Editing Sweyn II of Denmark (section)

===Consolidation of power===
[[File:Coin king of denmark sven estridsen.jpg|thumb|right|140px|Coin of Sweyn II.]]
[[File:Sven Estridson coin pendant from Mildenhall Suffolk.jpg|thumb|right|140px|Sven Estridson coin pendant, found in [[Mildenhall, Suffolk|Mildenhall]], [[Suffolk]]. [[British Museum]].]]
[[File:Sven Estridssen.jpg|thumb|140px|Coin of Sven Estridson. [[British Museum]].]]
Sweyn's connection to the Danish kings was his mother Estrid Svendsdatter, and he took the [[matronymic]] surname Estridsson after her, emphasizing his link to the Danish royal house.<ref name="pajung"/> He also minted his own coins.

Sweyn sought to consolidate his power through links to the church as well as foreign powers, and actively sought the friendship of the popes.<ref name="bricka"/> He wanted his eldest son [[Knud Magnus]] crowned by the Pope, but Knud died on the journey to Rome. He also unsuccessfully pressed for [[Harald Bluetooth]], the first Christian king of Denmark, to be [[Sanctification|sanctified]]. He was an ally of [[Emperor Henry III]] against Count [[Baldwin V of Flanders]] in 1049, and Sweyn assisted his son-in-law [[Gottschalk (Obotrite prince)|Gottschalk]] in the [[Liutizi Civil War]] of 1057.<ref name="pajung"/>

After Harald Hardrada was killed, and [[William the Conqueror]] had conquered England, Sweyn turned his attention to England, once ruled by his uncle Canute the Great. He joined forces with [[Edgar Atheling]], the last remaining heir of the [[Anglo-Saxon]] royal house, and [[Danish attacks on Norman England|sent a force]] to attack king William in 1069. However, after capturing [[York]], Sweyn accepted a payment from William to desert Edgar, who then returned into exile in [[Scotland]]. Sweyn failed another attempt in 1074/1075.<ref name="pajung"/>