Birger, King of Sweden

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Birger
Magnus III
SuccessorMagnus IV
Born1280
Died31 May 1321 (aged 40–41)
Burial
Ringsted, Zealand
Spouse
​
(m. 1298)​
HouseBjelbo
FatherMagnus III of Sweden
MotherHedwig of Holstein

Birger

King of Sweden
from 1290 to 1318.

Background

Birger was the son of King

king of Sweden when he was four years old. This was done by his father in order to secure the succession. In 1275, King Magnus had led a rebellion against his elder brother, King Valdemar, and ousted him from the throne. Before his death, King Magnus ordered his kinsman, Torkel Knutsson, the Constable of the Realm, to be the guardian of his son Birger. In 1302, Birger was crowned at Söderköping after marrying Martha of Denmark, the daughter of King Eric V of Denmark.[2]

Reign

Birger was only ten years old when his father died, at which time Torkel Knutsson was the most influential statesman in Sweden. In 1293, Torkel Knutsson led the Swedes to a victory which won a part of western Karelia. This expedition has traditionally been dubbed as the Third Swedish Crusade. When Torkel Knutsson returned from leading the crusade in Finland, a feud had developed between the brothers. Torkel Knutsson supported King Birger.

Birger came of age when there was a conflict within the

Håtuna royal estate in Uppland and taken as prisoner to Nyköping Castle (Nyköpingshus).[3]

Detail of Birger's and Martha's gravestone at Ringsted

In 1308, Eric and Valdemar were forced by the Danish king to release King Birger, but they did so under humiliating conditions. When King Birger was free, he sought aid in Denmark, and the strife began anew. Birger remained king in name, but had to give up the Royal Domain, exchanging it for eastern Uppland, Närke, his brother Erik's former Duchy Södermanland, Östergötland, Gotland and the Castle of Viborg.

In 1312, Duke Eric married

Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway, the daughter of King Eric II of Norway.[4]

Duke Erik also held

Eric's Chronicle (Erikskrönikan), the dukes were starved to death in a cellar of Nyköping Castle
.

Birger was ousted by his brothers' supporters in 1318 and eventually went into exile under his brother-in-law King

Magnus VII of Norway, had then already been hailed King of Sweden after the short regency of his mother Duchess Ingeborg.[6]

Children

  • Magnus Birgersson (1300–1320)
  • Eric Birgersson
  • Agnes Birgersdotter
  • Katarina Birgersdotter

Modern depiction

In 2003, the band Falconer released The Sceptre of Deception, a concept album based on this period of Swedish history. The album covers events during the reign of King Birger of Sweden and lengthy strife with his brothers, and the Danish and Norwegian crowns.

References

  1. ISBN 0-86350-194-X
    pp. 122–123
  2. ^ Margrethe, Dronning af Sverige, −1341(Dansk biografisk Lexikon)
  3. ^ Konung Birger Magnusson och hans bröder (Berättelser ur svenska historien)
  4. ^ Ingebjørg Håkonsdatter – utdypning (Store norske leksikon)
  5. ISBN 9189080262
    pp. 122-123 (in Swedish)
  6. ^ Magnus 7 Eriksson – utdypning (Store norske leksikon)

Other sources

  • Barck, Sven Eric; Persson, ÅkeKungligt skvaller genom tusen år : En annorlunda bok om svensk historia (Sundbyberg: Semic, 2000)
  • Lindqvist, Herman Historien om Sverige. Från islossning till kungarike (Norstedts: 1997)
  • Harrison, Dick Jarlens sekel: en berättelse om 1200-talets Sverige (Ordfront. 2002)
  • Bergman, Mats Nyköpingshus. En rundvandring i historia och nutid (Almqvist & Wiksell. 1992)
  • Mannervik, Cyrus Sagor och sägner – Från Nordens forntid och medeltid (AV Carlsons. 1958)

External links

Birger Magnusson
Born: 1280 Died: 31 May 1321
Regnal titles
Preceded by
King of Sweden

1290–1318 		Vacant
Regency of Duchess ingeborg
Title next held by
Magnus IV
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