This page is about the Battle of Lena of 1208; for other battles, see Battle of Helena (disambiguation)

Battle of Helena (disambiguation)

The Battle of Helena could refer to several conflicts:*Battle of Lena *Battle of Helena *Battle of Elena...

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The Battle of Lena occurred on January 31, 1208, and probably took place near Kungslena (58°14′N 13°50′E), which is located in the Tidaholm Municipality

Tidaholm Municipality

Tidaholm Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Tidaholm.The municipality is located on the banks of the river Tidan....

 in Västergötland

Västergötland

', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....

, Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

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It was an important battle between the Danish-backed former Swedish King Sverker II of Sweden

Sverker II of Sweden

Sverker II was King of Sweden from 1196 to 1208.-Biography:...

 and Prince Eric

Eric X of Sweden

Eric "X" of Sweden, Swedish: Erik Knutsson; Old Norse: Eiríkr Knútsson was the King of Sweden between 1208 and 1216. Also known as Eric the Survivor when he became King, he was the only remaining son of King Canute I of Sweden and his queen of an undetermined name, who probably was Cecilia...

. Danish

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 King Valdemar the Victorious

Valdemar II of Denmark

Valdemar II , called Valdemar the Victorious or Valdemar the Conqueror , was the King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. The nickname Sejr is a later invention and was not used during the King's own lifetime...

 provided Sverker with a large army; medieval sources estimate the size of the force at 12,000 to 18,000. The defending Swedish force numbered between 7,000 and 10,000, and were additionally backed up by a small number of Norwegian auxiliaries.

The Swedes won, according to legend aided by Odin

Odin

Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....

, and Sverker fled to Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

. He returned for the Battle of Gestilren

Battle of Gestilren

The Battle of Gestilren took place on July 17, 1210. The battle was fought between the exiled King of Sweden Sverker and the ruling King Eric. Sverker had been beaten in the previous Battle of Lena, but had returned with new forces. Sverker was killed in the battle...

, where he died. Some historians claim that the Swedes used the winter weather to their advantage, as the Danish knights were slow and vulnerable in heavy snow.