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King Cnut and the Tide ▢｜Definition｜1st｜20260915190852-00-⌔
King Cnut and the tide - Wikipedia
King Cnut and the tide
The story of King Cnut and the tide is an apocryphal anecdote meant to illustrate the piety or humility of King Cnut the Great (also written as Canute), recorded in the 12th century by Henry of Huntingdon. In the story, Cnut demonstrates to his flattering courtiers that he has no control over the elements (the incoming tide), explaining that secular power is vain compared with the supreme power of God. The episode is frequently alluded to in contexts where the futility of “trying to stop the tide” of an inexorable event is pointed out.
The story is commonly misconceived as suggesting that Cnut believed he had supernatural powers over natural phenomena. Such usage usually casts some modern figure, often a politician, as a delusionally arrogant Cnut. Huntingdon’s story, however, was intended to emphasise Cnut’s humility by demonstrating to his courtiers his inability to control nature.
Printed 2026-09-15.
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