Birger Jarl

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Birger Jarl
Birger Jarl's statue in Stockholm

Birger Magnusson von Bjälbo (* around 1210 ; † October 21, 1266 in Jälbolung , Västergötland ) was a Swedish statesman, since 1248 Jarl of Sweden and founder of Stockholm .

Life

Birger was the son of Magnus Minnesköld von Bjälbo and Ingrid Ylva , granddaughter of Sverker I. He came from the Bjälbo family, which had produced several Jarles since 1200. The gender is mistakenly called Folkunger .

Birger, who had a close relationship with his brother-in-law King Erik XI. had reached an outstanding position of power. In 1248, a year after the aristocratic opposition party of the Folkung people, led by Holmger , son of Knuts II, was defeated in the battle of Sparrsätra and Holmger was beheaded, he ousted Ulf Fase and succeeded him in the post of Reich Administrator . Another noble revolt against the centralization efforts of the king and his jarl was put down in 1251 in the battle of Herrevadsbro . Filipp Knutsson was executed.

Birger also had good relationships with the church. Two of his brothers and one son were bishops. He led the negotiations with Cardinal Wilhelm von Sabina , who was sent by the Pope , in which the church achieved greater independence from state power in 1248. She then mainly supported Birger's efforts to standardize legislation in the individual countries and to modernize the law in line with Christian values. These two endeavors were expressed in the four imperial laws on domestic peace , women's peace , things peace and church peace , also in the prohibition of the enslavement of debtors and the regulation of the right of inheritance for women. Birger's legislation and reforms consolidated the Swedish state.

Birger's Ostpolitik was offensive. He embarked on crusades to Finland in the 1230s and 1240s to strengthen Swedish rule. However, his invading army was defeated by the Russian prince Alexander Nevsky in the Battle of the Neva in 1240 , but this did not end the campaign. During this time, King Erik XI died. with which the old royal line on the male side had died out. An attempt to establish a base in Estonia south of the Gulf of Finland together with the Teutonic Order failed in 1256. Via their mother Ingeborg (see below), his sons were closest to the line of succession. So Waldemar , who was still a minor, was elected king, but Birger was the real regent.

Birger had the entrance in the Mälaren fortified, under his rule Stockholm developed into a trading city. He promoted trade in the Baltic Sea through contracts in which the cities of Lübeck (1250) and Hamburg (1261) were granted duty-free .

After a meeting with papal ambassadors in Kalmar in the summer of 1266 , he died on October 21, 1266 in Jälbolung, probably a manor in Västergötland . Birger was buried in Varnhem Monastery.

Marriages and offspring

In his first marriage with Birger was Ingeborg , a daughter of the king Erik X. married. They had the following children:

In his second marriage Birger was married to Mechthild von Holstein , the widow of King Abel of Denmark and daughter of Adolf IV von Holstein. They had a child:

  • Christine

Birger had an illegitimate child:

literature

  • Lars O. Lagerqvist: Sverige och des regenter under 1000 år. Bonnier, Stockholm 1976, ISBN 91-0-041538-3 , p. 71.

Web links

Commons : Birger Jarl  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Birger Jarl
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bjälbo, Birger Magnusson from
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swedish statesman and (since 1248) Jarl of Sweden
DATE OF BIRTH around 1210
DATE OF DEATH October 21, 1266
Place of death Jälbolung, Västergötland