House of Eric
Encyclopedia
The House of Eric was one of the two clans, which were rivals for the kingship of Sweden
between 1150 and 1220. The first king from the clan of the Erics who had won the power struggle against the Sverkers
was Eric IX of Sweden
whom the later world has dubbed Saint Eric. During this period, the individual provinces of the realm still had a high degree of independence, as is indicated by the Swedish provincial laws
of the 13th century.
The clan of St Eric favored the Varnhem Abbey
, and several of its members lay interred there.
Foremother of the dynasty was Eric IX's wife Christina Björnsdatter, whom legends claim to have been the maternal granddaughter of king Inge I of Sweden
.
The female first name Catherine
seems to have been favored within the Erik dynasty.
In 1226, two branches of the dynasty came into conflict: Canute the Tall, allegedly the adult heir of Filip, younger son of Eric IX, deposed the underage Eric XI, the Lisp and Lame (läspe och halte), who resumed the kingship only in 1234, and died in 1250. Conflict continued between the royal, senior branch and Canute's two sons until the latter were executed in 1248 and 1251.
Eric XI was the last king of the agnatic line of this dynasty and he died apparently without surviving children (though some romantic genealogies, and later research influenced by them, have attributed one or two daughters to him; those ladies were more likely daughters of his sister and Birger jarl).
Eric XI's nephew, the then underage son of his sister Ingeborg, was elected king Valdemar I of Sweden
, under the regency of his father Birger Jarl
.
Almost all the subsequent kings of Sweden have been descendants of the House of Eric. Descent from this house was regarded as such hard currency
in medieval and early modern power games that some aspirants (most notably Charles VIII of Sweden
) even fabricated a descent (see Tofta
) to show that they too were heirs of the House of Erik.
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....
between 1150 and 1220. The first king from the clan of the Erics who had won the power struggle against the Sverkers
House of Sverker
After the extinction of the House of Stenkil and the ascension of Sverker I of Sweden in 1130, a civil war commenced. In the beginning, there were several pretenders, of whom Sverker I emerged as victorious, for a time...
was Eric IX of Sweden
Eric IX of Sweden
Eric "IX" of Sweden, , also called Eric the Lawgiver, Erik the Saint, Eric the Holy and in Sweden Sankt Erik meaning Saint Eric was a Swedish king c.1155 – 1160...
whom the later world has dubbed Saint Eric. During this period, the individual provinces of the realm still had a high degree of independence, as is indicated by the Swedish provincial laws
Swedish provincial laws
The Norse laws were originally memorized by the lawspeakers, but after the end of the Viking Age they were committed to writing. Initially they were geographically limited to minor jurisdictions , and the Bjarkey laws concerned various merchant towns, but later there were laws that applied to...
of the 13th century.
The clan of St Eric favored the Varnhem Abbey
Varnhem Abbey
Varnhem Abbey in Varnhem, Västergötland, Sweden was founded around 1150 by monks of the Cistercian Order from Alvastra Abbey in Östergötland.The Cistercian Order used the same floor plan for all its abbeys, which makes it possible to easily locate the different rooms and halls regardless of the...
, and several of its members lay interred there.
Foremother of the dynasty was Eric IX's wife Christina Björnsdatter, whom legends claim to have been the maternal granddaughter of king Inge I of Sweden
Inge I of Sweden
Inge the Elder was a King of Sweden.-Biography:Inge was the son of the former King Stenkil and a Swedish princess. Inge shared the rule of the kingdom with his probably elder brother Halsten Stenkilsson, but little is known with certainty of Inge's reign...
.
The female first name Catherine
Catherine
Catherine is a feminine given name.The nicknames include Cathy, Cate, Cat, Cati, Catie and others. Catherine may refer to one of the following historical figures, place names, books, or bands.-Literature:...
seems to have been favored within the Erik dynasty.
In 1226, two branches of the dynasty came into conflict: Canute the Tall, allegedly the adult heir of Filip, younger son of Eric IX, deposed the underage Eric XI, the Lisp and Lame (läspe och halte), who resumed the kingship only in 1234, and died in 1250. Conflict continued between the royal, senior branch and Canute's two sons until the latter were executed in 1248 and 1251.
Eric XI was the last king of the agnatic line of this dynasty and he died apparently without surviving children (though some romantic genealogies, and later research influenced by them, have attributed one or two daughters to him; those ladies were more likely daughters of his sister and Birger jarl).
Eric XI's nephew, the then underage son of his sister Ingeborg, was elected king Valdemar I of Sweden
Valdemar I of Sweden
Valdemar, English also Waldemar; , was King of Sweden 1250–1275.-Biography:Valdemar was the son of princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden and Birger jarl, from the House of Bjelbo. During the first sixteen years of his reign, it was Birger Jarl who was the real ruler...
, under the regency of his father Birger Jarl
Birger jarl
, or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have...
.
Almost all the subsequent kings of Sweden have been descendants of the House of Eric. Descent from this house was regarded as such hard currency
Hard currency
Hard currency , in economics, refers to a globally traded currency that is expected to serve as a reliable and stable store of value...
in medieval and early modern power games that some aspirants (most notably Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
) even fabricated a descent (see Tofta
Tofta
Tofta was a manor and important manorial lordship in medieval Sweden, located in Adelsö, Uppland. Its most prominent holder was Charles Ulvsson, Lord of Tofta, maternal grandfather of king Charles VIII of Sweden....
) to show that they too were heirs of the House of Erik.