From the conquest of that country and its union with Denmark, the Danish mission received
a vigorous impulse. King Swen himself was converted, and showed great zeal for Christianity. He
rebuilt the church in Roeskilde, erected a new church at Lund, in Skaane, placed the sign of the
cross on his coins, and exhorted, on his death-bed, his son Canute to work for the Christianization
of Denmark. The ardor of the Hamburg-Bremen archbishops for the Danish mission seemed at this
time to have cooled, or perhaps the growing difference between the language spoken to the north
of the Eyder and that spoken to the south of that river made missionary work in Denmark very
difficult for a German preacher. Ansgar had not felt this difference; but two centuries later it had
probably become necessary for the German missionary to learn a foreign language before entering
on his work in Denmark.
Between England and Denmark there existed no such difference of language. King Canute
the Great, during whose reign (1019–1035) the conversion of Denmark was completed, could
employ English priests and monks in Denmark without the least embarrassment. He re-established
the bishopric of Fünen, and founded two new bishoprics in Sealand and Skaane; and these three
sees were filled with Englishmen consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury. He invited a number
of English monks to Denmark, and settled them partly as ecclesiastics at the churches, partly in
small missionary stations, scattered all around in the country; and everywhere, in the style of the
church-building and in the character of the service the English influence was predominating. This
circumstance, however, did in no way affect the ecclesiastical relation between Denmark and the
archiepiscopal see of Hamburg-Bremen. The authority of the archbishop, though not altogether
unassailed, was nevertheless generally submitted to with good grace, and until in the twelfth century
an independent Scandinavian archbishopric was established at Lund, with the exception of the
above cases, he always appointed and consecrated the Danish bishops. Also the relation to the Pope
was very cordial. Canute made a pilgrimage to Rome, and founded several Hospitia Danorum there.
He refused, however, to permit the introduction of the Peter’s pence in Denmark, and the tribute
which, up to the fourteenth century, was annually sent from that country to Rome, was considered
a voluntary gift.
The last part of Denmark which was converted was the island of Bornholm. It was
christianized in 1060 by Bishop Egius of Lund. It is noticeable, however, that in Denmark
Christianity was not made a part of the law of the land, such as was the case in England and in
Norway.
§ 30. The Christianization of Sweden.
Rimbertus: Vita Ansgarii, in Pertz: Monumenta II.
Adamus Bremensis: Gesta Ham. Eccl. Pont., in Pertz: Monumenta VII; separate edition by
Lappenberg. Hanover, 1846.
Historia S. Sigfridi, in Scriptt. Rer. Suec. Medii-oevi, T. II.
Just when the expulsion of Harald Klak compelled Ansgar to give up the Danish mission, at
least for the time being, an embassy was sent by the Swedish king, Björn, to the emperor, Lewis
the Pious, asking him to send Christian missionaries to Sweden. Like the Danes, the Swedes had
become acquainted with Christianity through their wars and commercial connections with foreign
countries, and with many this acquaintance appears to have awakened an actual desire to become