Waldemar I Birgersson

Born in the late 30s of the XIII century. He was the eldest son of Birger Jarl and the daughter of King Eric Knutsson Ingeborga.

In 1250, being the closest relative of the late King Eric Lisping and at the same time the son of a powerful Jarl from the Folkung family , he was elected the Swedish king. A year later in Linköping , the royal crown was entrusted to him. During the childhood of Valdemar and until his death in 1266, the state was ruled by his father.

With the death of Birger Jarl, Sweden was divided between three of his four sons: Waldemar, Magnus I and Eric. Soon, Waldemar quarreled with his brothers. After returning in 1274 from a pilgrimage to the king of Rome , which he probably undertook to obtain forgiveness from the pope of Rome for his relationship with his sister-in-law, Yutta, the quarrel with the brothers turned into an open clash.

In July 1275, the brothers, supported by the Danish king Eric Glipping , defeated Valdemar at the Battle of Hove. After that, he had to flee to Norway. He soon returned, but was forced to abdicate the crown in favor of his brother Magnus.

Already in the same year, he again began to fight against the brothers. He was supported by Count Holshtin, the kings of Denmark and Norway . In 1276, Waldemar went to Denmark, to whose king Magnus refused to pay for the help rendered to him at the Battle of Hove, and began an open war. In the first months of 1277, the Danish army devastated Westergetland and Småland . Also in exchange for Gotland, Waldemar tried to attract the Margrave of Brandenburg to his side.

In the last months of 1277, he made peace with Magnus in Laholm , according to which he gained possession of Yotaland , but was forced to give up the royal title. Already in 1279, Magnus took possession of him, possibly because he was involved in the uprising of the Sturmans , who were in opposition to the king.

In the following years, Valdemar's behavior caused general indignation, and in 1285, the most prominent people of the state demanded that the king put him in custody. At the same time, political reasons played a significant role.

In 1288, Waldemar was captured in Nyköping and put under house arrest, but three years before, Waldemar - with the consent of the church - was declared not responsible for his actions (primarily due to numerous love scandals, including with his daughter-in-law, Princess Jutta Danish).

He died in 1302 in the prison of Nyköpingshus .

In 1260, Waldemar married the daughter of the Danish king Eric Pluzny Grosz Sophia . In 1259, Birger Jarl was forced to ask the Pope’s permission to marry his son, who in the line of Ingeborg’s mother was Sofia’s second cousin.

From this marriage were born seven or eight children, among whom were Eric, the daughters of Ingeborg, Rikitza , Marina, Katharina and Margarita.

The Erik Chronicle also reports that he was married to a certain Christine, about whom, apart from his name, nothing is known anymore, and also to the daughter of the count from Gyutskov Katharine. However, whether the relationship with Katharina was formalized by marriage is also unclear.

• Chronicle of Eric. - M., 1999.
• Nationalencyklopedin.
• Nordisk familjebok. B. 31. - Stockholm, 1921.

• Yrwing H. Maktkampen mellan Valdemar och Magnus Birgersson 1275-1281. - Lund, 1952.

• Chronicle of Eric
• Forsten G.V. Valdemar, Swedish King // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 tons (82 tons and 4 extra). - SPb. , 1890-1907.