Torkel (Tyrgils or Torgils) Knutsson (d. 1306) was
Lord High Constable of Sweden The Lord High Constable ( sv, Riksmarsk or only ''Marsk'') was a prominent and influential office in Sweden, from the 13th century until 1676, excluding periods when the office was out of use. The office holder was a member of the Swedish Privy Cou ...
, member of the
Privy Council of Sweden (''Riksråd''), and virtual ruler of
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
during the early reign of King
Birger Magnusson (1280–1321).
Biography
Torkel hailed from an old noble family of
West Geatish ancestry and was related to the
House of Bjelbo
The House of Bjelbo ( sv, Bjälboätten), also known as the House of Folkung (''Folkungaätten''), was an Ostrogothian Swedish family that provided several medieval Swedish bishops, jarls and kings. It also provided three kings of Norway and o ...
(''Folkungaätten''). He was first mentioned in 1282. In documents from 1288, he is mentioned as a
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
and a member of the
privy council (''Riksråd'').
Career
Before his death, King
Magnus Ladulås
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 ...
(ca. 1240-1290) ordered his kinsman, Torgils Knutsson, the Constable of the Realm, to be the guardian of his son Birger. When King Magnus Ladulås died, Torkel became
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
for the underage Birger Magnusson (1280–1321).
When
Tavastland had been attacked by the
Republic of Novgorod, in 1292, Torkel led the
Third Swedish Crusade against Novgorod, in 1293 and conquered parts of
Karelia
Karelia ( Karelian and fi, Karjala, ; rus, Каре́лия, links=y, r=Karélija, p=kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə, historically ''Korjela''; sv, Karelen), the land of the Karelian people, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for ...
, where he founded the stronghold of
Vyborg Castle. In 1299–1300, he led an attack against the
Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...
ians, and he founded the Landskrona fortress on
Okhta
The Okhta () is a river in Vsevolozhsky District of Leningrad Oblast and the eastern part of the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is the largest right tributary of the river Neva. It joins the Neva upstream of the Neva's mouth, within the c ...
river at the influx of
Neva
The Neva (russian: Нева́, ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of , it ...
.
The old trade treaties with
Lübeck were re-established, on condition that the town did not provide Novgorod with weapons or provisions.
Torkel showed the same concerns about Swedish domestic politics. During his regency, the law of
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 ...
was established. He acted as
Birger Jarl had done in the conflict against the church, in order to abolish the clergy's tax exemption. The clergy's discontent became apparent in 1303.
In the struggles between King
Birger Magnusson and his brothers,
Erik Magnusson, Duke of Svealand (c. 1282 – 1318) and
Valdemar Magnusson, Duke of Finland (c. 1282 – 1318), Torkel was faithfully on the king's side. At Torkel's castle
Aranäs
Earnanæs (Old English), Aranæs ( Old Swedish) and Årnäs (Modern Swedish) is the name of at least two locations, in what is today southern Sweden, which are known from history and legend. The names are variations of the same name, and this has ...
, in 1304, the two dukes had to sign a declaration that they would neither in Sweden, nor abroad, work against the king nor cause him harm. In spite of this declaration, the two dukes fled abroad and with the support of the Norwegian king
Haakon V of Norway, they attacked
Västergötland
Västergötland (), also known as West Gothland or the Latinized version Westrogothia in older literature, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish), situated in the southwest of Sweden.
Väs ...
. Torkel helped the king conquer the castle of
Nyköping
Nyköping () is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 32,759 inhabitants as of 2017. The city is also the capital of Södermanland County.
Including Arnö, the locality on the ...
, which belonged to Duke Eric, and in Kolsäter (1305), he forced the two dukes to sign a declaration that they would not cause any harm to Torkel either.
When the power of the dukes was on the rise again, Torkel had to reconcile with the church, and he ordered a charter on the renewal of the church's old rights, in 1305. However, Torkel was finally struck by the vengeance of his enemies. The dukes managed to win the trust of the king and poisoned the king's mind against Torkel In December 1305, King Birger and the dukes arrived at Torkel's estate of Lena (where formerly the
Battle of Lena
The Battle of Lena occurred on 31 January 1208, and probably took place near Kungslena, which is located in the Tidaholm Municipality in Västergötland, Sweden. It was an important battle between the Danish-backed King Sverker II of Sweden and P ...
had taken place) in
Västergötland
Västergötland (), also known as West Gothland or the Latinized version Westrogothia in older literature, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish), situated in the southwest of Sweden.
Väs ...
, and arrested Torkel who was taken to
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
in chains. In February 1306, the marshal was decapitated. His body was interred at the place of execution. It was later moved and buried at the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
church in Stockholm.
Family
Torkel was married twice. His first wife, whose origins are unknown, gave him a daughter Kristina Torgilsdotter, who married Torkel's godson and later enemy
Duke Valdemar. She appears to have been repudiated by the duke upon her father's execution, as Valdemar is soon reported to have married with
Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway. Torkel's second wife was
countess
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.L. G. Pine, Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty'' ...
Hedvig of
Ravensberg .
Remembrance
Torkel's powerful personality and tragic end has been the matter of poetry, in e.g.
B. v. Beskow's tragedy ''Torkel Knutsson''. A statue of Torkel (by
Ville Vallgren
Carl Wilhelm "Ville" Vallgren (15 December 1855 – 13 October 1940) was a Finnish sculptor. His best-known work is the statue ''Havis Amanda'' in Helsinki.
Biography
He was born in Porvoo, and long resident in Paris, whither he went in 1878, af ...
) was raised, in 1908, on the square Rådhustorget in
Vyborg
Vyborg (; rus, Вы́борг, links=1, r=Výborg, p=ˈvɨbərk; fi, Viipuri ; sv, Viborg ; german: Wiborg ) is a town in, and the administrative center of, Vyborgsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It lies on the Karelian Isthmus ne ...
.
References
Other sources
*Lagerqvist, Lars O. (1982) ''Sverige och dess regenter under 1000 år'' (Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Förlag)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knutsson, Torkel
History of Vyborg
1306 deaths
Year of birth unknown
13th-century Swedish nobility
14th-century Swedish nobility