In the story, Canute demonstrates to his flattering courtiers that he has no control over the elements (the incoming tide), explaining that secular power is vain compared to the supreme power of God. The episode is frequently alluded to in contexts where the futility of "trying to stop the tide" of an inexorable event is pointed out, but usually misrepresenting Canute as believing he had supernatural powers, when Huntingdon's story in fact relates the opposite.
Henry of Huntingdon tells the story as one of three examples of Canute's "graceful and magnificent" behaviour (outside of his bravery in warfare),[1] the other two being his arrangement of the marriage of his daughter to the later Holy Roman Emperor, and the negotiation of a reduction in tolls on the roads across Gaul to Rome at the imperial coronation of 1027.
In Huntingdon's account, Canute set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the incoming tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes. Yet "continuing to rise as usual [the tide] dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person. Then the king leapt backwards, saying: 'Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.'" He then hung his gold crown on a crucifix, and never wore it again "to the honour of God the almighty King".[2]
Later historians repeated the story, most of them adjusting it to have Canute more clearly aware that the tides would not obey him, and staging the scene to rebuke the flattery of his courtiers. There are also earlier parallels in Celtic stories of men who commanded the tides, namely Saint Illtud of Glamorgan, Maelgwn, king of Gwynedd, and Tuirbe, of Tuirbe's Strand in Brittany.[3]
Proverbial reference
Proverbial reference to the legend in modern journalism or politics usually casts the story in terms of "Canute's arrogance" of "attempting to stop the tide". As to usage, however, The Economist's Style Guide writes:
Canute’s exercise on the seashore was designed to persuade his courtiers of what he knew to be true but they doubted, ie, that he was not omnipotent. Don’t imply he was surprised to get his feet wet.[4]
It was cited, for example, by Stacy Head as typifying the New Orleans city council's response to Hurricane Katrina (2005), or by Mark Stephens in reference to Ryan Giggs as "the King Canute of football" for his attempts of stopping "the unstoppable tide of information" on the internet in the 2011 British privacy injunctions controversy. This, and many other popular representations, are a misrepresentation of Huntingdon's account, in which Canute uses the tide to demonstrate his precise inability to control the elements and his deference to the greater authority of God.[5]
Political power or office often gives those who possess it the illusion that they control events. That, after all, is the reason why the story of King Canute retains, and will always retain, its relevance to the current political situation.[6]
Warren Burger, the Chief Justice of the United States, mentions Canute in the 1980 decision Diamond v. Chakrabarty (447 U.S. 303), stating the denial of a patent for a micro-organism "is not likely to put an end to genetic research".[7] Burger likens doing so to Canute commanding the tides.
Historicity and possible location
The contemporary Encomium Emmae has no mention of the episode, which has been taken as indicating its ahistoricity, as it would seem that so pious a dedication might have been recorded there since the same source gives an "eye-witness account of his lavish gifts to the monasteries and poor of St Omer when on the way to Rome, and of the tears and breast-beating which accompanied them".[8]
Goscelin, writing later in the 11th century, instead has Canute place his crown on a crucifix at Winchester one Easter with no mention of the sea and "with the explanation that the king of kings was more worthy of it than he". Nevertheless, there may be a "basis of fact, in a planned act of piety" behind this story.[8]
On the other hand, Malcolm Godden says the story is simply "a 12th Century legend... and those 12th Century historians were always making up stories about kings from Anglo-Saxon times".[5]
The site of the episode is often identified as Thorney Island (now known as Westminster), where Canute set up a royal palace during his reign over London.[9][10]Thorney Island is also a small peninsula within Chichester harbour, very close to another claimed location, Bosham, and conflictingly a sign on Southampton city centre's Canute Road reads, "Near this spot AD 1028 Canute reproved his courtiers".[11][12]Bosham in West Sussex also claims to be the site of this episode, as does Gainsborough in Lincolnshire.[citation needed] As Gainsborough is inland, if the story is true then Canute would have been trying to turn back the tidal bore known as the aegir. Another tradition places this episode on the north coast of the Wirral,[13] which at the time was part of Mercia.
^Theodore Dalrymple, Droning over the Caucasus 2014-04-19 at the Wayback Machine, The Salisbury Review, 4 March 2014.
^"Diamond V. Chakrabarty | Findlaw". Caselaw.findlaw.com. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
^ abLawson, M. K., Cnut – England's Viking King, Stroud: Tempus (2nd ed. 2004), p. 125.
^The Palace of Westminster Factsheet G11, General Series, Revised March 2008
^Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Living Heritage. History of the Parliamentary Estate: Anglo-Saxon origins
^. Archaeological Sites. Southampton City Council. January 2001. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
^"Google Maps, Canute Road Southampton". Retrieved 11 March 2012.
^Harding, Stephen (2016). Ingimund's Saga: Viking Wirral (3rd ed.). University of Chester. p. 178. ISBN978-1-908258-30-4.
External links
J. P. Sommerville, King Canute (= Cnut) and the waves
April 08, 2023
king, canute, tide, story, apocryphal, anecdote, illustrating, piety, humility, king, canute, great, recorded, 12th, century, henry, huntingdon, canute, rebukes, courtiers, alphonse, marie, adolphe, neuville, story, canute, demonstrates, flattering, courtiers,. The story of King Canute and the tide is an apocryphal anecdote illustrating the piety or humility of King Canute the Great recorded in the 12th century by Henry of Huntingdon Canute Rebukes His Courtiers by Alphonse Marie Adolphe de Neuville In the story Canute demonstrates to his flattering courtiers that he has no control over the elements the incoming tide explaining that secular power is vain compared to the supreme power of God The episode is frequently alluded to in contexts where the futility of trying to stop the tide of an inexorable event is pointed out but usually misrepresenting Canute as believing he had supernatural powers when Huntingdon s story in fact relates the opposite Contents 1 The episode 2 Proverbial reference 3 Historicity and possible location 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksThe episode EditHenry of Huntingdon tells the story as one of three examples of Canute s graceful and magnificent behaviour outside of his bravery in warfare 1 the other two being his arrangement of the marriage of his daughter to the later Holy Roman Emperor and the negotiation of a reduction in tolls on the roads across Gaul to Rome at the imperial coronation of 1027 In Huntingdon s account Canute set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the incoming tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes Yet continuing to rise as usual the tide dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person Then the king leapt backwards saying Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings for there is none worthy of the name but He whom heaven earth and sea obey by eternal laws He then hung his gold crown on a crucifix and never wore it again to the honour of God the almighty King 2 Later historians repeated the story most of them adjusting it to have Canute more clearly aware that the tides would not obey him and staging the scene to rebuke the flattery of his courtiers There are also earlier parallels in Celtic stories of men who commanded the tides namely Saint Illtud of Glamorgan Maelgwn king of Gwynedd and Tuirbe of Tuirbe s Strand in Brittany 3 Proverbial reference EditProverbial reference to the legend in modern journalism or politics usually casts the story in terms of Canute s arrogance of attempting to stop the tide As to usage however The Economist s Style Guide writes Canute s exercise on the seashore was designed to persuade his courtiers of what he knew to be true but they doubted ie that he was not omnipotent Don t imply he was surprised to get his feet wet 4 It was cited for example by Stacy Head as typifying the New Orleans city council s response to Hurricane Katrina 2005 or by Mark Stephens in reference to Ryan Giggs as the King Canute of football for his attempts of stopping the unstoppable tide of information on the internet in the 2011 British privacy injunctions controversy This and many other popular representations are a misrepresentation of Huntingdon s account in which Canute uses the tide to demonstrate his precise inability to control the elements and his deference to the greater authority of God 5 Theodore Dalrymple refers to the story without misattributing motives of arrogance to Canute in the context of the British reaction to the Ukraine crisis 2014 saying Political power or office often gives those who possess it the illusion that they control events That after all is the reason why the story of King Canute retains and will always retain its relevance to the current political situation 6 Warren Burger the Chief Justice of the United States mentions Canute in the 1980 decision Diamond v Chakrabarty 447 U S 303 stating the denial of a patent for a micro organism is not likely to put an end to genetic research 7 Burger likens doing so to Canute commanding the tides Historicity and possible location EditThe contemporary Encomium Emmae has no mention of the episode which has been taken as indicating its ahistoricity as it would seem that so pious a dedication might have been recorded there since the same source gives an eye witness account of his lavish gifts to the monasteries and poor of St Omer when on the way to Rome and of the tears and breast beating which accompanied them 8 Goscelin writing later in the 11th century instead has Canute place his crown on a crucifix at Winchester one Easter with no mention of the sea and with the explanation that the king of kings was more worthy of it than he Nevertheless there may be a basis of fact in a planned act of piety behind this story 8 On the other hand Malcolm Godden says the story is simply a 12th Century legend and those 12th Century historians were always making up stories about kings from Anglo Saxon times 5 The site of the episode is often identified as Thorney Island now known as Westminster where Canute set up a royal palace during his reign over London 9 10 Thorney Island is also a small peninsula within Chichester harbour very close to another claimed location Bosham and conflictingly a sign on Southampton city centre s Canute Road reads Near this spot AD 1028 Canute reproved his courtiers 11 12 Bosham in West Sussex also claims to be the site of this episode as does Gainsborough in Lincolnshire citation needed As Gainsborough is inland if the story is true then Canute would have been trying to turn back the tidal bore known as the aegir Another tradition places this episode on the north coast of the Wirral 13 which at the time was part of Mercia See also EditCultural depictions of Cnut the Great Xerxes I s whipping of the HellespontReferences Edit Enimvero extra numerum bellorum quibus maxime splenduit tria gessit eleganter amp magnifice Henry of Huntingdon The Chronicle p 199 Lord Raglan Cnut and the Waves Man Vol 60 January 1960 pp 7 8 Style Guide 9th ed The Economist August 2005 p 22 ISBN 978 1 86197 916 2 a b Is King Canute misunderstood BBC news story Theodore Dalrymple Droning over the Caucasus Archived 2014 04 19 at the Wayback Machine The Salisbury Review 4 March 2014 Diamond V Chakrabarty Findlaw Caselaw findlaw com Retrieved 2016 11 25 a b Lawson M K Cnut England s Viking King Stroud Tempus 2nd ed 2004 p 125 The Palace of Westminster Factsheet G11 General Series Revised March 2008 Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Living Heritage History of the Parliamentary Estate Anglo Saxon origins Canute Castle Hotel Archaeological Sites Southampton City Council January 2001 Archived from the original on 28 April 2012 Retrieved 21 March 2012 Google Maps Canute Road Southampton Retrieved 11 March 2012 Harding Stephen 2016 Ingimund s Saga Viking Wirral 3rd ed University of Chester p 178 ISBN 978 1 908258 30 4 External links EditJ P Sommerville King Canute Cnut and the waves Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title King Canute and the tide amp oldid 1143791785, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
