn), Bishop Adalbert of Hamburg ended the marriage by threatening excommunication because the husband was too closely related to his wife/mother-in-law. Gunhild returned to Sweden.Sweyn never re-married that we know of, but that did not stop him from fathering children. His legitimate child by Gunhild died young. Of his known children, many survived and become known to history.Harald III Hen, born c.1050, became king after his father, reigning from 1076 to 1080. The election to succeed Sweyn…