Category Archives: Danish Royals

Eric IV, King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Eric IV, King of Denmark, fresco in St Bendt’s Church, Ringsted, Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Eric IV, King of Denmark co-reigned with his father from 1232 to 1241, and then reigned solo from 1241 to 1250. Born in 2016, he was the eldest of the three sons and the eldest of the four children of Valdemar II, King of Denmark and his second wife, Berengaria of Portugal. Eric IV’s paternal grandparents were Valdemar I the Great, King of Denmark and Sophia of Minsk. His maternal grandparents were Sancho I, King of Portugal and Dulce of Aragon. In 1221, Eric’s mother, Berengaria, died in childbirth, delivering a stillborn child.

Eric IV had three full siblings:

Sophie of Denmark (1217 – 1247), married Johann I, Margrave of Brandenburg, had five sons and one daughter
Abel of Denmark, King of Denmark (1218 – 1252), married Matilda of Holstein, had three sons
Christopher I, King of Denmark (1219 – 1259), married Margaret Sambiria, had three sons (two died young), and two daughters

Eric had one half-brother from his father’s first marriage to Dagmar of Bohemia, who died in childbirth in 1212, giving birth to a stillborn son:

Valdemar the Young, Junior King of Denmark (1209 – 1231), married Eleanor of Portugal, who died in childbirth delivering her only child, a son, who died six months later

In 1218, when his older half-brother Valdemar the Young was crowned Junior King as their father’s co-ruler and heir, Eric was created Duke of Schleswig. On November 28, 1231, Valdemar the Young was accidentally shot by an arrow while hunting and died the same day. After Valdemar the Young died, Eric was crowned Junior King of Denmark, his father’s co-ruler and heir, at Lund Cathedral on May 30, 1232. At that time, Eric ceded the Duchy of Schleswig to his younger brother Abel.

On November 17, 1239, Eric married Jutta of Saxony, daughter of Albert I, Duke of Saxony and Agnes of Austria.

Eric and Jutta had six children but no surviving sons:

Sophia of Denmark (1241 – 1286), married Valdemar, King of Sweden, had six children
Cnut of Denmark (born and died 1242)
Ingeborg of Denmark (1244 – 1287), married Magnus VI, King of Norway, had four sons, including two Kings of Norway
Jutta of Denmark, Prioress of St. Agnes’ Priory in Roskilde, Denmark (1246 – 1284)
Christof of Denmark (born and died 1247)
Agnes of Denmark, Prioress of St. Agnes’ Priory, Roskilde (1249 – 1295)

Eric’s father, Valdemar II, King of Denmark, aged seventy, died on March 28, 1241, at Vordingborg Castle in Vordingborg, Denmark. Eric was now the sole King of Denmark, but his reign was marked by conflicts with his brothers, especially with his next eldest brother Abel, who was Duke of Schleswig.

Eric’s brother Abel; Credit – Wikipedia

Abel, as Duke of Schleswig, demanded independence for his duchy, leading to seemingly never-ending conflicts over many years. He had married Matilda of Holstein, and her two brothers, Johann I, Count of Holstein-Kiel and Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe, were strong supporters of their brother-in-law Abel. Abel raided as far north as Randers, Denmark, defeating Eric’s supporters, and then moved into Funen, Denmark. Eric eventually struck back, surprising Abel’s army at Schleswig and forcing Abel’s daughter Sophie to flee “without so much as a pair of shoes for her feet.” Through the mediation of their sister Sophia, a treaty was concluded between Eric and Abel in 1247, which restored Eric’s sole rule of Denmark and assured the other brothers of their duchies.

However, the treaty lasted only three years. In 1250, Eric conquered most of Abel’s duchy, and the two brothers met at Abel’s home in Schleswig to make a settlement on August 10, 1250. During the visit, Eric was beheaded by Lave Gudmundsen, a knight and one of Abel’s trusted courtiers, who then sunk Eric’s body in the Schlei, an inlet in south Schleswig at the western end of the Baltic Sea.

Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark, where Eric IV, King of Denmark, is buried; Credit – Wikipedia by Orf3us

The next morning, two fishermen found Eric’s headless body in their fishing net. They carried the body to the Dominican Abbey in Schleswig, where Eric was first buried. In 1258, the remains of Eric IV, King of Denmark, were transferred to St. Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark. Eric’s brother Abel succeeded him as King of Denmark and insisted he had nothing to do with the murder. Less than two years later, Abel himself was killed.

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Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2005). König von Dänemark. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_IV._(D%C3%A4nemark)
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Konge af Danmark (1216-1250). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Plovpenning
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Valdemar II, King of Denmark [Review of Valdemar II, King of Denmark]. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/valdemar-ii-king-of-denmark/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Eric IV of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Jutta of Saxony. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Valdemar the Young, Junior King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Valdemar the Young, detail from the Royal Frieze in Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Valdemar the Young was the Junior King of Denmark, co-regent with his father, Valdemar II, King of Denmark, from 1215 until he died in 1231. He was born circa 1209, the only surviving child of King Valdemar II and Dagmar of Bohemia, the first of his two wives. Dagmar died in childbirth in 1212, giving birth to a stillborn son.

In 1214, Valdemar the Young’s father, Valdemar II, married again to Berengaria of Portugal, daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal and Dulce of Aragon. In 1221, like his first wife, Berengaria also died in childbirth, delivering a stillborn child. However, Valdemar II and Berengaria had four surviving children, the half-siblings of Valdemar the Young:

Eric IV, King of Denmark (1216 – 1250), married Jutta of Saxony, had two sons who died young, and four daughters
Sophie of Denmark (1217 – 1247), married Johann I, Margrave of Brandenburg, had five sons and one daughter
Abel of Denmark, King of Denmark (1218 – 1252), married Matilda of Holstein, had three sons

In 1215, at a meeting of the Danish nobles convened by King Valdemar II, the nobles swore an oath to Valdemar the Young. He was then elected Co-King of Denmark at the Viborg Landsthing, one of three main regional assemblies in Denmark. Co-Kings originated in France by the House of Capet and later in other European monarchies. During a festival in Schleswig in the summer of 1218, attended by fifteen bishops and three dukes, Valdemar the Young was anointed and crowned Junior King of Denmark in Schleswig Cathedral.

Eleanor of Portugal, Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 24, 1229, Valdemar the Young married Eleanor of Portugal, daughter of Afonso II, King of Portugal, and Urraca of Castile, in Ribe, Denmark. Eleanor died in childbirth on August 28, 1231, delivering her only child, a son, who died six months later.

Death of Valdemar the Young by the Danish painter Christian Emil Andersen; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 28, 1231, Valdemar the Young was accidentally shot by an arrow while hunting and died the same day. He was buried at Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark, near his wife Eleanor.

Grave of Valdemar the Young; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2012). Dänischer Mitregent und König von Dänemark. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldemar_(Schleswig)
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2013). Dansk Medkonge 1215-1231. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdemar_den_Unge
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Valdemar II, King of Denmark [Review of Valdemar II, King of Denmark]. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/valdemar-ii-king-of-denmark/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Valdemar the Young. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Valdemar II, King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Valdemar II, King of Denmark on the royal frieze in Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Valdemar II, King of Denmark reigned from 1202 to 1241. Born on June 28, 1170, in Ribe, Denmark, Valdemar II was the fifth of the nine children and the second of the two sons of Valdemar I the Great, King of Denmark and Sophia of Minsk. Valdemar’s paternal grandparents were Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, and Ingeborg of Kyiv. His maternal grandparents were Volodar Glebovich, Prince of Minsk and Richeza of Poland.

Valdemar II had eight siblings:

Sophia of Denmark (1159 – 1208), married Siegfried III, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde, had two sons
Cnut VI, King of Denmark (1163 – 1202), married Gertrud of Saxony and Bavaria, no children
Maria of Denmark (circa 1165 – ?), became a nun at Roskilde
Margaret of Denmark (circa 1167 – circa 1205), became a nun at Roskilde
Ingeborg of Denmark (1174 – 1237), married King Philip II of France, no children. Philip asked the Pope several times for an annulment but was always denied.
Helena of Denmark (circa 1176 – 1233), married Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, had one son
Rikissa of Denmark (circa 1178 – 1220), married King Eric X of Sweden, had one son and four daughters
Walburgis of Denmark (? – 1177), married Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania, had two sons

After his father died in 1182, Valdemar became Duke of Schleswig, and his elder brother Cnut became King of Denmark. During the reign of his brother, King Cnut VI of Denmark, Valdemar conquered Holstein at the Battle of Stellau in 1201. Cnut VI died suddenly on November 12, 1202, aged thirty-nine. Because he had no children, he was succeeded by his brother Valdemar II, King of Denmark.

Death of Valdemar the Young (1843) by Christian Emil Andersen; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1205, King Valdemar II married Dagmar of Bohemia, the first of his two wives, daughter of King Ottokar I of Bohemia and Adelaide of Meissen. Dagmar died in childbirth in 1212, giving birth to a stillborn son. Valdemar and Dagmar had one surviving son who predeceased his father, known as Valdemar the Young. He was the Junior King of Denmark, co-regent with his father, from 1215 until he died in 1231. On November 28, 1231, Valdemar the Young was accidentally shot by an arrow while hunting and died the same day.

Valdemar II and Dagmar’s surviving son:

Valdemar the Young (1209 – 1231), married Eleanor of Portugal, who died in childbirth delivering her only child, a son, who died six months later

In 1214, Valdemar II married again to Berengaria of Portugal, daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal and Dulce of Aragon. In 1221, like his first wife, Berengaria also died in childbirth, delivering a stillborn child. However, Valdemar II and Berengaria had four surviving children, and three were Kings of Denmark:

Eric IV, King of Denmark (1216 – 1250), married Jutta of Saxony, had two sons who died young, and four daughters
Sophie of Denmark (1217 – 1247), married Johann I, Margrave of Brandenburg, had five sons and one daughter
Abel of Denmark, King of Denmark (1218 – 1252), married Matilda of Holstein, had three sons
Christopher I, King of Denmark (1219 – 1259), married Margaret Sambiria, had three sons (two died young), and two daughters

During Valdemar II’s reign, military campaigns included conflicts in northern Germany and the establishment of Danish rule in Estonia in 1219. A feudal system and the Code of Jutland were adopted. Adopted in 1241, the Code of Jutland was Denmark’s legal code until 1683.

The Dannebrog, the Danish flag; Credit – Wikipedia

A legend describes how the Danish flag, the Dannebrog, appeared on June 15, 1219, at the Battle of Lyndanisse, fought by the invading Danish forces and the non-Christian Estonians. The Estonians were successfully attacking the Danish stronghold. Anders Sunesen, Archbishop of Lund, raised his hands to the sky in prayer, and the Danish army held their line as long as his hands were raised. As Archbishop Sunesen became exhausted, he lowered his arms, and the Estonians were soon on the verge of victory. Then, a red flag with a white cross fell from the sky, and the Danish forces were victorious. Since 1912, June 15 has officially been called Valdemarsdag (Valdemar’s Day).

The Dannebrog falling from the sky during the Battle of Lindanise by Christian August Lorentzen (1809) Left, in the background, Anders Sunesen, Archbishop of Lund, with raised hands. Right, in the foreground, Peder Jacobsen, Bishop of Roskilde, pointing at Dannebrog while informing Valdemar II, King of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Valdemar II, King of Denmark, aged seventy, died on March 28, 1241, at Vordingborg Castle in Vordingborg, Denmark. He is buried in St. Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark. Also buried at St. Bendt’s Church are Valdemar II’s first wife Dagmar of Bohemia, his second wife Berengaria of Portugal, his son Valdemar the Young, and Valdemar the Young’s wife, Eleanor of Portugal.

Modern gravestone of Valdemar II, King of Denmark and his first wife Queen Dagmar; Credit – Wikipedia by Af Bonio

Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). König von Dänemark. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldemar_II._(D%C3%A4nemark)
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Konge af Danmark (1170-1241). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdemar_Sejr
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Berengaria of Portugal. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Dagmar of Bohemia. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2019). Flag of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Denmark
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Valdemar II of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Cnut VI, King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Contemporary portrait of Cnut VI, King of Denmark in Stehag Church, Scania, Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia by Hideko Bondesen

Cnut VI, King of Denmark reigned from 1170 to 1202. He was co-king with his father, Valdemar I the Great, King of Denmark, from 1170 until his father died in 1182. Born in 1163, Cnut VI was the second of the nine children and the elder of the two sons of Valdemar I the Great, King of Denmark and Sophia of Minsk. Cnut’s paternal grandparents were Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, and Ingeborg of Kyiv. His maternal grandparents were Volodar Glebovich, Prince of Minsk and Richeza of Poland.

Cnut VI had eight siblings:

Sophia of Denmark (1159 – 1208), married Siegfried III, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde, had two sons
Maria of Denmark (circa 1165 – ?), became a nun at Roskilde
Margaret of Denmark (circa 1167 – circa 1205), became a nun at Roskilde
Valdemar II, King of Denmark (1170 – 1241), married (1) Dagmar of Bohemia, had one son who predeceased his father, Dagmar died giving birth to a stillborn son (2) Berengaria of Portugal, had three sons who were all King of Denmark (Eric IV, Abel, and Christopher I), and one daughter, Berengaria died giving birth to a stillborn child
Ingeborg of Denmark (1174 – 1237), married King Philip II of France, no children. Philip asked the Pope several times for an annulment but was always denied.
Helena of Denmark (circa 1176 – 1233), married Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, had one son
Rikissa of Denmark (circa 1178 – 1220), married King Eric X of Sweden, had one son and four daughters
Walburgis of Denmark (? – 1177), married Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania, had two sons

Cnut VI’s father, Valdemar I, was successful in making the Danish monarchy hereditary, abolishing the elective monarchy. He was recognized as a hereditary king by Pope Alexander III in 1165. Valdemar I reinforced this by having his son, Cnut VI, proclaimed as co-king in 1166. When the still-unfinished Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark was consecrated on June 25, 1170, Eskil, Archbishop of Lund crowned King Valdemar I’s seven-year-old son, King Cnut VI, as co-king and heir to the throne.

Cnut VI’s wife, Gertrud of Saxony and Bavaria, Queen of Denmark, Watercolor by Jacob Kornerup, Danish archaeologist and painter, who supervised the uncovering and restoration of the frescoes in St. Bendt’s Church in Ringsted. The fresco is no longer preserved or repainted, and now exists only as Kornerup’s watercolor. Credit – Wikipedia

When Cnut VI was about four years old, a marriage was arranged for him to Richenza of Saxony and Bavaria, daughter of the powerful Heinrich the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Duke of Bavaria, and his first (divorced) wife, Clementia of Zähringen. Richenza, who was six years older than Cnut VI, died in 1167 before the marriage. However, a marriage was arranged for Cnut VI with her elder sister, Gertrud of Saxony and Bavaria, the widow of Friedrich IV, Duke of Swabia. In 1171, Gertrud, who was nine years older than Cnut VI, arrived in Denmark and seems to have stayed in Denmark until she married Cnut VI in 1177.

Cnut VI and Gertrud did not have any children. During her second marriage, Gertrud decided to live in chastity and celibacy with her husband Cnut VI. Arnold of Lübeck, a Benedictine abbot and a chronicler, wrote of their marriage that Gertrud’s husband was, “The most chaste one, living thus his days with his chaste spouse in eternal chastity.”

Valdemar I, King of Denmark, aged fifty-one, died on May 12, 1182, and his son, nineteen-year-old Cnut VI, became the sole King of Denmark. Cnut VI kept his father’s advisor, Absalon, Bishop of Roskilde and Archbishop of Lund, considered one of the most important figures in Danish history. During Cnut VI’s reign, Absalon was the chief policymaker and continued the policy of a hostile attitude to the Holy Roman Empire. He served as advisor to Cnut VI until he died in 1201, just a year before Cnut VI died. Cnut VI’s piety and good character were praised by a contemporary chronicler. However, he allowed himself to be led throughout his reign by more important men such as Absalon and his younger brother, the future Valdemar II, King of Denmark.

Cnut VI’s wife Gertrud died on July 1, 1197, aged about forty-three, and was buried in Væ Church in Skåne, Denmark. Cnut VI survived her by five years, dying suddenly on November 12, 1202, aged thirty-nine. He was buried at Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark, where most Danish kings and queens from 1182 to 1341 were buried. Because he had no children, Cnut VI, King of Denmark, was succeeded by his brother Valdemar II, King of Denmark.

A 2015 study suggested that Cnut VI may have died of Brugada syndrome, a genetic disorder in which the electrical activity in the heart is abnormal. It increases the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death. The study showed that perhaps up to fourteen Danish kings who suddenly died at a relatively young age without being ill possibly died of Brugada Syndrome. See Copenhagen Post: Mystery of Danish king deaths fosters new theory.

Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2011). König von Dänemark (1182–1202). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knut_VI.
Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2011, June 15). Königin von Dänemark (1182–1197). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrud_(Bayern_und_Sachsen)
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Konge af Danmark 1182–1202. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knud_6.
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Valdemar I, King of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/valdemar-i-the-great-king-of-denmark/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Canute VI of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025, May 5). Gertrude of Bavaria. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Valdemar I, King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Statue of Valdemar I, King of Denmark in Ringsted, Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Valdemar I, King of Denmark, who reigned from 1154 to 1182, was the son of Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, and Ingeborg of Kiev. His paternal grandparents were King Eric I of Denmark and Bodil Thurgotsdatter. Valdemar’s maternal grandparents were Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden. Valdemar was born January 14, 1131, just seven days after his father was murdered. He was named after his mother’s grandfather, Vladimir II Monomakh, Grand Prince of Kiev.

Valdemar’s father Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig; Credit – Wikipedia

On January 7, 1131, Valdemar’s father, Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, was killed by his cousin Magnus the Strong, the son of King Niels of Denmark, because Magnus saw Cnut Lavard as a rival to the Danish throne. The murder of Cnut Lavard started several years of civil war between King Niels and his son Magnus against Cnut Lavard’s illegitimate half-brother Eric Emune, the future Eric II, King of Denmark.

Valdemar’s paternal uncle, King Eric II of Denmark, started the canonization process of his half-brother Cnut Lavard by establishing Ringstead Abbey in the same Danish town as St. Bendt’s Church, where Cnut Lavard was buried. The monks at Ringstead Abbey were to document reports of miracles at Cnut Lavard’s grave. Cnut Lavard was canonized as a saint, but not until 1170, thirty-three years after Eric II died.

Valdemar grew up at the court of Asser Rig, a Zealand chieftain from the Hvide family, with Asser Rig’s sons Esbern Snare (later a royal chancellor and chieftain) and Absalon (later Bishop of Roskilde and then Archbishop of Lund). Asser Rig had been raised with Valdemar’s father, Cnut Lavard, and his sons, Esbern and Absalon, were Valdemar’s lifelong friends and advisors.

In 1146, Eric III, King of Denmark became seriously ill and abdicated. Sweyn Grathe (Sweyn III), son of Eric II, King of Denmark, was elected King of Denmark by the nobles in Zealand, and Cnut Magnusson (Cnut V), son of Magnus (the Strong) Nielsen, was elected King of Denmark by the nobles in Jutland. For eleven years, there was a civil war, the Feud of 1146 – 1157, for the control of the Kingdom of Denmark, fought between King Sweyn III, King Cnut V, and Valdemar. In 1154, Cnut V joined with Valdemar and were recognized as Co-Kings. In July 1157, Sweyn III, Cnut V, and Valdemar I agreed to divide the Kingdom of Denmark between the three of them and serve as Co-Kings. This agreement barely lasted for a month.

The murder of Cnut V, King of Denmark at the Blood Feast of Roskilde; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 9, 1157, in what was supposed to be a reconciliation feast at Cnut V’s royal estate in Roskilde, Denmark, Sweyn III attempted to assassinate his rivals, Cnut V and Valdemar I. According to the Danish historian, theologian, and author Saxo Grammaticus (circa 1160 – after 1208), Sweyn III had planned the murder of his rivals and had his men carry out the attack. Cnut V, aged about twenty-eight, was killed, but Valdemar I escaped, although he was wounded. This incident, known as the Blood Feast of Roskilde, is a significant historical event in Danish history.

Valdemar I defeated Sweyn III in the Battle of Grathe Heath on October 23, 1157. After the battle, while fleeing from the battlefield, Sweyn III was killed by a group of peasants. Having survived his rival pretenders to the Danish throne, Valdemar I became the sole King of Denmark, reigning until he died in 1182.

In 1157, in Viborg, Denmark, Valdemar I, King of Denmark married Sophia of Minsk, the daughter of Volodar Glebovich, Prince of Minsk and Richeza of Poland.

Valdemar I and Sophia had nine children:

Sophia of Denmark (1159 – 1208), married Siegfried III, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde, had two sons
Cnut VI, King of Denmark (1163 – 1202), married Gertrude of Bavaria, no children
Maria of Denmark (circa 1165 – ?), became a nun at Roskilde
Margaret of Denmark (circa 1167 – circa 1205), became a nun at Roskilde
Valdemar II, King of Denmark (1170 – 1241), married (1) Dagmar of Bohemia, had one son who predeceased his father, Dagmar died giving birth to a stillborn son (2) Berengaria of Portugal, had three sons who were all King of Denmark (Eric IV, Abel, and Christopher I), and one daughter, Berengaria died giving birth to a stillborn child
Ingeborg of Denmark (1174 – 1237), married King Philip II of France, no children. Philip asked the Pope several times for an annulment but was always denied.
Helena of Denmark (circa 1176 – 1233), married Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, had one son
Rikissa of Denmark (circa 1178 – 1220), married King Eric X of Sweden, had one son and four daughters
Walburgis of Denmark (? – 1177), married Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania, had two sons

In 1158, Valdemar’s childhood friend Absalon was elected Bishop of Roskilde, and Valdemar made him his chief advisor. After the past internal conflict in Denmark, Valdemar instituted a policy of internal reconciliation. He reorganized and rebuilt war-torn Denmark. He strengthened the fortifications in the south, building military installations to control the straits along the Baltic Sea. Valdemar was successful in making the Danish monarchy hereditary, abolishing the elective monarchy. He was recognized as hereditary king by Pope Alexander III in 1165. Valdemar reinforced this by having his son, Canute VI, proclaimed as co-king in 1166.

Saint Bendt’s Church; Credit – Wikipedia by Mariusz Paździora

From 1161 to 1170, under Valdemar I’s patronage, a new church, Saint Bendt’s Church, was built in Ringsted, Denmark, where his martyred father, Saint Cnut Lavard, was buried at the Ringsted Monastery church. The still unfinished church was consecrated on June 25, 1170. At the consecration, Eskil, Archbishop of Lund, laid to rest Saint Cnut Lavard’s remains in a magnificent gold casket in a chapel behind the high altar and crowned King Valdemar I’s seven-year-old son, King Cnut VI, as co-king and heir to the throne. St. Bendt’s Church served as the center of worship for King Valdemar I’s father, Saint Cnut Lavard.

Grave of Valdemar I, King of Denmark at St. Bendt’s Church; Credit – Wikipedia by Oleryhlolsson – Own work

Valdemar I, King of Denmark died, aged fifty-one, on May 12, 1182, at Vordingborg Castle in Vordingborg, Denmark. His remains were transported to Ringsted, Denmark, where peasants carried his body to Saint Bendt’s Church for burial. There, King Valdemar I lies in rest with his father Cnut Lavard, his wife Sophia of Minsk, Queen of Denmark, his son Cnut VI, King of Denmark, his daughter Rikissa of Denmark, Queen of Sweden, and his son Valdemar II, King of Denmark.

Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2011). König von Dänemark. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldemar_I._(D%C3%A4nemark)
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Konge af Danmark (1131-1182). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdemar_den_Store
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Cnut V, King of Denmark [Review of Cnut V, King of Denmark]. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/cnut-v-king-of-denmark/
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark [Review of Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark]. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/saint-bendts-church-in-ringsted-denmark/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Valdemar I of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Saint Knud’s Cathedral in Odense, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Saint Knud’s Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia by Samuel Damon – Own work

Saint Knud’s Cathedral, also known as Odense Cathedral, in Odense, Denmark, is named for King Knud IV of Denmark, who reigned from 1080 until 1086, when rebels killed him. The Roman Catholic Church canonized Knud as a saint in 1101. Originally a Roman Catholic church, Saint Knud’s Cathedral has been a Lutheran church since the Danish Reformation.

Saint Knud

Murder of King Knud IV in Saint Alban’s Church by Christian Albrecht von Benzon (1843); Credit – Wikipedia

Note: There are variations of the name: Knut (Norwegian and Swedish), Knud (Danish), Knútur (Icelandic), Canute (Anglicized)

King Knud IV feared the Danish nobles’ support for his half-brother Olaf, the future King Olaf I of Denmark. Olaf had concerns about Knud IV’s ambitions and saw his two-year-old son Carl, Count of Flanders (1084 – 1127), as a future rival for power. Ironically, Carl was also killed in a church, Saint Donatian Church in Bruges, County of Flanders, now in Belgium, by a conspiracy of the rich whom he had offended. Carl was beatified, a step toward sainthood, in 1883, and is known as Blessed Carl the Good.

Knud IV blamed Olaf for stirring up trouble, and Olaf was imprisoned by their brother Eric, the future King Eric I of Denmark. Olaf was banished to Flanders, under the supervision of Robert I, Count of Flanders, Knud IV’s father-in-law.

However, Knud IV’s actions resulted in open rebellion. He had to flee from the royal estate in Børglum and continued to flee to Aggersborg, Viborg, and Schleswig, finally ending up in Odense. On July 10, 1086, Knud IV, his brother Benedikt Svendsen, and seventeen of their followers took refuge in the wooden, Viking Age Saint Alban’s Priory Church (link in Danish) at Saint Alban’s Priory in Odense. The rebels stormed into the church and killed Knud IV, his brother Benedikt, and their seventeen followers before the altar. The Benedictine monks of St. Alban’s Priory buried Knud IV and his brother Benedikt in front of the main altar of the St. Alban’s Priory Church.

Soon, there were reports of miracles occurring at Knud IV’s burial site. His canonization as a saint was already being sought during King Olaf I of Denmark’s reign (1086 – 1095). In 1101, persuaded by King Eric I of Denmark (reigned 1095 – 1103), brother of King Knud IV and successor of their brother King Olaf I of Denmark, Pope Paschal II canonized King Knud IV as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

The First Saint Knud’s Cathedral

Soon after King Knud IV’s murder, construction began on the first Saint Knud’s Cathedral, just southwest of St. Alban’s Priory Church in Odense, Denmark. In 1095, construction had progressed enough for Knud IV’s remains to be transferred from St. Alban’s Priory Church to the crypt at Saint Knud’s Cathedral. The new cathedral was completed in 1122 and consecrated in Saint Knud’s name.

The Second Saint Knud’s Cathedral

The nave of Saint Knud’s Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia by Malene Thyssen – Own work,

In 1247, a fire devastated Odense, and the cathedral was badly damaged. In 1280, construction began in Odense, Denmark, on the second and current Saint Knud’s Cathedral in the Brick Gothic style. By 1300, construction had progressed enough to allow the reburial of Knud IV, King of Denmark, and his brother Benedikt in the cathedral’s crypt. It took more than 200 years to complete the second cathedral, which was dedicated on April 30, 1499. In 1586, the single tower over the west entrance was completed in the Brick Gothic style.

Altarpiece by the sculptor Claus Berg; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1807, when St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent, Belgium was demolished, its magnificent late Gothic altarpiece, carved between 1515 and 1525 by German sculptor Claus Berg, was moved to Saint Knud’s Cathedral.

The remains of Saint Knud IV, King of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia by Hideko Bondesen

The remains of King Knud IV and his brother Benedikt were walled up by the monks in an alcove in the cathedral to protect the remains from destruction during the Danish Reformation. During the 19th century, their long-forgotten coffins were discovered, and the remains of Knud and his brother Benedikt are now on display in the cathedral.

Burials at Saint Knud’s Cathedral

King Christian II, his wife Isabella of Austria, and their son Prince Hans were moved from their original burial site, St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent, Belgium, and reinterred in Saint Knud’s Cathedral in 1883.

(Saint) Knud, King IV of Denmark (circa 1042 – 1086)
Benedikt Svendsen (circa 1046 – 1086), King Knud IV’s brother, murdered with him
Eric III, King of Denmark (circa 1120 – 1146)
Prince Frans of Denmark (1497 – 1511), son of King Hans
Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (1455 – 1513)
Christina of Saxony, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, wife of King Hans (1461 – 1521)
Isabella of Austria, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, wife of King Christian II (1501 – 1526)
Prince Hans of Denmark, son of King Christian II (1518 – 1532)
Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (1481 – 1559)
Sophie Elisabeth, Countess of Schleswig-Holstein, daughter of King Christian IV and his morganatic wife Kirsten Munk (1619 – 1657)
Kirsten Munk, Countess of Schleswig-Holstein, morganatic wife of King Christian IV (1598 – 1658)

Works Cited

Flantzer, Susan. (2025). (Saint) Knud IV, King of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/saint-cnut-iv-king-of-denmark/
Odense Domkirke – Odense Domkirke. (2024). Odense Domkirke. https://odense-domkirke.dk/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). St. Canute’s Cathedral. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Cnut V, King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

A coin with the image of Cnut V, King of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Cnut V was King of Denmark from 1146 to 1157, as co-king in shifting alliances with Sweyn III and Valdemar I. Born circa 1129, Cnut V was the son of Magnus (the Strong) Nielsen, the son of Niels I, King of Denmark, and Richeza of Poland.

On January 7, 1131, Cnut V’s father, Magnus the Strong, killed his cousin Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, the son of Eric I, King of Denmark, because he viewed Cnut Lavard as a rival to the Danish throne. The murder of Cnut Lavard started several years of civil war between King Niels and his son Magnus the Strong against Cnut Lavard’s illegitimate half-brother Eric Emune, the future Eric II, King of Denmark.

The civil war between the family members culminated on June 4, 1134, when the two sides fought the Battle of Fodevig near Lund in Scania, now in Sweden. The battle was a decisive victory for Eric Emune, who became the next King of Denmark as Eric II. Cnut V’s father, Magnus the Strong, was killed in battle, and his grandfather, King Niels, fled to Schleswig, where the citizens avenged Cnut Lavard, their beloved Duke of Schleswig, by murdering King Niels on June 25, 1134. Now a widow, Cnut V’s mother Richeza left her two sons in Denmark, returned to Poland, and married two more times.

In 1146, Eric III, King of Denmark became seriously ill and abdicated. Sweyn Grathe (Sweyn III), son of Eric II, King of Denmark, was elected King of Denmark by the nobles in Zealand, and Cnut Magnusson (Cnut V) was elected King of Denmark by the nobles in Jutland. For eleven years, there was a civil war, the Feud of 1146 – 1157, for the control of the Kingdom of Denmark, fought between King Sweyn III, King Cnut V, and King Valdemar I, the son of murdered Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig and the grandson of King Eric I of Denmark.

Cnut V traveled to Sweden to console his mother after the assassination of her third husband, Sverker I, King of Sweden. While in Sweden, Cnut V married a daughter of Sverker I from his first marriage, whose name is believed to be Helen.

Cnut V and Helen had four children:

Niels the Holy (before 1155 – 1180) lived as a monk from his early youth
Valdemar, Bishop of Schleswig, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen (1157 – 1236)
Hildegard of Denmark (circa 1157 – ?), married Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen, had one son Vitslav I, Prince of Rügen
Birgitte of Denmark married Bernard III, Duke of Saxony (link in German), had four children

In 1154, Cnut V joined with Valdemar I, and they were recognized as Co-Kings. In July 1157, Sweyn III, Cnut V, and Valdemar agreed to divide the Kingdom of Denmark between the three of them and serve as Co-Kings. This agreement barely lasted for a month.

The murder of Cnut V, King of Denmark at the Blood Feast of Roskilde; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 9, 1157, in what was supposed to be a reconciliation feast at Cnut V’s royal estate in Roskilde, Denmark, Sweyn III attempted to assassinate his rivals, Cnut V and Valdemar I. According to the Danish historian, theologian, and author Saxo Grammaticus (circa 1160 – after 1208), Sweyn III had planned the murder of his rivals and had his men carry out the attack. Cnut V, aged about twenty-eight, was killed, but Valdemar escaped, although he was wounded. This incident, known as the Blood Feast of Roskilde, is a significant historical event in Danish history. Cnut V’s burial site is unknown, but since he died in Roskilde, he may have been buried at Roskilde Cathedral.

Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2007). Knut V Dänischer König. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knut_V._(D%C3%A4nemark)
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2006). Blodgildet i Roskilde. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blodgildet_i_Roskilde
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Knud 5 Konge af Danmark (1129-1157). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knud_5.
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Niels, King of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/niels-king-of-denmark/
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Sweyn III, King of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/sweyn-iii-king-of-denmark/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Canute V of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Helen of Sweden (12th century). Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark

Saint Bendt’s Church; Credit – Wikipedia by Mariusz Paździora

History

Now an Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark, Saint Bendt’s Church in Ringsted, Denmark, was originally a Roman Catholic church, part of a Benedictine monastery. The first church, built around 1080, was located in the northern wing of the Ringsted Monastery. It was initially called the Church of Our Lady and Saint Cnut the Martyr, named for Cnut IV, King of Denmark, who was murdered in 1086, as he prayed at the altar of St. Alban’s Priory Church (link in Danish) at St. Alban’s Priory in Odense, Denmark.

Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1115, Niels, King of Denmark created his nephew Cnut Lavard, the legitimate son of Niels’ brother Eric I, King of Denmark, the Earl of Schleswig. Cnut Lavard used the title Earl of Schleswig for a short time before he began to style himself Duke of Schleswig. He was the first of many Dukes of Schleswig.

Magnus Nielsen stands over the body of his cousin Cnud Lavard after the murder; illustration by Louis Moe, 1898; Credit – Wikipedia

On January 7, 1131, Cnut Lavard was killed by his cousin, King Niels’ son Magnus (the Strong) Nielsen, who saw Cnut Lavard as a rival to the Danish throne. The murder of Cnut Lavard started several years of civil war between King Niels and his son Magnus against Cnut Lavard’s illegitimate half-brother Eric Emune, the future Eric II, King of Denmark.

Cnut Lavard’s initial resting place was at Ringsted Monastery church, one of the earliest Benedictine houses in Denmark. In 1157, Canute Lavard’s remains were moved into a new chapel in the monastery church with the approval of his son, Valdemar I the Great, King of Denmark. Many miracles were said to have occurred there, and the monastery church immediately became a popular pilgrimage site. Because he was a murder victim, Cnut Lavard became a saint in the minds of the Danish people. He was canonized as a saint by Pope Alexander III in 1169, at the request of his son, King Valdemar I of Denmark. St. Cnut Lavard is the patron saint of Denmark, and his feast day is celebrated on January 7.

The nave of Saint Bendt’s Church; Credit – Wikipedia

With the funds raised from the pilgrims and King Valdemar I’s royal patronage, a second church was built in the Romanesque style from 1161 to 1170. The church is cross-shaped with a central tower, typical of Romanesque architecture. It is the oldest brick church in Scandinavia, and was named for the Italian Saint Benedict of Nursia (480 – 547), the founder of the Benedictine order. Benedict’s main achievement was the Rule of Saint Benedict, a set of rules for his monks to follow. St. Bendt’s Church served as the center of worship for King Valdemar I’s father, Saint Cnut Lavard.

Saint Cnut Lavard’s grave; Credit – www.findagrave.com

The still unfinished church was consecrated on June 25, 1170. Invitations were extended to the Kingdom of Denmark’s highest secular and clerical elite. At the consecration, Eskil, Archbishop of Lund, laid to rest Cnut Lavard’s remains in a magnificent gold casket in a chapel behind the high altar and crowned King Valdemar I’s seven-year-old son, King Cnut VI, as co-king and heir to the throne.

Over the years, there were Gothic-style modifications, including vaults replacing the original flat ceiling and the pointed arches in the tower. A fire in 1806 destroyed the monastery and damaged Saint Bendt’s Church. Because of this, the western wall was pulled down and replaced with an Empire-style facade. The original red brickwork of the church’s outer walls was covered with cement and limewashed.

Scene from the interior of Ringsted Church by Danish artist Constantin Hansen, 1829. In the foreground are the artist Constantin Hansen and his friend Jørgen Roed, also a Danish artist: Credit – Wikipedia

Danish architect Hermann Baagøe Storck led large-scale restoration work from 1899 to 1910, intending to restore Saint Bendt’s Church to its former Romanesque style. New Romanesque windows were installed in the nave, and a pyramid-shaped spire was added to the tower. The cement, which was put on the red brickwork of the church’s outer walls after the 1806 fire, was removed, revealing the original red brickwork.

Burials

List of burials in St. Bendt’s Church; Credit – Wikipedia

Since Saint Cnut Lavard was buried at St. Bendt’s Church, the Danish kings descended from his son Valdemar I, King of Denmark, were also buried there. From 1182 to 1341, all Danish kings and queens were buried at St. Bendt’s Church. Only Roskilde Cathedral, the main burial site of Danish royalty, has more Danish royal burials.

Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig (1096 – 1131), son of Eric I
Valdemar I the Great, King of Denmark (1131 – 1182), son of Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig
Sophia of Minsk, Queen of Denmark (circa 1140 – 1198), wife of Valdemar I
Christopher of Schleswig (circa 1150 – 1173), illegitimate son of Valdemar I and his mistress Tove
Cnut VI, King of Denmark (1163 – 1202), son of Valdemar I
Rikissa of Denmark, Queen of Sweden (? – 1220), daughter of Valdemar I, wife of Erik X, King of Sweden
Valdemar II, King of Denmark (1170 – 1241), son of Valdemar I
Dagmar of Bohemia, Queen of Denmark (circa 1186 – 1212), first wife of Valdemar II
Berengaria of Portugal, Queen of Denmark (circa 1198 – 1221), second wife of Valdemar II
Valdemar the Young III, Junior King of Denmark (circa 1209 – 1231), son of Valdemar II
Eleanor of Portugal, Queen of Denmark (circa 1211 – 1231), wife of Valdemar III
Cnut Valdemarson, Duke of Revelia, Blekinge, and Lolland (1207 – 1260), illegitimate son of Valdemar II
Erik Cnutson, Duke of Halland (1255 – 1303), son of Cnut Valdemarson
Prince Valdemar (died young), son of Christopher I, King of Denmark
Eric IV, King of Denmark (circa 1216 – 1250), son of Valdemar II
Birger, King of Sweden (1280 – 1321), son of Magnus Ladulås, King of Sweden
Martha of Denmark, Queen of Sweden (circa 1277 – 1341), wife of Birger, King of Sweden
Eric VI, King of Denmark (1274 – 1319), son of Eric V
Agnes of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark (circa 1257 – 1304), wife of Eric V
Ingeborg Magnusdotter of Sweden, Queen of Denmark (1277 – 1319), wife of Eric VI
Eric Christoffersen, Junior King of Denmark (circa 1307 – circa 1332), son of Christopher II, King of Denmark

Works Cited

Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2009). Kirchengebäude in Ringsted Kommune, Dänemark. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/St.-Bendts-Kirche_(Ringsted)#K%C3%B6nigsgr%C3%A4ber
Behrens, J. (2025). Sct. Bendts Kirke , Ringsted – Sankt Bendts Church Ringsted. Sanktbendtskirke.dk. https://sanktbendtskirke.dk/
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2006). Bygning i Ringsted. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankt_Bendts_Kirke
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Dansk Prins og Hertug af Slesvig (1096-1131). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knud_Lavard
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). (Saint) Cnut IV, King of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/saint-cnut-iv-king-of-denmark/
Guide – St. Bendt’s Church Ringsted. St. Bendt’s Kirke. Retrieved 2025, from https://sanktbendtskirke.dk/publikation-sctbendtskirke-uk.pdf
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). St. Bendt’s Church, Ringsted. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Canute Lavard. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Sweyn III, King of Denmark

Illustration of Sweyn III in the 13th-century Saxon World Chronicle; Credit – Wikipedia

Born circa 1125, Sweyn III was a King of Denmark from 1146 to 1157, as co-king in shifting alliances with Cnut V and Valdemar I. He was the illegitimate son of Erik II, King of Denmark and his concubine Thunna. Sweyn III’s father, Eric II, cruelly treated his enemies to secure and keep power. In 1137, when Sweyn III was about twelve years old, his father was killed at a thing, an assembly of nobles, in Umehoved, Denmark. A local nobleman, Sorte Plov (link in Danish), stabbed King Eric II with his spear in revenge for the execution of a relative.

Sweyn III was too young to become king, and his cousin Eric Haakonson reigned as Eric III, King of Denmark from 1137 – 1146. Eric III sent Sweyn III to the court of Konrad III, Duke of Franconia, in the Duchy of Franconia, located in present-day northern Bavaria, and parts of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, and South Thuringia. There, Sweyn III became friends with Konrad III’s nephew, the young Friedrich of Swabia. Friedrich of Swabia was destined to become the powerful Friedrich Barbarossa, also known as Friedrich I, Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until he died in 1190. Historians consider him one of the Holy Roman Empire’s greatest medieval emperors.

In 1146, King Eric III became seriously ill and abdicated. Sweyn III, about 21 years old, was elected King of Denmark by the nobles in Zealand, and Cnut Magnusson (King Cnut V), the son of Magnus the Strong and the grandson of King Niels I of Denmark, was elected King of Denmark by the nobles in Jutland. For eleven years, there was a civil war, the Feud of 1146 – 1157, for the control of the Kingdom of Denmark, fought between King Sweyn III, King Cnut V, and King Valdemar I, the son of Saint Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, and the grandson of King Eric I of Denmark.

In 1152, during the civil war, Sweyn III married Adela of Meissen (circa 1133 – 1181), the daughter of Conrad, Margrave of Meissen, and Luitgard of Ravenstein. They had two children:

A son, possibly named Eric, who did not live long
Luitgard, married Berthold I, Margrave of Istria, had one son and one daughter

In 1154, Valdemar I joined with Cnut V, and they were recognized as Co-Kings. In July 1157, Sweyn III, Cnut V, and Valdemar agreed to divide the Kingdom of Denmark between the three of them and serve as co-regents. This agreement barely lasted for a month.

The Blood Feast in Roskilde, created in 1250: Cnut V is killed and Valdemar is attacked, while Sweyn III follows with the royal crown; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 9, 1157, in what was supposed to be a reconciliation feast at Cnut V’s royal estate in Roskilde, Denmark, Sweyn III attempted to assassinate his rivals, Cnut V and Valdemar. According to the Danish historian, theologian, and author Saxo Grammaticus (circa 1160 – after 1208), Sweyn III had planned the murder of his rivals and had his men carry out the attack. Cnut V was killed, but Valdemar escaped, although he was wounded. This incident, known as the Blood Feast of Roskilde, is a significant historical event in Danish history.

King Valdemar I defeated Sweyn III in the Battle of Grathe Heath on October 23, 1157. After the battle, while fleeing from the battlefield, Sweyn III was killed by a group of peasants. According to local tradition, Sweyn III was buried where he was killed, and a chapel, later demolished, was built on the site. Having survived his rival pretenders to the Danish throne, Valdemar I became the sole King of Denmark, reigning until he died in 1182.

Works Cited

Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2006). Blodgildet i Roskilde. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blodgildet_i_Roskilde
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Svend Grathe Konge af Danmark (1125-1157). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svend_Grathe
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Valdemar den Store, Konge af Danmark (1131-1182). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdemar_den_Store
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Eric II, King of Denmark [Review of Eric II, King of Denmark]. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/eric-ii-king-of-denmark/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Canute V of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Sweyn III of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Eric III, King of Denmark

Coin depicting King Eric III of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia – by Hedning

Eric III, King of Denmark reigned from 1137 until he abdicated in 1146. He was the only Danish monarch to abdicate voluntarily, until 878 years later in 2024, when Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated in favor of her son, King Frederik X of Denmark. Eric III was born circa 1120, probably on Funen, the third-largest island in Denmark. He was the son of Danish noble Haakon Sunnivasson, a great-grandson of Magnus the Good, King of Denmark and Norway, and Ragnhild of Denmark, the daughter of King Eric I of Denmark. Therefore, Eric III was the grandson of King Eric I of Denmark and the nephew of King Eric II of Denmark, whom he succeeded.

In 1143, Eric III married Lutgard of Salzwedel, daughter of Rudolf I, Margrave of the Northern Marsh. Lutgard’s brother Hartwig, Count of Stade and Archbishop of Bremen, married the couple at Bremen Cathedral in Bremen, now in Germany. Lutgard had been previously married to her uncle Friedrich II, Count of Sommerschenburg, with whom she had four children. Lutgard and her uncle Friedrich were forced to divorce on the grounds of a prohibited degree of relation.

Lutgard and Eric III had no children. As Queen of Denmark, Lutgard was criticized for promiscuous behavior and for influencing Eric III to waste money. Lutgard was accused of adultery and exiled. After Eric III’s death, Lutgard married a third time to the widower Herman II, Count of Winzenburg-Northeim, and they had three daughters. The local nobles and clergy hated Herman II because he was violent and wanted to seize their territories. On the night of January 29, 1152, local knights murdered Herman II and his wife Lutgard, who was pregnant.

Eric III’s uncle Cnut Lavard was murdered, causing a civil war; Credit – Wikipedia

At this time in Danish history, there were no succession laws. The Danish nobles elected the King of Denmark. However, might and murder often came into play. In 1131, the future King Eric II’s half-brother Cnut Lavard, Duke of Schleswig, later canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, was killed by their cousin Magnus, the son of King Niels of Denmark. Magnus saw Cnut Lavard as a rival to the Danish throne. The murder of Cnut Lavard started several years of civil war between King Niels and his son Magnus against Cnut Lavard’s illegitimate half-brother, the future Eric II, King of Denmark.

The civil war between the family members culminated on June 4, 1134, when the two sides fought the Battle of Fodevig near Lund in Scania, now in Sweden. The future King Eric III fought on the side of his uncle, the future King Eric II. The battle was a decisive victory for the next King of Denmark, Eric II. His cousin Magnus was killed in battle, and his uncle King Niels fled to Schleswig, where the citizens avenged Cnut Lavard, their beloved Duke of Schleswig, by murdering Niels on June 25, 1134. In Scania, at a thing, an assembly of nobles, Eric II was proclaimed King of Denmark.

Portrait of Eric III’s uncle, Eric II, King of Denmark, erected at his burial site, Ribe Cathedral in 1576; Credit – Wikipedia

The future Eric III was a member of the court of his uncle, King Eric II, and was known as Eric Haakonson before he became King of Denmark. To secure and keep power, Eric II treated his enemies cruelly, even his illegitimate half-brother Harald Kesja, whom Eric II saw as a threat. In 1135, Eric II had Harald Kesja and eight of his sons beheaded. The Roskilde Chronicle describes King Eric II as a “rex tyrannus” – a tyrannical king – who spread terror wherever he went.

On September 18, 1137, in Umehoved, Denmark, a thing, an assembly of nobles, was held, and the future King Eric III was present. A local nobleman, Sorte Plov (link in Danish), asked permission to approach King Eric II. Sorte Plov carried a spear with a piece of wood over the tip. After determining that Eric II had no armor under his clothing, Sorte Plov removed the wood from the spear’s tip and stabbed Eric II in revenge for the execution of a relative. Eric II’s nephew, the future King Eric III, stepped forward with his mace, ready to protect his uncle. However, Sorte Plov explained to Eric that he could be King of Denmark by saying, “Put away your mace, young Eric. A juicy piece of meat has fallen in your bowl!” Sorte Plov escaped with his life, and Eric II, King of Denmark was succeeded by his nephew, the son of his sister Ragnhild and Haakon Sunnivason, Eric III, King of Denmark.

King Eric III’s reign was mostly peaceful. Olaf Haraldsson, the only surviving son of Eric II’s half-brother Harald Kesja, claimed the throne in 1139, but Eric III was able to defeat and kill him in 1143. Eric III was the first Danish king strongly influenced by German culture. He had spent his childhood surrounded by German knights and adopted their ideals of chivalry.

In 1146, Eric III became seriously ill and abdicated. Sweyn Grathe, an illegitimate son of Eric II, King of Denmark, was elected king by the nobles in Zealand, and Cnut Magnusson, the son of Magnus the Strong, was elected king by the nobles in Jutland, resulting in another civil war.

St. Canute’s Cathedral – The yellow building on the left stands on the site of the former St. Canute’s Abbey; Credit – Wikipedia – By Jonay CP from Gran Canaria, Spain

On August 27, 1146, 26-year-old Eric III, King of Denmark, died at Saint Canute’s Abbey in Odense, Denmark, where he was buried. St. Canute’s Abbey forms the core structure of the present St. Canute’s Cathedral.

A 2015 study suggested that King Eric III may have died of Brugada syndrome, a genetic disorder in which the electrical activity in the heart is abnormal. It increases the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death. The study showed that perhaps up to fourteen Danish kings who suddenly died at a relatively young age without being ill possibly died of Brugada Syndrome.

Copenhagen Post: Mystery of Danish king deaths fosters new theory

Works Cited

Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Konge af Danmark (ca. 1120-1146). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Lam
Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2010). Luitgard af Salzwedel. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luitgard_af_Salzwedel
Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Eric II, King of Denmark [Review of Eric II, King of Denmark]. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/eric-ii-king-of-denmark/
Wenande, Christian. (2015). Mystery of Danish king’s deaths fosters new theory – The Copenhagen Post. The Copenhagen Post. https://cphpost.dk/2015-10-16/general/mystery-of-danish-king-deaths-fosters-new-theory/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Eric III of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Lutgard of Salzwedel. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.