Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/944

CAN sacred hymns, his odes to Romagnosi and Parini, and the historical novel, "Margherita Pusterla," all published before 1845, he would have been entitled to a high place in the history of modern literature. But in the dreary solitude of a prison he was to execute a work which marked him out to his countrymen as the first of their historians. His attachment to liberal ideas, and his undisguised abhorrence of the Austrian yoke, drew on Cantù the animadversion of the governor of Lombardy, who caused him to be arrested, and confined nearly a year in the Santa Margherita, the prison in 1821 of Silvio Pellico. Here he wrote his famous "Universal History," a colossal work that has already gone through seven editions. In the memorable year 1848, Cantù followed the Piedmontese army, led by the unfortunate King Charles Albert, against the oppressors of his country; and, after the fatal issue of that unequal contest, Cantù was obliged to seek shelter under the Sardinian flag, and fixed his residence at Turin, refusing many honours and rewards offered him by the government of that kingdom. Austria, however, dreading the mighty influence of the great historian's name on the fervid imagination of the youth of Piedmont, thought proper after a while to ignore the part Cantù had taken in the preceding political events of Lombardy, where he now resides, honoured and esteemed even by his enemies. Cantù has been decorated by many sovereigns, and his name enrolled in almost all the academies and societies in Europe.—A. C. M.  CANUTE I., surnamed, a Danish prince of the tenth century, son of Gorm the Old, who united into a monarchy the various Danish estates. His mother was the famous Queen Thyra Danebod. This prince, who, although he never reigned, is regarded as the first of the name, perished in an expedition into England.  CANUTE II. or, the Danish king of England in the eleventh century. His father, Sweyn, had obtained almost complete ascendancy in England, and had driven the Saxon king, Ethelred the Unready, to seek refuge in Normandy; but on his death in 1014 the nobles invited Ethelred to return. That weak and unprincipled king found Canute a too formidable opponent. The Danes were laying the country waste, and some of the Saxon nobles were deserting to their side. Ethelred, cowardly and discouraged, retired to London, where he died in 1016. His son, Edmund Ironside, who had already taken up arms in defence of his father's government, was more equal to the occasion; and had it not been for the base treachery of Edric, one of his nobles, he might have retrieved the fortunes of the Saxon line. As it was he fought bravely; but after several battles, and the almost complete desolation of the country, a compromise was effected and the kingdom divided. Edmund obtained Wessex, while Mercia and the north fell to Canute, who, when Edmund was murdered in 1017, became sole king of England. He continued his power by banishing the sons of Edmund and marrying Emma, sister to the duke of Normandy and widow of King Ethelred; while he established his popularity by putting to death some of the Saxon nobles who had been most treacherous to their former prince, and by sending back to Denmark, as soon as he could do so with safety, many of his adventurers. Canute soon came to love his new subjects and have full confidence in them. Having undertaken an expedition to Denmark against the king of Sweden, he was attended by Earl Godwin and a band of Saxon warriors, whose bravery secured his victory, and won his lasting esteem. In another expedition, undertaken in 1028, he conquered Olaus, king of Norway, and added that kingdom to his now vast dominions. In his later years he became distinguished for his piety and devotion, building churches, founding monasteries, and performing a pilgrimage to Rome. The well-known story of his reproof to his flattering courtiers by the sea-shore, gives us a glimpse of something beautiful in the heart of the rough old warrior. He stands distinguished among conquerors as one who sought to preserve the liberty, and in every way advance the prosperity of the people he subdued. His last expedition was against Malcolm of Scotland, who refused to pay homage as a vassal for the county of Cumberland. Canute died in 1036, having reigned for twenty years.—J. B.  CANUTE III., called, son of Canute the Great, was elected king of Denmark on the accession of his brother Harold to the throne of England, and, at the death of that prince, became master of both kingdoms. This last of the Danish kings of England died in 1042, after a short and uneventful reign.  CANUTE IV. or, succeeded his brother, Harold the Simple, on the throne of Denmark in 1074. He won the epithet by which he is distinguished for his wars against the idolatrous tribes of the north, and for his submission and liberality to the clergy at the expense of his subjects, who at length, on his proposing an expedition against England, broke into open revolt. He was killed in Funen in 1087.  CANUTE V., son of Magnus, and grandson of Nicholas, one of the three princes, who, on the death of Eric, king of Denmark, in 1147, began a contest for the crown of that kingdom, which lasted ten years; Canute being assassinated in 1157, and his brother Valdemar being obliged to take to flight.  CANUTE VI., king of Denmark, succeeded his father, Valdemar I., in 1182, and reigned till 1203. In this reign the country was remarkable for its prosperity and the great success of its arms.  CANUTE, son of Eric III. of Denmark, was appointed to govern the duchy of Sleswick, then attacked by the prince of the Vandals. Canute defeated the invader, and at the same time so won his esteem, that he was appointed guardian of his children and kingdom. He soon became duke of Mecklenburg, and received the title of King of the Vandals; but a conspiracy was formed against him by his uncle, the Danish king, who was jealous of his success, and he was put to death in 1133. <section end="944H" /> <section begin="944I" />CANUTE, son of Eric the Holy, king of Sweden, fled into Norway on the death of his father and accession of Charles; led an army into Sweden; displaced the new king; and himself ascended the throne in 1169. He successfully resisted the Danes and Goths, and reigned for twenty-three years with great justice and prosperity. <section end="944I" /> <section begin="944J" />CANUTI,. This Bolognese artist was born in 1620. He studied under Guido, and attained more reputation than any other of his pupils. His picture of "The Descent from the Cross," in the church of the Olivetani at Bologna, is accounted very highly, from its extraordinary moonlight effect. This work is always called the "Notte del Canuti." He etched very successfully in the manner of Guido, with more finish, but less genius. He died in 1684.—W. T. <section end="944J" /> <section begin="944K" />CANZ,, a learned German theologian of the eighteenth century, was born on the 26th February, 1690, in Wurtemberg, and studied at Tübingen, where he became professor of eloquence and poetry in 1734, of logic and metaphysics in 1739, and of theology in 1747. He was at first opposed to the philosophy of Wolf and its application to theology; but farther study and reflection changed his views, and induced him to give to the world in 1728, his principal work, entitled "Philosophiæ Leibnitzianæ et Wolfianæ usus in Theologia, per præcipua fidei capita." His "Compendium Theologiæ Purioris," published in 1752, was written in the same spirit, and exhibited the doctrinal system of the Lutheran church as modified and supported by the principles of the Wolfian philosophy. Canz published a good many other writings on theology, morals, and philosophy; but he is now only remembered as having contributed more than any other author to the ascendancy which the Wolfian philosophy obtained for a time over the theological mind of Germany. He died on the 28th of January, 1753.—P. L. <section end="944K" /> <section begin="944L" />* CAP,, a French pharmacologist, was born at Macon on April 2, 1788. He is devoted to the natural sciences, and has given his attention particularly to pharmacy. He is a member of many learned societies, and a chevalier of the legion of honour. Among his works are the following—On the classification of drugs; on the inspection of pharmaceutists; "Elementary Principles of Pharmacy;" treatises on botany and on pharmacy; and numerous articles in the Journal de Pharmacie.—J. H. B. <section end="944L" /> <section begin="944M" />CAPDUEIL or CAPDUELH,. Of Capdueil little is known, except that he was a nobleman and a troubadour belonging to the diocese of Puy-Sainte-Mariè, who died towards the close of twelfth century. Late in life he assumed the cross, and became a preacher of the crusades. He wrote poems in furtherance of the object, calling on sovereigns to suspend their private wars till the holy sepulchre was delivered. He himself died in the east in the third crusade.—J. A., D. <section end="944M" /> <section begin="944Zcontin" />CAPECE,, and , three Neapolitan nobles and brothers, put to death in 1268. Devoted to the house of Suabia and the Ghibelline party, they abetted Manfredi in his attempt on the throne of Naples. After his death, Conrade and Marino were commissioned by the Ghibelline nobles to offer the standard of Suabia to Conradin his nephew, and the <section end="944Zcontin" />