King Canute the Great was a Norse king who ruled over a North Sea empire in the early 11th century. He was the son of King Sweyn Forkbeard and became king of England, Denmark, and Norway. Canute is known for his efforts to unify these territories and strengthen their economies. Canute's reign lasted from 1016 to 1035, during which he implemented laws and promoted Christianity. He is often remembered for a famous legend where he attempted to demonstrate to his courtiers that even a king could not control nature, by ordering the tide not to rise.