Valdemar, King of Sweden

"Valdemar of Sweden" redirects here. For the prince of Sweden about 1284, see Valdemar, Duke of Finland.

Valdemar
King Valdemar in Skara Cathedral
King of Sweden
Reign	1250–1275
Predecessor	Erik Eriksson
Successor	Magnus Ladulås
Born	1239
Died	26 December 1302 (aged 62–63)
Spouse	Sophia of Denmark
Issue	Ingeborg, Countess of Holstein Erik Valdemarsson the Elder Richeza, Queen of Poland Marina Valdemarsdotter Katarina Valdemarsdotter Margareta Valdemarsdotter
House	House of Bjälbo
Father	Birger Jarl
Mother	Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden

Valdemar Birgersson (1239 – 26 December 1302), also Waldemar, was King of Sweden from 1250 to 1275.

Biography

Valdemar was the son of the Swedish princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter and Birger Jarl, from the House of Bjälbo. When Ingeborg's brother King Erik Eriksson died in 1250, though a child, Valdemar was elected king and crowned the following year in the cathedral at Linköping. During the first sixteen years of Valdemar's reign, it was Birger Jarl who was the real ruler. Birger Jarl had been the de facto ruler of Sweden from 1248, before the reign of Valdemar, even under King Erik Eriksson. Valdemar's mother and King Erik Eriksson were children of King Erik Knutsson and Rikissa of Denmark.

After Birger's death in 1266 Valdemar eventually came into conflict with his younger brother Magnus Birgersson (later known as Magnus Ladulås), Duke of Södermanland, over taxation and personal matters.

In 1260, Valdemar married Sophia, the eldest daughter of King Eric IV of Denmark and Jutta of Saxony. Valdemar also had a relationship with his sister-in-law Jutta. In 1272, Princess Jutta visited Sweden and became Valdemar's mistress. The affair resulted in a child born in 1273. The following year, Jutta was placed in a convent and Valdemar was forced to make a pilgrimage to Rome to ask for the absolution of the Pope.

Valdemar was deposed by his brother Magnus after the Battle of Hova in Tiveden on 14 June 1275. Magnus was supported by his brother Eric Birgersson, Duke of Småland, and King Eric V of Denmark, who provided Danish soldiers. Magnus was elected King of Sweden at the Stones of Mora.

In 1277, Sophia separated from her spouse and returned to Denmark. That year, Valdemar managed to regain provinces in Götaland in the southern part of the kingdom and was called the Duke of Götaland. However, Magnus regained them about 1278. In 1288 Valdemar was imprisoned by King Magnus in Nyköping Castle (Nyköpingshus) and lived openly with mistresses, possibly new wives, in comfortable confinement.

Family

Valdemar married Sofia of Denmark (died 1286) in 1260 and they separated in 1277. After their separation, Valdemar is said to have married multiple times. He had six children:

1. Ingeborg, Countess of Holstein; spouse of Gerhard II, Count of Holstein-Plön.
2. Erik (1272–1330), riksråd of Sweden and Norway
3. Marina (fl. 1285); spouse of Rudolf II, Lord of Diepholz (married 1285)
4. Rikissa (Richeza; died c. 1292); spouse of Przemysł II of Poland
5. Katarina (died 1283)
6. Margareta, abbess at Skänninge convent.

Bibliography

• Adolfsson, Mats (2007). När borgarna brann : Forntiden–1499 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Natur och kultur. ISBN 978-91-27-02631-5.
• Harrison, Dick (2003). Jarlens sekel: en berättelse om 1200-talets Sverige (in Swedish). Stockholm: Ordfront. ISBN 91-7324-999-8.
• Kyhlberg, Ola; Ahlström, Torbjörn (1997). Gånget ur min hand: Riddarholmskyrkans stiftargravar. Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets historie och antikvitets akademien. ISBN 978-91-7402-275-9. OCLC 39393072.
• Larsson, Mats G. (2002). Götarnas riken : Upptäcktsfärder Till Sveriges Enande (in Swedish). Stockholm: Atlantis. ISBN 978-91-7486-641-4.
• Line, Philip (2007). Kingship and State Formation in Sweden. Leiden ; Boston: BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-15578-7.
• Schück, Herman (2005). Kyrka och rike (in Swedish). Stockholm: Sällskapet Runica et Mediævalia. ISBN 978-91-88568-24-3.

External links

• Media related to Waldemar (Swedish king) at Wikimedia Commons