Erik XII.

Erik XII. (* 1339 ; † June 21, 1359 ) was King of Sweden from 1357 to 1359 with his father Magnus II. Eriksson and Lord of Scania .

He was the son of Magnus II Eriksson and the grandson of Duke Erik Magnusson of Södermanland . His mother was Blanka from Namur . In 1343 he was with his brother Håkon VI. together determined to heir to the throne. At the age of five he was designated king on December 6, 1344. On October 17, 1356 he proclaimed himself king. He married Beatrix , the daughter of Emperor Ludwig IV from his second marriage to Margaret of Holland .

His father's favorite, Bengt Algotsson, seized the property of the Archbishop of Lund in 1355 when he was in Rome to get the pallium . This violated the church's ban on reducing church property. The Swedish aristocracy suspected that Bengt Algotsson had acted with the approval of the king. He allied himself with Erik and Magnus' brother-in-law Albrecht von Mecklenburg . Erik's dissatisfaction, who had hoped for the Swedish royal crown, was fueled by the council aristocracy. He assumed the title of king, and in 1356 led a revolt against his father. In a settlement in 1357 there was an administrative division of the empire between father and son. Erik received Finland and the Danish areas except North Halland from Bengt Algotsson.

Erik died two years later, and shortly afterwards his pregnant widow. A contemporary diatribe accused Blanche's mother of having poisoned him and his wife, which was probably not justified. But the rumor got into the Icelandic annals. He died without an heir.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Haug: Margrete. 2000, p. 59.

literature

• Eldbjørg Haug: Margrete. Den siste Dronning i Sverreætten. Nordens fullmektige frue and rescue husbonde. Cappelen, Oslo 2000, ISBN 82-02-17642-5 (Margrete. The last queen of the Sverre family).

predecessor	Office	successor
Magnus II. Eriksson	(Co-) King of Sweden 1357–1359	Magnus II. Eriksson