LECTURE: Canute the Great and the Battle of Helgeå 1026

Anders Lundt Hansen returns to Roskilde Museum with a lecture on Canute the Great and the Battle of Helgeå - exactly 1000 years after Denmark's fate was decided on a late summer's day in Scania. Here Canute the Great, king of England and Denmark, fought against Norwegian, Swedish and Danish nobles. The battle was not unusually bloody, but had it gone the other way, Denmark would have become a completely different country - if it had emerged at all.

As "history detectives" we must carefully sort through sources full of mistakes, false leads and tall tales. The lecture brings the pieces together and shows how the Battle of Helgeå became a turning point in Danish history. It draws on Anders Lundt Hansen's book 1026 - Canute the Great and the Battle for Denmark (Lindhardt & Ringhof, August 2026). He is also the author of Denmark - the First 1000 Years (Lindhardt and Ringhof, 2023) and King Harald's Ring Fortresses - a Journey Through Denmark in the Year 984 (Lindhardt and Ringhof, 2024) - the latter was behind the sold-out lecture he gave at the museum in spring.

The lecture is arranged in collaboration with Roskilde Museum Association. Members of the association have free admission - but must book a free ticket to bring to the lecture. Others pay 100 kr. (+ fee). Tickets are purchased via Billetto. Read more at roskildemuseum.dk.

📍 Roskilde Museum, Sankt Ols Stræde 3, 4000 Roskilde
⏰ 17 November 19:00-21:00