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 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 Instrume ...

as the

consort __NOTOC__ Consort may refer to: Music * "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses'' * Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles * Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...

of King Magnus III Barnlock. Her parents were

Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe (1232 – 21 December 1290) was the only count of Holstein-Itzehoe. Life He was the second son of Count Adolf IV of Holstein and Heilwig of Lippe. When his father retired to a monastery in 1238, he ru ...

(died 1290) and Elisabeth of

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label= Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schweri ...

(died 1280).

Biography

Hedwig was married to Magnus Ladulås in 1276, and was granted the

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form ...

of Dåvö in Munktorp in

Västmanland Västmanland ( or ), is a historical Swedish province, or ''landskap'', in middle Sweden. It borders Södermanland, Närke, Värmland, Dalarna and Uppland. Västmanland means "(The) Land of the Western Men", where the "western men" (''v� ...

. Magnus succeeded in preventing a Danish-Holstein alliance by marrying her. However, he had obtained a dispensation for their marriage only after the wedding. Her father was captured during the

Folkunge party In modern Swedish, Folkung has two meanings, which appear to be opposites: # The medieval "House of Bjelbo" in Sweden, which produced several Swedish statesmen and kings. # A group of people (singular ''Folkunge'', plural ''Folkungar''), who wer ...

revolt (Folkungaupproret) by rebellious noblemen in

Skara Skara is a locality and the seat of Skara Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 18,580 inhabitants in 2013. Despite its small size, it is one of the oldest cities in Sweden, and has a long educational and ecclesiastical history. O ...

in 1278 and the queen was also targeted. The actions of the rebels were well timed; they coincided with her journey through Sweden. She sought refuge in the convent in the city. Hedwig was crowned Queen of Sweden in the city of Söderköping on 29 June 1281; this is the first confirmed

coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the presentation of o ...

of a queen consort in Sweden. It included the prayers for her fertility, which was the matter of great importance. She founded the Greyfriars

convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Angl ...

(Gråmunkekloster) in Stockholm and several other churches and convents. As a queen, however, she is not very much heard of, despite the fact that she held the position for fourteen years, she lived a discreet life, both as a queen and as a dowager queen. She took a prominent part in processions which accompanied the inauguration of bishops, celebrations of a feast day and the installation of relics, such as the Mass for

Saint Erik Eric IX, ( Swedish: ''Erik Jedvardsson; Erik den helige; Sankt Erik''; d. 18 May 1160) also called Eric the Holy, Saint Eric, and Eric the Lawgiver, was a Swedish king in the 12th century, 1156–1160. The ''Roman Martyrology'' of the Catholic ...

in 1277. After the death of her spouse in 1290, Hedwig acted as one of the executors of the will of the King. In 1291, she withdrew to her estate Dåvö in

. She is not known to have taken any political role, formal or informal, during or after the reign of her spouse. She was described as a noble, loyal and peace-loving mother figure, tormented by the conflicts between her sons. She acted as a foster mother for her son's future bride,

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 h ...

, who spent a lot of her childhood in Sweden as the future Queen of Sweden after 1290. In 1302, she was present at the coronation of her son. As dowager queen, she governed

Fjärdhundraland Fjärdhundraland or the ''land of the four hundreds'' is, since 1296, a part of the province of Uppland in Sweden. Its name refers to its role of providing 400 men and 16 ships for the leidang of the Swedish king at Uppsala. Snorri Sturluson r ...

, which was given to her as

dower Dower is a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed. It was settled on the bride (being gifted into trust) by agreement at the time of the wedding, or as provided by law. ...

. Queen Hedwig is buried in

Riddarholm Church Riddarholmen Church ( sv, Riddarholmskyrkan) is the church of the former medieval Greyfriars Monastery in Stockholm, Sweden. The church serves as the final resting place of most Swedish monarchs. Riddarholmen Church is located on the island o ...

in Stockholm, with her husband and her daughter Richeza.

Children

''Hedwig's wedding took place at

Kalmar Kalmar (, , ) is a city in the southeast of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 36,392 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of ...

castle on 11 November 1276 with king Magnus III Ladulås of Sweden. They had the following children:''Philip Line, *

Ingeborg Magnusdotter of Sweden Ingeborg Magnusdotter of Sweden (born 1277, Sweden – d. 5 April or 15 August 1319) was Queen of Denmark by marriage to King Eric VI. She was the daughter of King Magnus III of Sweden and Helwig of Holstein. Life Ingeborg was born a daughter o ...

, born abt. 1279. Married 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 ...

, Erik Menved. * Birger Magnusson, born abt. 1280, king of Sweden. * Eric Magnusson,

Duke of Södermanland Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to princes of Sweden (only in some of the dynasties) and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, whe ...

in 1302 and Halland etc. c 1305, born abt. 1282. Died of starvation 1318 at Nyköpingshus Castle while imprisoned by his brother, King Birger. * Valdemar Magnusson, Duke of Finland in 1302 and Öland 1310. Died of starvation 1318 at Nyköpingshus castle while imprisoned by his brother King Birger. * Richeza Magnusdotter of Sweden, abbess of the convent of St. Clara at Stockholm. Died after 1347.

Notes

References

* Dick Harrison: Jarlens Sekel, Ordfront Förlag, 2002 * Nordisk Familjebok, Uggleupplagan, band 11, sida 373, Stockholm 1909 * Åke Ohlmarks: ''Alla Sveriges drottningar'' (All the queens of Sweden) (Swedish) * Svenska Familje-Journalen, band XI, årgång 1872, s. 194 , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Hedwig of Holstein Queen mothers Helvig 1260 births 1324 deaths House of Schauenburg Burials at Riddarholmen Church House of Bjelbo 13th-century German people 13th-century Swedish people 14th-century Swedish people 14th-century Swedish women 13th-century Swedish women 13th-century German women