Birger (
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
: ''Birger Magnusson''; 1280 – 31 May 1321) was
King of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parliamentary system: see the Instrument o ...
from 1290 to 1318.
Background
Birger was the son of King
Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III ( 1240 – 18 December 1290), also called Magnus Ladulås, was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290.
Name
He was the ''first Magnus'' to rule Sweden for any length of time, not generally regarded as a usurper or ...
and
Hedwig of Holstein
Hedwig of HolsteinPhilip Line, ''Kingship and state formation in Sweden, 1130-1290'', BRILL, 2007, 9004155783, p. 390. or Helvig( sv, Helvig, german: Helwig) (1260–1324) was Queen of Sweden as the consort of King Magnus III Barnlock. Her parent ...
. He was hailed
king of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parliamentary system: see the Instrument o ...
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
Torkel (Tyrgils or Torgils) Knutsson (d. 1306) was Lord High Constable of Sweden, member of the Privy Council of Sweden (''Riksråd''), and virtual ruler of Sweden during the early reign of King Birger Magnusson (1280–1321).
Biography
To ...
, the
Constable of the Realm, to be the guardian of his son Birger. In 1302, Birger was crowned at
Söderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,992 inhabitants in 2010. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a ''town''. ...
after marrying
Martha of Denmark
Martha of Denmark (1277 – 2 March or 3 October 1341) was Queen of Sweden by marriage to King Birger. She was given the name Margaret ( da, Margrete Eriksdatter at birth, but in Sweden was called Martha ( sv, Märta), and has been known in hi ...
, the daughter of King
Eric V of Denmark
Eric V Klipping (1249 – 22 November 1286) was King of Denmark from 1259 to 1286. After his father Christopher I died, his mother Margaret Sambiria ruled Denmark in his name until 1266, proving to be a competent regent. Between 1261 and 1262, ...
.
Reign
Birger was only ten years old when his father died, at which time
Torkel Knutsson
Torkel (Tyrgils or Torgils) Knutsson (d. 1306) was Lord High Constable of Sweden, member of the Privy Council of Sweden (''Riksråd''), and virtual ruler of Sweden during the early reign of King Birger Magnusson (1280–1321).
Biography
To ...
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
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden ( sv, Svenska kyrkan) is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.6 million members at year end 2021, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sw ...
over interpretation of the Privileges of 1280, which had been the cost of the support of the Church for his father's usurpation. The king's brothers
Erik Magnusson, Duke of Södermanland and
Valdemar Magnusson, Duke of Finland took advantage of this conflict. Duke Eric tried to establish an independent kingdom around
Bohuslän
Bohuslän (; da, Bohuslen; no, Båhuslen) is a Swedish province in Götaland, on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea ...
, which he had received as part of his marriage to the Norwegian princess Ingeborg, and
Halland
Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Brömsebro ...
at the boundary between Sweden,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
and
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
. A civil war broke out, but by 1306 emotions had cooled to the point where the dukes acknowledged the son of Birger, Magnus Birgersson, as the successor to the throne. Torkel Knutsson, who was Duke Valdemar's father-in-law, was executed in 1306 as a token of reconciliation between King Birger and his brothers. The same year, in an event known as the
Håtuna games The Håtuna games (Swedish: Håtunaleken) were a 1306 conflict between Birger, King of Sweden (1280–1321) and his two brothers, the dukes Eric Magnusson (ca. 1281-1318) and Valdemar Magnusson (c. 1282–1318).
Background
When Magnus Ladulås ...
(''Håtunaleken''), Birger was taken captive by his brothers on the
Håtuna royal estate in
Uppland
Uppland () is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. On the small uninhab ...
and taken as prisoner to
Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle (Swedish: Nyköpingshus) is a Medieval castle, located in Nyköping, from the Birger Jarl era, partly in ruins, mostly known for the Nyköping Banquet which took place here in 1317.
Information plaque, Nyköpingshus
Construction ...
(''Nyköpingshus'').
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
Uppland () is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. On the small uninhab ...
,
Närke
Närke () is a Swedish traditional province, or ''landskap'', situated in Svealand in south central Sweden. It is bordered by Västmanland to the north, Södermanland to the east, Östergötland to the southeast, Västergötland to the southwe ...
, his brother Erik's former Duchy
Södermanland
Södermanland ( or ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latin form ''Sudermannia'' or ''Sudermania'', is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västman ...
,
Östergötland,
Gotland and the Castle of
Viborg.
In 1312, Duke Eric married
Ingeborg of Norway
Ingeborg of Norway ( Old Norse ''Ingibjörg Hákonardóttir'', Swedish ''Ingeborg Håkansdotter'', Norwegian ''Ingebjørg Håkonsdatter''; 1301 – 17 June 1361), was a Norwegian princess and by marriage a Swedish royal duchess with a positi ...
, daughter of King
Haakon V of Norway
Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) ( non, Hákon Magnússon; no, Håkon Magnusson, label= Modern Norwegian) was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319.
Biography
Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, Ki ...
in a double wedding in Oslo. At the same time, Eric's brother Duke Valdemar married
Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway
Ingeborg is a Germanic feminine given name, mostly used in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, derived from Old Norse ''Ingiborg, Ingibjǫrg'', combining the theonym '' Ing'' with the element ''borg'' "stronghold, protection". Ingebjørg is the N ...
, the daughter of King
Eric II of Norway.
Duke Erik also held
Bohuslän
Bohuslän (; da, Bohuslen; no, Båhuslen) is a Swedish province in Götaland, on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea ...
from
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
as well as northern
Halland
Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Brömsebro ...
and was creating a separate kingdom centered on
Göta älv
The Göta älv (; "River of (the) Geats") is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat, at the city of Gothenburg, on the western coast of Sweden. It was formed at the end of the last glaciation, as an outflow channel from the Baltic Ic ...
. In 1317 however, Birger captured his brothers during the
Nyköping Banquet
The Nyköping Banquet ( sv, Nyköpings gästabud) was King Birger of Sweden's Christmas celebration 11December 1317 at Nyköping Castle in Sweden. Among the guests were his two brothers Duke Valdemar and Duke Eric, who later that night were ...
(''Nyköpings gästabud''), which led to their death. According to
Eric's Chronicle (''Erikskrönikan''), the dukes were starved to death in a cellar of
Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle (Swedish: Nyköpingshus) is a Medieval castle, located in Nyköping, from the Birger Jarl era, partly in ruins, mostly known for the Nyköping Banquet which took place here in 1317.
Information plaque, Nyköpingshus
Construction ...
.
Birger was ousted by his brothers' supporters in 1318 and eventually went into exile under his brother-in-law King
Eric VI of Denmark
Eric VI Menved (1274 – 13 November 1319) was King of Denmark (1286–1319). A son of King Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg, he became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered on 22 November by unknown assailants. On account of his ag ...
, taking the Royal Archives with him. His 18-year-old son
Magnus
Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...
had arrived that year with Danish troops to save Birger but an army under
Canute Porse defeated them at
Söderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,992 inhabitants in 2010. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a ''town''. ...
, practically putting an end to the conflict. Birger first fled to Gotland and left Magnus to defend the important
Stegeborg Castle. Magnus was captured there only to be executed in Stockholm in 1320, with a younger brother Eric having died the year before and ex-king Birger dying in Denmark the year after. In 1319, the three-year-old son of Duke Erik, King
Magnus VII of Norway
Magnus IV (April or May 1316 – 1 December 1374; Swedish ''Magnus Eriksson'') was King of Sweden from 1319 to 1364, King of Norway as Magnus VII (including Iceland and Greenland) from 1319 to 1355, and ruler of Scania from 1332 to 1360. By ...
, had then already been hailed King of Sweden after the short regency of his mother
Duchess Ingeborg.
''Magnus 7 Eriksson – utdypning'' (Store norske leksikon)
/ref>
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
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
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
Other sources
* Barck, Sven Eric; Persson, Åke''Kungligt 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
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birger of Sweden
1280 births
1321 deaths
13th-century Swedish monarchs
14th-century Swedish monarchs
Swedish monarchs of German descent
Rulers of Finland
Medieval child rulers
Burials at St. Bendt's Church, Ringsted
Sons of kings