Knut Birgersson (
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
: ''Knútr jarl Birgisson'', died 1208) was
Riksjarl of Sweden. He was the eldest surviving son of Riksjarl
Birger Brosa and a member of the powerful
House of Bjälbo (''Folkungaätten'').
Biography
Knut Birgersson was apparently elevated to the office of Riksjarl during the last years of the reign of King
Sverker II of Sweden. This was despite the fact that Sverker had named his infant son
Johan Sverkersson (c. 1201 – 1222) as riksjarl following the death of
Jarl Birger Brosa. Johan Sverkersson was the nephew of Knut Birgersson, being born of his sister
Ingegärd.
According to one source, Jarl Knut was married to Sigrid, daughter of King
Knut Eriksson. The same source states that Knut's son was born of Sigrid. Knut Birgersson was killed in 1208 at the
Battle of Lena
The Battle of Lena occurred on 31 January 1208 and probably took place near :sv:Kungslena, Kungslena, in the Tidaholm Municipality in Västergötland, Sweden. It was an important battle between the Danish-backed King Sverker II of Sweden and Prin ...
, where King Sverker lost his throne to the new king
Erik Knutsson, the only remaining son of King Knut.
References
Other sources
* Harrison, Dick (2002) ''Jarlens sekel'' (Ordfront förlag, Stockholm)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birgersson, Knut, Riksjarl Of Sweden
1208 deaths
13th-century Swedish nobility
Year of birth unknown
Swedish jarls