Knut I. (Sweden)

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Seal from Knut Eriksson

Knut I. (* before 1150 ; † April 8, 1196 ), known as Knut Eriksson in Sweden , was King of Sweden from 1167 to 1196 .

origin

Knut I. Eriksson descended from a Jedward male line. According to a literary source, this could have been Jedvard Bonde - possibly from Uppland. This assumption is not supported by historical writings. The starting dynasty from Jedvard was not after this, but after Knut's father Erik IX. Jedvardsson the Holy , King of Sweden 1156–1160, who is considered the patron saint of Sweden, called the Erik family .

Knut's mother was Kristina Björnsdotter, a daughter of the Danish prince Björn Haraldsen, called iron side († 1134) and Katarina Ingesdotter, a daughter of Inge I. Stenkilsson, King of Sweden 1060-1084. This created a dynastic connection to the House of Stenkil and also to the dynasty that ruled Sweden even earlier, which goes back to Erik VIII, the Victorious King of Sweden until 995.

Life

Coins by Kullkyrkan Knut Eriksson (left). Knut Långe (right)

Knut Eriksson attacked the reigning King of Sweden, Charles VII. Sverkersson , his second cousin, on Visingö on April 12, 1167 , killed him and took the Swedish throne. In the following years he had to defend it against Kol and Burislev the Younger, who also carried the king's name but never won the empire. They were probably sons of Jarls Johan Sverkerssonn, who was murdered in 1153/54 , the son of King Sverker the Elder. Elderly , but possibly also Sverker's sons with his second wife Rikissa von Poland . Burislev appears to have been killed in 1169, while Kol did not fall before 1173, apparently in the battle of Bjälbo in Östergötland.

Between 1175 and 1180 Knut concluded a trade agreement with Henry the Lion of Saxony. Coins were struck again, first pfennigs in Lödöse , then silver coins with the image of his father in Sigtuna to promote the cult of saints for him.

In 1187 Sigtuna was sacked by the Estonians and Archbishop Johannes killed. The city was burned down. These events led to the construction of many fortified churches , which consisted of thick round towers and had upper floors into which the residents of the area could take refuge. Stockholm Castle was also built at this time. Also, the Kalmar Castle goes back to a defensive tower, the Knut Eriksson made in 1180 to protect against pirates and other enemies that threatened the city from the sea, built.

Knut wanted to secure the throne for his eldest son. A papal letter several years before his death confirmed that Erik would succeed him on the throne. But in the meantime electoral kingship had been established in Sweden , and the nobles did not care about the Pope's interference in the question of succession to the throne. In 1196 he was succeeded by Sverker II on the throne.

Marriage and offspring

Strangely enough, you don't know your wife's name. Possibly she was a sister of Kol and Burislev and daughter of Johann Sverker. Some researchers identify her with Cecilia Johansdotter . For a long time it was believed based on a received papal letter that Knut wanted to divorce her. After the Second World War , a document emerged in Spain that she promised to go to a monastery, terminally ill. Now the king wanted to resume living together and asked the Pope to release them from their vows. Her name is not mentioned in this letter either.

Children:

  • Erik X. Knutsson (1180–1216), king of Sweden 1208–1216, ∞ Rikissa of Denmark († 1220), a daughter of Waldemar I of Denmark (1157–1182). With his posthumously born son Erik XI. Eriksson "Läspe" (the Lispelende), King of Sweden 1224–1250, the Erik family died out in the male line.
  • Jon Knutsson, († November 15, 1205 in the battle of Älgarås (in the north of Västergötland ) against the Sverker family)
  • Knut Knutsson († November 15, 1205 in the Battle of Älgarås)
  • Joar Knutsson († November 15, 1205 in the Battle of Älgarås)
  • Sigrid Knutsdotter ∞ Knut Birgersson ; her son was Magnus Broka .

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Lars O. Lagerqvist: Sverige och dess regenter under 1000 år. Norrtälje 1976. ISBN 91-0-041538-3 , p. 51
  2. ↑ a b Detlev Schwennicke: European Family Tables , Volume II, Plate 115
  3. ↑ Detlev Schwennicke: European Family Tables , Volume II, Plate 114
  4. ↑ Burislav . In: Svenskt biografiskt lexikon Volume 6 (1926), p. 746
  5. ↑ Lagerqvist, p. 59 f.
  6. ↑ a b c d Lagerqvist p. 61.
  7. ↑ Folkunga-atten . In: Theodor Westrin (Ed.): Nordisk familjebok konversationslexikon och realencyklopedi . 2nd Edition. tape 8 : Feiss-Fruktmögel . Nordisk familjeboks förlag, Stockholm 1908, Sp. 792 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
predecessor Office successor
Charles VII King of Sweden
1167–1196 		Sverker II.
personal data
SURNAME Knut I.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Knut Eriksson
BRIEF DESCRIPTION King of Sweden
DATE OF BIRTH before 1150
DATE OF DEATH April 8, 1196