Olov Lambatunga

Olov Lambatunga († 1206 ) was the fourth Archbishop of Uppsala from 1198 to 1206 . The meaning of his nickname, which has been documented since the 14th century, is uncertain. He received his pallium from Pope Innocent III. and was consecrated in Lund in 1198 by Archbishop Absalon , Primate of the Danish-Swedish Church.

The Pope instructed Olov to depose the two bishops illegally ordained by his predecessor Peter and invalidate the election of the third. If he refuses, Primate Absalon should do so. The outcome of this conflict is not recorded.

In 1200, King Sverker the Younger granted the Swedish Church some important privileges: it was exempt from all taxes and from secular jurisdiction. He also ordered complete testamentary freedom in favor of the church. In doing so, he strengthened the Swedish Church in the domestic power struggle. But Sverker's position was too weak to enforce the privileges. It is the first document documenting the liberation of the Swedish Church from secular jurisdiction. These privileges met with great resistance from great people in the empire, because the exemption from secular jurisdiction reduced their income from the fines and the freedom of testament endangered the inheritance rights of the heirs.

During Olov's term of office there was a conflagration in Alt-Uppsala, which also destroyed the cathedral and during which its pallium was also burned. The Archbishop of Lund Andreas Sunesen was then authorized by the Pope to give him a new pallium. It is generally noticeable that the Pope corresponded not with Olov, but with Andreas also about the conditions of the Swedish Church. Olov was ignored. The cause is not known.

Individual evidence and explanations

1. ↑ Anders Winroth: "Petrus" in: Svenskt biografisk lexikon , accessed on March 23, 2013.
2. ↑ So far, the freedom to make a will was limited by inheritance law, in that the heirs had to agree to a donation in the will.

literature

• Gustav Åsbrink / Knut B. Westman: Svea Rikes Ärkebiskopar från 1164 till nuvarande tid . Stockholm 1935. pp. 50-51.
• Not so Winroth: "Olaus Lambatunga" in Svenskt biografiskt lexikon , accessed on March 23, 2013.

predecessor	Office	successor
Peter	Archbishop of Uppsala 1198– around 1206	Valerius