Harthacnut AD 1035-1042 Silver Penny Jewel Cross type, Winchester

Harthacnut AD 1035-1042 Silver Penny Jewel Cross type

Diademed bust left/Jewel Cross

Winchester/ SPILMAN

S1166, 17mm, 1.06g

A nice example with dark tone, a few peck marks showing that it passed through the hands of a Viking at some point before being lost.

This coin comes with a previous handwritten label

Harthacnut – 1040-1042: Harthacnut was Cnut’s son by Æthelred II’s widowed queen – Emma of Normandy. As such, he enjoyed premier status as a ‘proper’ prince, both of his parents being duly classed as royalty. Unable to travel to England on the death of Cnut due to uprisings in Scandinavia that required his attention, Harthacnut was forced to accept the rule of his lower-born brother over England as he sought to stabilise the situation. Although initially planning to invade in 1039, his half-brother’s premature death resulted in a relatively peaceful transfer of power. However, Harthacnut exacted his vengeance by having Harold’s body dug up and scattered. His rule was short but nonetheless bloody – characterised by high taxation and friction in the upper echelons of his government. A man who often ate and drank to excess, it is perhaps no surprise that Harthacnut died young at a wedding party, drink in hand!