Harold Harefoot

The son of Cnut the Great and Ælfgifu of Northampton, Harold was elected regent of England in 1035 after his father's death, ruling in place of his brother Harthacnut, who was stuck in Denmark dealing with a Norwegian rebellion. He wanted the crown from the start, but the Archbishop of Canterbury refused to crown him until 1037, when Earl Leofric and others forced the issue. That same year his step-brothers Edward and Alfred returned with a military force; Earl Godwin seized Alfred and handed him to Harold's men, who blinded him en route to Ely - he died of the wounds. Harold died on 17 March 1040 after five years in power. Harthacnut returned, took the kingdom peacefully, then had Harold's body dragged from its grave at Westminster and thrown into a Thames-side fen, where a fisherman reportedly pulled it out and buried it in a Danish cemetery.