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Canute VI (Danish: Knud Valdemarsøn) was King of Denmark (1182–1202). Canute VI was the eldest son of King Valdemar I and Sophia of Polotsk.
Canute VI was proclaimed King of Denmark, first as co-regent in 1170 and as sole ruler in 1182 at the Urnehoved Assembly (Danish: landsting) and subsequently at the other assemblies throughout Denmark.
At his death Canute ruled from the Elbe north to the Arctic Circle and east as far as Estonia and Sweden. Denmark had almost reached its largest extent. Then without warning, Canute's friend and advisor, Bishop Absalon died. He had been one of the most important figures in all of Danish history. Absalon was buried beside his father in Sorø church. His epitaph reads "a good and brave man". Just a year later Canute died suddenly at age 40. | 
