Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden
Encyclopedia
Ingeborg Eriksdotter was a Swedish Princess and Duchess, daughter of king Eric X of Sweden
, eldest sibling of king Eric XI of Sweden
, wife of Birger Jarl
and mother of king Valdemar I of Sweden
.
and his wife Richeza of Denmark. She lived her youth in exile in Denmark
, after her brother had ben deposed by his guardian and regent in 1229.
Ingeborg Eriksdotter's marital engagement took place in about 1234 in connection of her brother Eric XI resuming the Swedish throne from the 'usurper' Canute II of Sweden
, in order to have the mighty House of Bjellbo as their allies.
Princess Ingeborg bore a vast number of children to her husband dux Birger Jarl
. In 1250, her brother died without heirs and her eldest son Valdemar was chosen to succeed her brother Eric on the throne; her son was chosen because he was her son, and her husband was made regent during his minority. Ingeborg thereby became the King's Mother and first lady of the royal court.
Ingeborg is recorded to have inherited her brother Eric's private property upon his death, as his only living sibling. Even in her forties, she continued to give birth to children, and her death is believed to have occurred because of childbirth complications, possibly giving birth to twins.
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...
, eldest sibling of king Eric XI of Sweden
Eric XI of Sweden
Eric "XI" of Sweden, or Eric the Lisp and Lame Swedish: Erik Eriksson läspe och halte; Old Norse: Eiríkr Eiríksson was king of Sweden in 1222–1229 and 1234–1250.-Background:...
, wife of 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...
and mother of 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...
.
Biography
Ingeborg was born as eldest daughter of king Eric X of SwedenEric 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...
and his wife Richeza of Denmark. She lived her youth in exile in 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...
, after her brother had ben deposed by his guardian and regent in 1229.
Ingeborg Eriksdotter's marital engagement took place in about 1234 in connection of her brother Eric XI resuming the Swedish throne from the 'usurper' Canute II of Sweden
Canute II of Sweden
Canute II Holmgersson, called the Tall , was King of Sweden from 1229 until his death 1234. He may have been a great grandson of Eric the Saint, for the sagas give Filip Eriksson, Eric's youngest son, as the father of Holmger, Canute's father...
, in order to have the mighty House of Bjellbo as their allies.
Princess Ingeborg bore a vast number of children to her husband dux 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...
. In 1250, her brother died without heirs and her eldest son Valdemar was chosen to succeed her brother Eric on the throne; her son was chosen because he was her son, and her husband was made regent during his minority. Ingeborg thereby became the King's Mother and first lady of the royal court.
Ingeborg is recorded to have inherited her brother Eric's private property upon his death, as his only living sibling. Even in her forties, she continued to give birth to children, and her death is believed to have occurred because of childbirth complications, possibly giving birth to twins.
Children
Her following children survived to adulthood:- Rikissa BirgersdotterRikissa Birgersdotter-Succession:...
of Sweden, queen of Norway. - Valdemar Birgersson, King of Sweden 1250-1275, Lord of Gothenland until 1278
- Magnus Birgersson "Ladulås", King of Swedes and Goths from 1275
- Kristina Birgersdotter
- probably her daughter: Karin (Katarina) of Sweden, married Siegfried, Count of Anhalt
- Erik Birgersson, Duke of Sweden ("Hertig af Småland"=Duke of SmålandSmåland' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
) - probably her daughter: Ingeborg of Sweden, married John of Saxony, Duke of Lauenburg
- Benedict, Duke of FinlandBenedict, Duke of FinlandBishop Benedict, Duke of Finland was a Swedish prelate and a royal duke.His father was Birger jarl, the real ruler of Sweden 1250-66 and Benedict was from legitimate marriage...
, Bishop of Linköping, born c. 1254, seems to have been Ingeborg's last child