'King Canutethe Dane', 1732. Portrait of Cnut the Great in an oval frame surmounted by a coat of arms, with runes, flaming torches, swords, arrows and coins. Below is a vignette illustrating Cnut sitting in his throne as the tide comes in. He supposedly demonstrated to flattering courtiers that being a mere human, the sea would not obey him, and God alone can command the tides. Cnut (c995-1035), also known as Canute, King of Denmark, England and Norway.