AHC/WI: Modern Danelaw

What if the Danelaw survived to the modern day, either as part of Denmark, or more likely as an independent North Germanic-speaking country? How could this happen? How would this affect the geopolitics of the British Isles?
 
It's difficult because the Norse were very ready to assimilate to the structures and cultures that already existed making their impact a lot more subtle in Ireland, England, Normandy, and Russia. Danelaw was also not a realm but a collection of independent realms with varying levels of Danish influence and a military frontier. When Danelaw declined, Vikings conquered England twice, anyway, so its end wasn't the end of Norse influence.

The best bet for lasting Danish influence in England is probably either having the Norse win the Battle of Edington in 878 and pre-empting the frontier between Danelaw and the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Hence, the longest possible time for a slow steady settlement. Or waiting until after William the Conqueror and having Sweyn II invade in 1069 and establish a "brand new" Danish regime and nobility at a time that Denmark would also be a lot wealthier than before and so the conquered England would be more clearly "Danish dominated" than previous attempts, with the English nobility already having been decimated by the Normans.
 
I mean, it sounds like (as @SeaCambrian alludes to) that you want a surviving North Sea Empire which is a cool concept.

Personally, the major problem you need to resolve is its institutions - i.e. how to keep it united, and it seems the most sensible way would be to solidify his realms continuance by instituting an elective feudal system. That means that at least regionally, there is less hostility towards a single unifying monarchy, and both local politics and Imperial politics are unified and consensual.

Essentially have it so that during Cnuts conquest, kill the royal families of the lands conquered, but then have it so that the people via a Thing acclaim an Earl, and the Earls proclaim a King from their number, and the King serves under Cnut (or the Emperor/KingOfKings, etc). The have Cnut be Emperor, King of Denmark and Norway, but still the liege of England.

Have him call for Things to regularly elect a successor in his domains for Kings, and have those Kings declare after their victory who they want to succeed Cnut. This does lead to a few repeats in Denmark and Norway until Cnut grants the title to the elected, but outside of that the Kings vote from amongst themselves. then means that there is a clear heirarchy of feudal elector that will succeed him.

Basically

Regular Things to declare an Earl's successor.
Regular Things of Earls to declare a Kings successor.
Regular Things of Kings to declare an Emperors successor.

So apart from really doing the whole consent thing, it means that local issues are governed locally. It creates a weak Empire at first (I mean, it broke on Cnuts death, so it already was) but their joint strength can be useful against larger threats, and the peaceful north sea will enable it to become a Northern Mare Nostrum.
 
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