Valdemar Knudsen (also ''Waldemar'', born in 1158; died 18 July 1236 in Cîteaux) was a Danish clergyman and statesman. Valdemar was

Bishop of Schleswig The List of the Bishops of Schleswig contains the names of the bishops of the see in Schleswig ( da, Slesvig, en, italic=yes, Sleswick) in chronological order. Also Lutheran bishops, who officiated after 1542, superintendents and general superin ...

from 1188 to 1208, officiated as Steward of the

Duchy of Schleswig The Duchy of Schleswig ( da, Hertugdømmet Slesvig; german: Herzogtum Schleswig; nds, Hartogdom Sleswig; frr, Härtochduum Slaswik) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km ( ...

between 1184 and 1187, and served as

Prince-Archbishop of Bremen This list records the bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Bremen (german: link=no, Bistum Bremen), supposedly a suffragan of the Archbishopric of Cologne, then of the bishops of Bremen, who were in personal union archbishops of Hamburg (si ...

from 1192 to 1194 and again between 1206 and 1217. He held the latter office on the grounds of the archdiocesan capitular election as archbishop elect and of the royal investiture with the princely regalia, but lacked the papal confirmation. His mother, likely the wife of another man, gave birth to him as the posthumous illegitimate son of King

Canute V of Denmark Canute V Magnussen ( da, Knud V Magnussen) ( – 9 August 1157) was a King of Denmark from 1146 to 1157, as co-regent in shifting alliances with Sweyn III and Valdemar I. Canute was killed at the so-called ''Bloodfeast of Roskilde'' in 1157. Noth ...

in early 1158.Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197, here p. 193. His father Canute V had been slain on 9 August 1157 by the co-regent Sweyn III. So Valdemar, like his half-brother, Saint Niels of Århus, claimed succession to the Danish throne. Valdemar grew up at the court of his cousin, King Valdemar I of Denmark, ''the Great''. Still in his youth his great ambitions and abilities crystallised, so that he was determined for the holy orders. Valdemar studied in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and Abbot Stephanus of the

Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève The Abbey of Saint Genevieve (French: ''Abbaye Sainte-Geneviève'') was a monastery in Paris. Reportedly built by Clovis, King of the Franks in 502, it became a centre of religious scholarship in the Middle Ages. It was suppressed at the time of t ...

noted that the Danish prince was mature and dignified like a bishop despite his youth, humble despite his noble descent, and spoke like a Frenchman despite his Danish tongue. After his studies his cousin promoted Valdemar's provision for the See in

Sleswick The Duchy of Schleswig ( da, Hertugdømmet Slesvig; german: Herzogtum Schleswig; nds, Hartogdom Sleswig; frr, Härtochduum Slaswik) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km ( ...

( da, link=no, Slesvig, german: link=no, Schleswig) in 1179, although still too young to be

consecrated bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

as successor of the late

Frederick I Frederick I may refer to: * Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht. * Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978) * Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105) * Frederick I, Count of Zoll ...

As bishop of Schleswig and steward of the Duchy of Schleswig

In memory of his late brother Niels he founded memorial endowments at the Abbeys of Ås (by 1192) and

Vä Vä is a former town in Scania, now a village in the municipality of Kristianstad in Sweden, ca 5 km south west of the town of Kristianstad. History The name stems from the old Danish word ''væ'', meaning "cult place or holy ground". Vä ...

(1182). From 1184 on Valdemar officiated as steward of the

for Valdemar ''the Great's'' minor son Duke Valdemar (later King

Valdemar II of Denmark Valdemar (28 June 1170 – 28 March 1241), later remembered as Valdemar the Victorious (), was the King of Denmark (being Valdemar II) from 1202 until his death in 1241. Background He was the second son of King Valdemar I of Denmark and Sophi ...

). In 1187 King Canute VI Valdemarsen endowed the diocese of Schleswig with far reaching privileges.Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197, here p. 194. At Christmas 1187 Duke Valdemar took over the Duchy of Schleswig and soon later Valdemar Knudsen was consecrated bishop probably in the Cathedral of St. Peter's. After consecration in 1188 Bishop Valdemar levied the

tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more r ...

, supported by his metropolitan

Absalon Absalon (21 March 1201) was a Danish statesman and prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and church father of Denm ...

, since before the tithes had hardly ever been levied in Danish dioceses. In 1187 and 1188

Hartwig of Uthlede Hartwig of Uthlede (died 3 November 1207) was a German nobleman who – as Hartwig II – Prince-Archbishop of Bremen (1185–1190 and de facto again 1192–1207) and one of the originators of the Livonian Crusade. Biography Coming from a family ...

, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen, and his troops invaded the trans- Elbian free peasants republic of

Ditmarsh Dithmarschen (, Low Saxon: ; archaic English: ''Ditmarsh''; da, Ditmarsken; la, label=Medieval Latin, Tedmarsgo) is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Nordfriesland, Schle ...

, ecclesiastically belonging to the

Archdiocese of Bremen The Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (german: Fürsterzbistum Bremen) — not to be confused with the modern Archdiocese of Hamburg, founded in 1994 — was an ecclesiastical principality (787–1566/1648) of the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic ...

, in order to subject Ditmarsh also to his secular princely overlordship. The free peasants promised to pay him dues, only to mock about him, once he and his soldiers had left.Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 118. The Ditmarsians gained support by steward Valdemar, so that Hartwig could not dare another costly invasion. Bishop Valdemar and Duke Valdemar came into conflict with each other on Ditmarsh. Duke Valdemar curtailed diocesan estates of Schleswig and personal possessions of Bishop Valdemar. Cardinal legate Cinthius of San Lorenzo in Luscina failed to mediate in this dispute. Bishop Valdemar learned about the abbot, monks, and nuns at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Michael's in the town of Schleswig, who had fallen into immoral behavior and had earned a reputation for drunkenness. Valdemar decided that the best way to reform the monks was to move them from the temptations in town, and establish a new convent, built in 1191, far enough away that the monks wouldn't cause more trouble. In 1192 the monks apparently were moved unwillingly to Güldenholm to begin the work on a new monastery. At some point, Güldenholm Abbey became

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

, with the monks working in the fields to earn their daily bread and meat. By 1193 Valdemar endowed Løgum Abbey with the

of Bjolderup (near

Tinglev Tinglev (german: Tingleff) is a town with a population of 2,731 (1 January 2022)Emperor Henry VI Henry VI (German: ''Heinrich VI.''; November 1165 – 28 September 1197), a member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was King of Germany (King of the Romans) from 1169 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 until his death. From 1194 he was also King of Sic ...

revoked Hartwig's princely regalia empowering his rule in the

Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen The Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (german: Fürsterzbistum Bremen) — not to be confused with the modern Archdiocese of Hamburg, founded in 1994 — was an ecclesiastical principality (787–1566/1648) of the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic ...

, for his partisanship with the

House of Welf The House of Welf (also Guelf or Guelph) is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th to 20th century and Emperor Ivan VI of Russia in the 18th century. The originally Franconia, Franconian family from ...

. The Pope, however, did not depose Hartwig as archbishop, who fled first with the Guelphs to England and then to

Lüneburg Lüneburg (officially the ''Hanseatic City of Lüneburg'', German: ''Hansestadt Lüneburg'', , Low German ''Lümborg'', Latin ''Luneburgum'' or ''Lunaburgum'', Old High German ''Luneburc'', Old Saxon ''Hliuni'', Polabian ''Glain''), also calle ...

. In 1192 Duke Valdemar, then 22 years old, seriously disagreed about Bishop Valdemar's way of leading the diocese. In the same year the Bremian Chapter didn't wait any longer for a papal dismissal of Hartwig and unauthorisedly elected Valdemar as its new Prince-Archbishop,Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 119. encouraged by Henry VI. Valdemar welcomed his election, hoping his new position could be helpful in his dispute with Duke Valdemar and his elder brother Canute VI., here p. 118. Before entering the Prince-Archbishopric he won the support of

. Moreover, the bishop conspired with Adolphus III of Holstein, perhaps also with his brothers-in-law Jaromar I of Rugia and Casimir II of Pomerania, and with

Canute I of Sweden Canute I ( Swedish: ''Knut Eriksson'', Old Norse: ''Knútr Eiríksson''; born before 1150 – died 1195/96) was king of Sweden from 1173 to 1195 (rival king since 1167). He was a son of King Eric the Saint and Queen Christina, who was a granddaug ...

and

Sverre of Norway Sverre Sigurdsson ( non, Sverrir Sigurðarson) (c. 1145/1151 – 9 March 1202) was the king of Norway from 1184 to 1202. Many consider him one of the most important rulers in Norwegian history. He assumed power as the leader of the rebel party ...

. The Bremian mint in the city of Bremen issued coins showing Valdemar's portrait.

Valdemar as Bremen's archbishop elect in Danish captivity (1193–1206)

Duke Valdemar realised the threat Prince-Archbishop Valdemar presented. In 1192 he invited the Prince-Archbishop to meet him in

Åbenrå Aabenraa (; , ; Sønderjysk: ''Affenråe'') is a town in Southern Denmark The Region of Southern Denmark ( da, Region Syddanmark, ; german: Region Süddänemark, ; frr, Regiuun Syddanmark) is an administrative region of Denmark established ...

. Then the bishop fled to Swedish Norway to avoid an arrest. The following year he organised – supported by the Hohenstaufens – a fleet of 35 ships manned with Norwegian or Swedish mercenaries and harried the coasts of Denmark with an eye to overthrowing King Canute VI, claiming the Danish throne for himself, while Adolphus III crossed the

Eider Eiders () are large seaducks in the genus ''Somateria''. The three extant species all breed in the cooler latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The down feathers of eider ducks, and some other ducks and geese, are used to fill pillows and quilt ...

invading the duchy of Schleswig. On 8 July 1192 Canute VI captured Bishop Valdemar, before he could ever enter the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen.Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197, here pp. 194seq. Despite the interventions by

Pope Celestine III Pope Celestine III ( la, Caelestinus III; c. 1106 – 8 January 1198), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 March or 10 April 1191 to his death in 1198. He had a tense relationship with several monarchs, ...

Bishop Valdemar stayed in captivity in

Nordborg Nordborg (german: Norburg), is a town with a population of 5,709 (1 January 2022),Søborg Castle Søborg Castle ( da, Søborg Slot, ) is a ruined castle south of Gilleleje in North Zealand, Denmark. It was one of the strongest castles in Denmark and was also used as a prison. It was inhabited until the Count's Feud in 1535, when it is specula ...

Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is the 1 ...

until 1206. So he in effect couldn't take the Bremian See. After pope (1198) and king (1202) had been replaced by their successors, Bishop Valdemar was released upon the initiative, launched in 1203, of the Danish Queen Dagmar and

Pope Innocent III Pope Innocent III ( la, Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216), born Lotario dei Conti di Segni (anglicized as Lothar of Segni), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 to his death in 16 J ...

, after swearing never to interfere again in Danish affairs.Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197, here p. 195. Bishop Valdemar left Søborg for

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. Duke Valdemar, meanwhile King Valdemar II, in return asked the pope the favour to confirm

Nicholas Nicholas is a male given name and a surname. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglicanism, Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the n ...

as new bishop of Schleswig.Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe der Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 123. .Hans Olrik
"Niels, – 1233, Biskop i Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XII: Münch – Peirup (1898), p. 204. Innocent III, however, refused, referencing to

canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

precepts. King Valdemar II inflicted a series of lawsuits at the papal court against Bishop Valdemar, blaming him for apostasy, alienation of church estates, immorality, perjury and high treason against Denmark. But the bishop knew to successfully defend himself.

Papally deposed as archbishop, but royally invested with princely regalia

When in 1207 Hartwig of Uthlede died, a majority of Bremian Capitulars – overlooking the votes of the absent constitutionally provided three representatives of the

Hamburg Concathedral Saint Mary's Cathedral in Hamburg (german: link=no, Sankt Mariendom, also ''Mariendom'', or simply '' Dom'' or ''Domkirche'', or ''Hamburger Dom'') was the cathedral of the ancient Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hamburg (not to be confused with ...

chapterAdolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 140. – again elected Valdemar.Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197, here p. 196. A minority, led by Bremen's cathedral capitular provost

Burchard of Stumpenhusen Burchard (and all variant spellings) may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Burchard (name), Burchard and all related spellings as a given name and surname * Burckhardt, or (de) Bourcard, a family of the Basel patriciate * Burchard-Bélaváry family, an a ...

, who had opposed this election, fled to

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

, then under Danish occupation. Valdemar, still asserting himself as Prince-Archbishop, could not hinder Iso of Wölpe,

Prince-Bishop of Verden This is a list of bishops, prince-bishops, and administrators of Verden. The Catholic Diocese of Verden (german: link=no, Bistum Verden), was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Mainz. From the 12th century, the Bishop of Verden was also, ''ex offi ...

, to capture the Bremian castle in

Ottersberg Ottersberg is a municipality in the district of Verden, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km north of Verden, and 28 km east of Bremen. History Ottersberg belonged - as to its government - to the Prince-Archbis ...

.Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 128. Hamburg and the neighbouring

County of Holstein Holstein (; nds, label=Northern Low Saxon, Holsteen; da, Holsten; Latin and historical en, Holsatia, italic=yes) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of German ...

, both part of the archdiocesan but not of the prince-archiepiscopal territory, were subject to Danish occupation under Valdemar II, since in 1202 he had confederated himself with

Otto IV Otto IV (1175 – 19 May 1218) was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1209 until his death in 1218. Otto spent most of his early life in England and France. He was a follower of his uncle Richard the Lionheart, who made him Count of Poitou in 1196 ...

, rival king against the German King Philip. Philip recognised bishop Valdemar as the legitimate Prince-Archbishop of Bremen, investing him with the princely regalia, thus making the Prince-Archbishopric his ally against Valdemar II. Valdemar II and the fled capitulars protested to

, who first wanted to research the case. When bishop Valdemar left Rome for

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...

against Innocent's order to wait his decision, he banned Valdemar by an

anathema Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...

and in 1208 finally dismissed him too as bishop of Schleswig. The fled capitulars and King Valdemar II of Denmark then gained the Hamburg chapter to elect Burchard as anti-archbishop in early 1208. Lacking papal and imperial support King Valdemar II himself, usurping imperial power, invested him as Prince-Archbishop Burchard I with the

regalia Regalia is a Latin plurale tantum word that has different definitions. In one rare definition, it refers to the exclusive privileges of a sovereign. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and dress accessories of a sovereign ...

, however, only accepted in the North Elbian archdiocesan territory. Prince-Archbishop Valdemar confederated with the free peasants of Stedingen, a region within the Prince-Archbishopric whose inhabitants rejected to be subjected as

serf Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which developed ...

s, sparing them from

socage Socage () was one of the feudal duties and land tenure forms in the Feudalism, English feudal system. It eventually evolved into the freehold tenure called "free and common socage", which did not involve feudal duties. Farmers held land in excha ...

Maurice I Maurice ( la, Mauricius or ''Mauritius''; ; 539 – 27 November 602) was Eastern Roman emperor from 582 to 602 and the last member of the Justinian dynasty. A successful general, Maurice was chosen as heir and son-in-law by his predecessor Ti ...

of the neighbouring

Oldenburg Oldenburg may also refer to: Places *Mount Oldenburg, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica *Oldenburg (city), an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany **Oldenburg (district), a district historically in Oldenburg Free State and now in Lower Saxony *Olde ...

to subject them and annex Stedingen – also in vain. The free peasants of Stedingen agreed to provide Prince-Archbishop Valdemar with mercenaries, who in return retained any further attack on their freedom. In 1208 Burchard invaded with Danish troops the prince-archiepiscopal territory south of the Elbe and conquered

Stade Stade (), officially the Hanseatic City of Stade (german: Hansestadt Stade, nds, Hansestadt Stood) is a city in Lower Saxony in northern Germany. First mentioned in records in 934, it is the seat of the district () which bears its name. It is l ...

. In August Prince-Archbishop Valdemar reconquered the city only to lose it soon after again to Valdemar II, who now built a bridge over the Elbe and fortified a forward post in Harburg upon Elbe. In Bremen Prince-Archbishop Valdemar had been warmly welcomed and nobody cared about the anathema. After Philip's assassination in June 1208, Prince-Archbishop Valdemar as well as the

burgher Burgher may refer to: * Burgher (social class), a medieval, early modern European title of a citizen of a town, and a social class from which city officials could be drawn ** Burgess (title), a resident of a burgh in northern Britain ** Grand Bu ...

s and the city of Bremen joined the party of the former rival king Otto IV, whom Innocent III crowned Emperor in 1209. Otto IV persuaded Valdemar II to withdraw into the north of the Elbe and urged anti-archbishop Burchard to resign.Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 124. Bremen's cathedral chapter had fallen out with Valdemar and reconciled with Hamburg's concathedral chapter to elect a new archbishop, this time searching the papal consent. This made Valdemar search for the papal recognition as archbishop, in 1210 he pilgrimaged to Rome and craved Innocent's forgiving, and he pardoned him and lifted his ban against Valdemar. Innocent entitled Valdemar to serve as metropolitan of Bremen ecclesiastical province and archbishop and to ordain priests. Thus recognised by pope and emperor Valdemar departed for Bremen. In November 1210 Innocent III fell out with Otto IV, since the emperor claimed papal territory as imperial fiefs and demanded King Frederick Roger of Sicily to render the newly crowned Otto IV homage as vassal for the

Duchy of Apulia and Calabria The County of Apulia and Calabria (), later the Duchy of Apulia and Calabria (), was a Norman state founded by William of Hauteville in 1042 in the territories of Gargano, Capitanata, Apulia, Vulture, and most of Campania. It became a duchy w ...

, two imperial fiefs Fredrick Roger held in personal union. Bremen's capitular

dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

as well as its suffragans Albert of Bexhövede, Bishop of Livonia, and Prince-Bishop Dietrich I of

Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the stat ...

, then proposed Burchard's uncle Count

Gerhard I of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen Gerhard is Gerard, a name of Germanic origin and may refer to: Given name * Gerhard (bishop of Passau) (fl. 932–946), German prelate * Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg (1292–1340), German prince, regent of Denmark * Gerhard Barkhorn (19 ...

, already Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück, for Bremen. In late 1210 Innocent III approved their proposal and replaced Valdemar, being a Guelphic partisan, as archbishop by Gerhard I, before Valdemar had returned to Bremen. However, in 1211 Duke Bernard III of the younger Duchy of Saxony escorted his brother-in-law Valdemar, the recently papally recognised, but newly papally deposed archbishop, into the city of Bremen, de facto regaining the See and enjoying the support of Otto IV. The Bremians rejected Gerhard's claim and favoured Valdemar.Elke Freifrau von Boeselager, "Das Land Hadeln bis zum Beginn der frühen Neuzeit", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 321–388, here p. 328. Innocent inflicted several bans on Valdemar for his inobedience. Bernard fought the forces of Prince-Bishop Gerhard I, aiming at taking over the Bremian see, while Valdemar alienated Bremian ecclesiastical estates to finance Bernard's warfare. As a reaction Valdemar II, now allied with Innocent against Otto IV, recaptured Stade, while in 1213 Otto's elder brother

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

, conquered it for Prince-Archbishop Valdemar. In 1215 Henry repelled another Danish attack on Stade. From 1212 to 1214 the mercenaries from Stedingen destroyed the castles at

Beverstedt Beverstedt is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km southeast of Bremerhaven, and 40 km north of Bremen. Beverstedt belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. In ...

, Stotel (a part of today's

Loxstedt Loxstedt (in High German, in Low Saxon: Lox) is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated south of Bremerhaven. History Lacstidi (literally in ''lake stead''), first mentioned in 1059, belonged to the ...

), Riensberg and Seehausen (both a part of today's city of Bremen), all held by partisans of Valdemar's rival archbishop Gerhard I, whom the Stedingers clearly identified as a proponent of their subjection to serfdom.Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 131. The Oldenburgers successfully defended the Burghagen Castle in

Hagen im Bremischen Hagen im Bremischen is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km south of Bremerhaven, and 35 km northwest of Bremen. Hagen was the seat of the former ''Samtgemeinde'' (" ...

against the Stedingers and Gerhard I mobilised the Count

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the ...

of Hoya to help, who inflicted the first defeat on the Stedingers in 1213. But soon Otto IV's position was challenged, losing his uncle's,

John Lackland John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Empi ...

, financial support after the English defeat in the

Battle of Bouvines The Battle of Bouvines was fought on 27 July 1214 near the town of Bouvines in the County of Flanders. It was the concluding battle of the Anglo-French War of 1213–1214. Although estimates on the number of troops vary considerably among mo ...

(1214), by Frederick II (Roger), in 1215 replacing Otto as accepted Emperor. Nevertheless, in the same year Henry V, his younger brother Otto IV, Margrave Albert II of

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...

, and Prince-Archbishop Valdemar and their troops, among them mercenaries from Stedingen, conquered

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

. In the winter of 1216 Valdemar II and his Danish troops, unable to take the city of Stade, ravaged the

County of Stade The Counts of Stade were members of the Saxony nobility beginning in the 10th century. Stade had developed since the 8th century as a principal center of trade and communications. The Counts of Stade created their domain between the lower Elbe and ...

and reconquered Hamburg. In 1216 the mercenaries of Stedingen swung over to the party of Gerhard I, who promised to respect their freedom, and attacked the city of Bremen, loyal to Valdemar., here p. 688. Henry V rescued the city with his troops. In 1217 the city of Bremen deserted Valdemar's party. Now Henry V, Otto IV and their troops ravaged the Prince-Archbishopric (so-called ''Valdemarian Turmoils'', 1217–1218). In 1218 Gerhard I and Valdemar II allied to expel Henry and Otto from the Prince-Archbishopric. Gerhard's troops approached the fortress of Vörde disguised as sick, lining up for a treatment by the faith healer and farmer Otbert. Once arrived they overthrew Henry's soldiers in the fortress.Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe des Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157, here p. 125. After the deaths of Otto in 1218 and Gerhard I in 1219, Henry V reached an agreement with the new Prince-Archbishop Gerhard II, to maintain the ''County of Stade'' as prince-archiepiscopal vassal.

Valdemar as a monk

In 1217 Valdemar fled the Prince-Archbishopric towards his nephew

Albert I, Duke of Saxony Albert I (; c. 1175 – 7 October 1260) was a Duke of Saxony, Angria, and Westphalia; Lord of Nordalbingia; Count of Anhalt; and Prince-elector and Archmarshal of the Holy Roman Empire. Even though his grandfather Albert the Bear had held the Sax ...

. Later Valdemar entered the Saxon Cistercian

Loccum Abbey Loccum Abbey (Kloster Loccum) is a Lutheran monastery in the town of Rehburg-Loccum, Lower Saxony, near Steinhude Lake. History Originating as a foundation of Count Wilbrand of Hallermund, Loccum Abbey was settled from Volkenroda Abbey under the ...

. The abbot thought he was sick unto death, dispended him for the time being from the bans and received him as a monk by 1219. After Valdemar had recovered, however, he had to do penance and went to Rome in 1220, where

Pope Honorius III Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of importa ...

forgave him, lifted the anathema again, and reaccepted him in the Church's bosom, but forbade him to officiate as priest and sent him to the

Cîteaux Abbey Cîteaux Abbey (french: Abbaye de Cîteaux, links=no ) is a Catholic abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, France. It is notable for being the original house of the Cistercian order. Today, it belongs to the Trappists ...

. The pope left it up to the abbots of the Cîteaux and

Morimond Abbey Morimond Abbey is a religious complex in Parnoy-en-Bassigny, Haute-Marne department, in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. It was the fourth of the four great daughter abbeys of Cîteaux Abbey, of primary importance in the spread of the Cis ...

s to determine Valdemar's future residence.Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197, here p. 197. Valdemar was sent to

Loccum Loccum is a village situated about 50 km north west of Hanover in the district of Nienburg in Lower-Saxony, Germany. It has been a part of the city of Rehburg-Loccum since 1974. Loccum covers an area of 32 km² with a population of abou ...

, as he wished for, living a decent monastic life. After in the night between 6 and 7 May 1223

Henry I, Count of Schwerin Henry I, Count of Schwerin ( – 17 February 1228), also known as ''Henry the Black'', was a German nobleman. He was a ruling Count of Schwerin and played an important role in the ending of the Danish supremacy in the southern coast of the Ba ...

had kidnapped King Valdemar II and his son

Valdemar the Young Valdemar the Young () ( – 28 November 1231) was a Junior King of Denmark from 1215 until his death. Valdemar was the eldest son and co-ruler of King Valdemar II of Denmark by his first wife, Dagmar of Bohemia. He did not outlive his father so ...

, in order to blackmail the Danish withdrawal from Holstein, Valdemar Knudsen saw again his chance to gain the Danish throne. Valdemar escaped the Loccum Abbey and gathered a crowd of supporters and invaded Danish-occupied Holstein in 1224, but was repelled by the Danish military commander

Albert II, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert ...

. Valdemar Knudsen did not recover, he was overlooked as participant in the

Battle of Bornhöved (1227) The (second) Battle of Bornhöved took place on 22 July 1227 near Bornhöved in Holstein. Count Adolf IV of Schauenburg and Holstein — leading an army consisting of troops from the cities of Lübeck and Hamburg, about 1000 Dithmarsians and ...

, where the victorious Low Saxon alliance of princes stopped the then Danish expansionism. In 1232 Valdemar moved into Cîteaux Abbey again, where he died on 18 July 1236. He was buried at the Abbey.

Notes

References

* * Adolf Hofmeister, "Der Kampf um das Erbe der Stader Grafen zwischen den Welfen und der Bremer Kirche (1144–1236)", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.) on behalf of the Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 105–157. * Hans Olrik
"Valdemar (Knudsen), 1158-1236, Biskop af Slesvig"
in: '' Dansk biografisk leksikon'': 19 vols., Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1887–1905, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen (1904), pp. 193–197.

External links

Genealogie Mittelalter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valdemar Danish princes House of Estridsen 12th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Denmark 13th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Denmark Roman Catholic Prince-Archbishops of Bremen Bishops of Schleswig Danish Cistercians 1158 births 1236 deaths Illegitimate children of Danish monarchs Sons of kings