Canute the Great, also known as Cnut the Great, was a king of Denmark, England, Norway, and parts of Sweden. He ruled over a vast North Sea empire from 1016 to 1035. Canute is best known for his attempts to control the tides, which is often misinterpreted as a display of arrogance. In reality, the story is likely a metaphor for his humility and acknowledgment of his own limitations. Canute was a skilled military leader and a shrewd politician, and he is remembered as one of the most effective rulers of the Viking Age.