Magnus I of Sweden
Encyclopedia
Magnus I of Sweden, son of Nicholas ( ; ), later called Magnus the Strong (born about 1106, died June 4, 1134 in the Battle of Fotevik
), was a Danish
duke who ruled Gothenland in southern Sweden
from 1125 to 1130. His status as ruler of Sweden was disputed in his own time, but today he is recognized as one of the Swedish monarchs.
Magnus was the son of King Niels I of Denmark
and Margaret Fredkulla
, the second or eldest daughter of King Inge the Elder
of Sweden.
. According to Saxo Grammaticus
, Ragnvald had shown disrespect towards the Geats by not taking a Geat hostage. As retaliation, Ragnvald was murdered by Magnus's supporters not long after.
Magnus married Richeza, daughter of Boleslaw III of Poland around 1127. In 1130, Magnus backed Boleslaw III in conquering Rügen
. The Polish forces together with a Danish fleet compelled the Rani
to recognize Polish rule over the island. Magnus is not mentioned as King in the law of Västergötland
and was probably ousted from Sweden by his successor Sverker I of Sweden
around 1130.
In 1131, Magnus had his cousin and potential rival for the Danish throne, Canute Lavard
, murdered, in order to position himself as heir presumptive
to his father King Niels. Though he was eventually backed by Niels, Magnus found himself in a civil war
against Lavard's half-brother Eric Emune
. He died on June 4, 1134 during the Battle of Fotevik
in Scania, where his father was also decisively defeated. Niels died later the same year.
origins. She later returned to Sweden and thirdly married the man who defeated Magnus, King Sverker I
.
Magnus's son, Canute V
, contested the Danish throne with his second cousin, Svend III. When Canute died in 1157, Magnus's legitimate descent went extinct. Canute's elder son Niels, born by his wife Helena of Sweden
, died in 1180. Canute's illegitimate posthumous son, Valdemar
, bishop of Schleswig and Prince-Archbishop of Bremen, died in 1236 as the last descendant of king Magnus.
Battle of Fotevik
Battle of Fotevik was fought between forces of King Niels of Denmark together with those of his son Magnus Nilsson against those of Erik Emune on June 4, 1134 at the bay of Fotevik in Skåne....
), was a 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...
duke who ruled Gothenland in southern 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....
from 1125 to 1130. His status as ruler of Sweden was disputed in his own time, but today he is recognized as one of the Swedish monarchs.
Magnus was the son of King Niels I of Denmark
Niels of Denmark
Niels of Denmark was King of Denmark from 1104 to 1134, following his brother Eric Evergood, and is presumed to have been the youngest son of king Sweyn II Estridson. Niels actively supported the canonization of Canute IV the Holy, and his secular rule was supported by the clergy...
and Margaret Fredkulla
Margaret Fredkulla
Margaret Fredkulla of Sweden was a medieval Scandinavian queen, Princess of Sweden and Queen consort of Denmark and Norway, married to King Magnus III of Norway and King Niels of Denmark, and regent de facto of Denmark. She is known as Margareta Fredkulla in Sweden, Margret Fredskolla in Norway...
, the second or eldest daughter of King Inge the Elder
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...
of Sweden.
Kingship
When Margaret's first cousin King Inge the Younger died in 1125, Magnus claimed the throne as the eldest grandson of Inge the Elder. Magnus was recognized by the Geats (Göterna) of Gothenland, but according to the Westrogothic law, had to be accepted also by the Swea, another tribe to the north of the Geats. The Swea, however, had selected Ragnvald KnaphövdeRagnvald Knaphövde
Ragnvald Knaphövde was a King of Sweden whose reign is estimated to the mid-1120s or c. 1130. His cognomen Knaphövde is explained as referring to a drinking vessel, the size of a man's head or meaning "round head" and referring to his being foolish...
. According to Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
, Ragnvald had shown disrespect towards the Geats by not taking a Geat hostage. As retaliation, Ragnvald was murdered by Magnus's supporters not long after.
Magnus married Richeza, daughter of Boleslaw III of Poland around 1127. In 1130, Magnus backed Boleslaw III in conquering Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
. The Polish forces together with a Danish fleet compelled the Rani
Rani (Slavic tribe)
The Rani or Rujani were a West Slavic tribe based on the island of Rugia and the southwestern mainland across the Strelasund in what is today northeastern Germany....
to recognize Polish rule over the island. Magnus is not mentioned as King in the law of 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....
and was probably ousted from Sweden by his successor Sverker I of Sweden
Sverker I of Sweden
Sverker I or Sverker the Elder was King of Sweden from about 1130 till his death.-Biography:Sverker was a mighty landowner from Östergötland...
around 1130.
In 1131, Magnus had his cousin and potential rival for the Danish throne, Canute Lavard
Canute Lavard
Canute Lavard was a Danish prince. Later he was the first Duke of Schleswig and the first border prince who was both a Danish and a German vassal, a position leafing towards the historical double position of Southern Jutland...
, murdered, in order to position himself as heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to his father King Niels. Though he was eventually backed by Niels, Magnus found himself in a civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
against Lavard's half-brother Eric Emune
Eric II of Denmark
Eric II the Memorable was king of Denmark between 1134 and 1137. Eric was an illegitimate son of Eric I of Denmark, who ruled Denmark from 1095 to 1103. Eric the Memorable rebelled against his uncle Niels of Denmark, and was declared king in 1134. He punished his adversaries severely, and...
. He died on June 4, 1134 during the Battle of Fotevik
Battle of Fotevik
Battle of Fotevik was fought between forces of King Niels of Denmark together with those of his son Magnus Nilsson against those of Erik Emune on June 4, 1134 at the bay of Fotevik in Skåne....
in Scania, where his father was also decisively defeated. Niels died later the same year.
Legacy
After Magnus's death, his widow Richeza returned to the east where she married Volodar of Minsk, a Rurikid ruler of VikingViking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
origins. She later returned to Sweden and thirdly married the man who defeated Magnus, King Sverker I
Sverker I of Sweden
Sverker I or Sverker the Elder was King of Sweden from about 1130 till his death.-Biography:Sverker was a mighty landowner from Östergötland...
.
Magnus's son, Canute V
Canute V of Denmark
Canute V of Denmark was a Swedish prince and King of Denmark from 1146 to 1157, as co-regent in shifting alliances with his Sweyn III and Valdemar I. Canute was killed at the so-called Bloodfeast of Roskilde in 1157. Nothing certain is known about his person and character.-Biography:Canute was...
, contested the Danish throne with his second cousin, Svend III. When Canute died in 1157, Magnus's legitimate descent went extinct. Canute's elder son Niels, born by his wife Helena of Sweden
Helena of Sweden
Helena Sverkersdotter of Sweden, , was a medieval Swedish princess and Danish queen, Queen consort of King Canute V of Denmark.-Biography:Helena, or Elin as she was also called, was born daughter of King Sverker I of Sweden...
, died in 1180. Canute's illegitimate posthumous son, Valdemar
Valdemar of Denmark (bishop)
Valdemar Knudsen was a Danish clergyman and statesman. His mother gave birth to him as the posthumous illegitimate son of Canute V of Denmark...
, bishop of Schleswig and Prince-Archbishop of Bremen, died in 1236 as the last descendant of king Magnus.