England in the Middle Ages took power in 978 following the murder of his brother Edward, but England was then invaded by Sweyn Forkbeard, the son of a Danish king. Attempts to bribe Sweyn not to attack using danegeld payments failed, and he took the throne in 1013. Swein's son, Cnut, liquidated many of the older English families following his seizure of power in 1016. Æthelred's son, Edward the Confessor, had survived in exile in Normandy and returned to claim the throne in 1042. Edward was childless, and the succession again became a concern. England became dominated by the Godwin family, who had taken advantage
King Leonardo and His Short Subjects by Mr. Mad (voiced by Norman Rose), a mad scientist with a domineering personality. When each of his schemes falls through, Mr. Mad disappears "as if by magic" before he can be apprehended. Each half-hour episode of "King Leonardo" consisted of five animated segments. Each half-hour included a two-part "King and Odie" episode, with other characters featured in between: Early in the series' NBC run, selected Columbia Pictures theatrical cartoons were aired on the program, some featuring The Fox and the Crow and Li'l Abner. These shorts were added to fill time when production of the early shows was delayed.