Eufemia of Rügen
Encyclopedia
Euphemia Güntersdotter of Rügen (or Euphemia of Arnstein) (1270 – May 1312) was the Queen consort
of Norway
as the spouse of Haakon V of Norway
. She is famous in history as a literary person, and known for her translation of ballad
s.
, but she grew up at the court of her maternal grandfather Witzlaw II, Prince of Rügen
(1240–1302). She married Haakon V of Norway
in the spring of 1299. Haakon's brother, King Eirik Magnusson subsequently died in July 1299 at which time Haakon became king of Norway. Euphemia's titles after her marriage were Queen of Norway and Countess of Ruppin. The marriage between Eufemia and King Haakon had probably been agreed on at a Danish-Norwegian settlement meeting in the autumn of 1298, where Prince Witzlaw participated as a mediator and guarantee. The couple resided at Akershus Castle in Oslo
.
Queen Euphemia was well known for her cultural interests. She loved to read and owned a large collection of books, which was said to have been one of the largest collections in Europe
at that time. Queen Eufemia represented the emerging knight
ly culture. Queen Eufemia, who was eager to cultivate continental culture within the Nordic courts, had translations made of three French and German 1100-century chivalric knight novels in verse and sent copies to the Swedish court. The three ballads were titled Herr Ivan lejonriddaren (1303), Hertig Fredrik av Normandie (1308) and Flores och Blanzeflor (1312). Each poem has a final statement that they were translated by initiative from Queen Eufemia. These became known as the Euphemia ballads (Eufemiavisene) and were popular in both Norway
and Sweden
.
Her only surviving child was Ingeborg of Norway
. In 1312, Ingeborg married Duke Eric Magnusson of Sweden, who was a younger son of King Magnus III of Sweden
and the brother of King Birger of Sweden. Their son Magnus Eriksson
would succeed both Haakon as king of Norway and Birger as king of Sweden.
King Haakon and Queen Euphemia were buried in St. Mary's Church
in Oslo
. Remains of two people, deemed to be Haakon and Euphemia, were discovered during excavations of the ruins of that church and reinterred in the Royal Mausoleum in Akershus Castle.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
as the spouse of Haakon V of Norway
Haakon V of Norway
Haakon V Magnusson was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319.-Biography:Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, King of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Haakon was descended from king Saint Olav and is considered to have been the last Norwegian king in the Fairhair...
. She is famous in history as a literary person, and known for her translation of ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s.
Biography
Euphemia was born the daughter of Günther, Count of ArnsteinArnstein
Arnstein is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- Location :...
, but she grew up at the court of her maternal grandfather Witzlaw II, Prince of Rügen
Principality of Rugia
The Principality of Rugia or Principality of Rügen was a Danish principality consisting of the island of Rügen and the adjacent mainland from 1168 until 1325. It was governed by a local dynasty of princes of the Wizlawiden dynasty...
(1240–1302). She married Haakon V of Norway
Haakon V of Norway
Haakon V Magnusson was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319.-Biography:Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, King of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Haakon was descended from king Saint Olav and is considered to have been the last Norwegian king in the Fairhair...
in the spring of 1299. Haakon's brother, King Eirik Magnusson subsequently died in July 1299 at which time Haakon became king of Norway. Euphemia's titles after her marriage were Queen of Norway and Countess of Ruppin. The marriage between Eufemia and King Haakon had probably been agreed on at a Danish-Norwegian settlement meeting in the autumn of 1298, where Prince Witzlaw participated as a mediator and guarantee. The couple resided at Akershus Castle in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Queen Euphemia was well known for her cultural interests. She loved to read and owned a large collection of books, which was said to have been one of the largest collections in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
at that time. Queen Eufemia represented the emerging knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ly culture. Queen Eufemia, who was eager to cultivate continental culture within the Nordic courts, had translations made of three French and German 1100-century chivalric knight novels in verse and sent copies to the Swedish court. The three ballads were titled Herr Ivan lejonriddaren (1303), Hertig Fredrik av Normandie (1308) and Flores och Blanzeflor (1312). Each poem has a final statement that they were translated by initiative from Queen Eufemia. These became known as the Euphemia ballads (Eufemiavisene) and were popular in both Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and 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....
.
Her only surviving child was Ingeborg of Norway
Ingeborg of Norway
Ingeborg of Norway , was a Norwegian and by marriage Swedish princess and royal duchess with a position in the regency governments in Norway and Sweden...
. In 1312, Ingeborg married Duke Eric Magnusson of Sweden, who was a younger son of King Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III Ladulås of Sweden, Swedish: Magnus Birgersson or Magnus Ladulås was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290....
and the brother of King Birger of Sweden. Their son Magnus Eriksson
Magnus IV of Sweden
Magnus Eriksson as Magnus IV was king of Sweden , including Finland, as Magnus VII King of Norway , including Iceland and Greenland, and also ruled Scania . He has also vindictively been called Magnus Smek...
would succeed both Haakon as king of Norway and Birger as king of Sweden.
King Haakon and Queen Euphemia were buried in St. Mary's Church
St Mary's Church, Oslo
St Mary's Church was a medieval church in Oslo, Norway.St Mary's Church, which functioned as royal chapel, had been built in stages with final additions made in the 1300s. The church was put on fire by Swedish forces in connection with an attack in 1523...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Remains of two people, deemed to be Haakon and Euphemia, were discovered during excavations of the ruins of that church and reinterred in the Royal Mausoleum in Akershus Castle.