From 1016-1035 England and some Celtic lands were ruled by this Viking king.

To mark the millennium of Cnut's conquest, which brought together large parts of Britain, Denmark and Norway into a maritime empire, the Maritime Museum will be hosting a conference in March 2016.

The talk on October 21 acts as a precursor to this and complements the Museum's epic Viking Voyagers exhibition, which has seen over 100,000 visitors since its opening.

Professor Brown says: "Cnut's empire stretched from the Atlantic seaboard to Byzantium and yet, other than tales of him trying to turn back the tide, our knowledge of this Danish ruler is hazy. Come along to discover the impact Cnut had on the history of these islands and his maritime legacy."

The talk, entitled King Cnut – Holding Back the Tide is from 6.30pm on Wednesday, October 21 at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Tickets costs £7 and include access to the Viking Voyagers exhibition from 5.30pm. To book your place please call 01326 214546.