List of Dukes of Halland
Encyclopedia
This lists those feudal
magnates (count
s, duke
s, and other sort of prince
s) who have held Halland
(Hallandia) as fief, or its southern or northern part, titled as duke
.
of Halland consisted of a crowned heraldic
leopard
over 10 hearts and was used by Niels II and James I and most likely also by Niels I although no examples are preserved from the latter's reign. The colours of this first symbol are uncertain. In 1305, James used a seal showing a lion and 20 hearts. Knud Porse used his family's arms depicting three red sea leaves in a gold shield. One of the seals used by Duchess Ingeborg
of Sweden, Halland, and Samsø represents Halland by an arms party per fess
, with an unspecified colour in chief and a leopard in the larger lower base. This seal dates from 1336, and the figure was repeated in her seal used 1340–1352. A fresco in Søborg Castle
, Denmark, dates from her stay there 1331–36 and shows the arms of Halland as a crowned upstanding silver lion on blue. This insignia Azure, a lion rampant Argent crowned Argent is closely related to the current arms of the province although the current lion is no longer crowned but has two tails.
From 1449–1972 a modified version Halland's first arms was represented in the coat of arms of Denmark
now symbolizing the monarch's title King of the Goths
. This title referred to the possession of the island Gotland
. Occasionally, Gotland was represented in the Danish arms with an additional arms as well, an Agnus Dei.
Duke Benedict's personal escutcheon, from his family, depicted a lion of the Bjelbo dynasty.
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
magnates (count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
s, duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
s, and other sort of prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s) who have held Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
(Hallandia) as fief, or its southern or northern part, titled as duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
.
List including duchesses
- Charles Eriksen, maternal grandson of Canute IV of DenmarkCanute IV of DenmarkCanute IV, later known as Canute the Holy or Canute the Saint , was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church, and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was...
, son of Eric, Earl of Falster - Knud ValdemarsenCanute VI of DenmarkCanute VI was King of Denmark . Canute VI was the eldest son of King Valdemar I and Sophia of Polotsk.-Life:...
, crown prince, as prince of Halland 1177–92 - Niels I, Count of Halland, 1218 (died the same year), bastard son of Valdemar II of DenmarkValdemar II of DenmarkValdemar 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...
- Duke Skule of Norway, fiefholder of Northern Halland 1228–40
- Niels II, Count of Northern Halland 1241–51
- James, Count of Halland (northern) 1283–1305
- Eric Knudsen of Skarsholm (c. 1235–1304), Duke of Southern Halland 1284–1304, titularly of Reval, eldest son of Canute, Duke of RevalCanute, Duke of RevalCanute or Knud Valdemarsen was a Danish bastard son of King Valdemar II of Denmark, who became Duke of Revelia, Blekinge and Lolland.Canute was the son of the king by his concubine, Helena Guttormsdotter, widow of Danish nobleman Esbern Snare and daughter of the late Guttorm, Riksjarl of Sweden....
, Lolland and Blekinge, bastard son of Valdemar II of DenmarkValdemar II of DenmarkValdemar 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...
and grandson of Swedish Earl Guttorm - ChristopherChristopher II of DenmarkChristopher II was king of Denmark from 1320 to 1326 and again from 1329 until his death. He was son of Eric V. His name is connected with national disaster, as his rule ended in an almost total dissolution of the Danish state.-Biography:Being the brother of King Eric VI, Christopher was a...
, brother of Eric VI of DenmarkEric VI of DenmarkEric VI Menved was King of Denmark and a son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg.He became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered 20 November by unknown assailants...
, Duke of Southern Halland 1307–26 - Eric, Duke of SödermanlandEric, Duke of SödermanlandEric Magnusson was a Swedish prince, Duke of Svealand, Södermanland, Dalsland, Västergötland, Värmland and North Halland and heir to the throne of Sweden. He was the father of King Magnus who became king of both Norway and Sweden.-Background:...
, fiefholder of North Halland (seat in Varberg castle) 1310-1318 - Ingeborg of NorwayIngeborg of NorwayIngeborg of Norway , was a Norwegian and by marriage Swedish princess and royal duchess with a position in the regency governments in Norway and Sweden...
, Duchess of North Halland 1312-1341 as Eric's consort and widow - MagnusMagnus IV of SwedenMagnus 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...
, Duke, fiefholder of North Halland in 1318, king 1319 of Sweden and Norway and overlord of all of Terra Scania from 1332 - Canute Porse, second consort of Duchess Ingeborg (above), Duke of South Halland 1327-1330
- Ingeborg of Norway (above), Duchess now of all of Halland 1327-1341 as consort and widow (for South Halland's part) of Canute
- Canute Porse, Jr., Duke of Halland 1330-1350 holding the title simultaneously with his mother Ingeborg (above) and brother Hacon (below)
- Hacon Porse, Duke of Halland 1330-1350 holding the title simultaneously with his mother Ingeborg and brother Canute (above)
- Ingeborg of Norway (above), Duchess of Halland 1341-1353 in her own right
- Benedict, Duke of HallandBenedict, Duke of HallandDuke Benedict of Halland and Finland , aka Bengt Algotsson, was a medieval Swedish lord, and royal favourite.He was born to a family who descended from Svantepolk of Skarsholm and his wife Benedikta Sunadotter...
and Finland, Duke 1353–1357, died 1360 - Prince Bertil, Duke of HallandPrince Bertil, Duke of HallandPrince Bertil of Sweden , Duke of Halland, was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught.The prince was born at Stockholm...
1912–1997 - Princess Lilian, Duchess of HallandPrincess Lilian, Duchess of HallandPrincess Lilian, Duchess of Halland is a Welsh former fashion model who has been a member of the Swedish Royal Family since marrying Prince Bertil , an uncle of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, in 1976.-Early life:Born in Swansea, Wales, the daughter of William John Davies and wife Gladys Mary...
from 1976 and Bertil's consort and widow
Coat of arms
The first known coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Halland consisted of a crowned heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
leopard
Leopard (heraldry)
The leopard or lion passant guardant is a frequently used charge in heraldry. It mostly appears in groups of three, which are positioned over each another.-Heraldic and zoological leopards:...
over 10 hearts and was used by Niels II and James I and most likely also by Niels I although no examples are preserved from the latter's reign. The colours of this first symbol are uncertain. In 1305, James used a seal showing a lion and 20 hearts. Knud Porse used his family's arms depicting three red sea leaves in a gold shield. One of the seals used by Duchess Ingeborg
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...
of Sweden, Halland, and Samsø represents Halland by an arms party per fess
Division of the field
In heraldry, the field of a shield can be divided into more than one area of different tinctures, usually following the lines of one of the ordinaries and carrying its name...
, with an unspecified colour in chief and a leopard in the larger lower base. This seal dates from 1336, and the figure was repeated in her seal used 1340–1352. A fresco in Søborg Castle
Søborg Castle
Søborg Castle , in its heyday, was the strongest castle in Denmark ,and was also used as a prison . It was inhabited until the Count's Feud in 1535, when it is speculated that it was destroyed...
, Denmark, dates from her stay there 1331–36 and shows the arms of Halland as a crowned upstanding silver lion on blue. This insignia Azure, a lion rampant Argent crowned Argent is closely related to the current arms of the province although the current lion is no longer crowned but has two tails.
From 1449–1972 a modified version Halland's first arms was represented in the coat of arms of Denmark
Coat of arms of Denmark
The royal coat of arms is more complex. The shield is quartered by a silver cross fimbriated in red, derived from the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark by three crowned lions passant accompanied by nine hearts; the second quarter contains two lions passant...
now symbolizing the monarch's title King of the Goths
King of the Goths
The title of King of the Goths was for many centuries borne by both the Kings of Sweden and the Kings of Denmark, denoting sovereignty or claimed sovereignty over the antique people of the Goths....
. This title referred to the possession of the island Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
. Occasionally, Gotland was represented in the Danish arms with an additional arms as well, an Agnus Dei.
Duke Benedict's personal escutcheon, from his family, depicted a lion of the Bjelbo dynasty.