Adam of Bremen As Sole Primary Source
The only primary source about Harthacnut of Denmark are two clauses from Adam of Bremen (1,52 and 1,55).
1,52 reads: king Sveins son, Hardegon in the oldest manuscript which was later changed to king Sveins son, Harthacnut but also changed to king Sveins son, Athelstan.
1,55 says Hardecnudth Vurm, a double name not uncommon in that era, later changed to Hardecnudths son, Vurm but also changed to Athelstan Vurm. Historians generally agree that Vurm (English: worm or serpent) is a German rendering of the Danish name Gorm, which allows for an interpretation that Harthacnut and Gorm were originally the same person. 1,56 says as Vurm been attacked of King Heinrich I (916-936). That attack was in 934 and Widukind 1.40 say the Danish kings name was Chnuba.
Even though Adam names king Sweyn Estridsson as his source, this does not preclude the possibility of errors on his part. Adam's history contains other statements that are rejected or deemed unlikely by historians.
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