Rikissa Birgersdotter
Encyclopedia
Rikissa Birgersdotter of Sweden, also known as Rixa, Richeza, Richilda and Regitze, (b. c. 1237–d. after 1288), was a Queen of Norway, wife of the co-king Haakon Haakonson
, and then Princess
of Werle
, as wife of Henry of Mecklenburg, Prince of Werle
.
, eldest sibling of king Eric XI of Sweden
.
Rikissa's parentage is historically well attested, contrary to that of her supposed younger sisters. Rikissa received her name in honor of her maternal grandmother, the late Rikissa of Denmark
, queen of Sweden - the Scandinavian custom was to give names of deceased grandmothers to daughters of a family, and a first-born daughter was usually christened as namesake of maternal grandmother, if she was no longer alive.
In 1250, her uncle, king Eric, died without heirs and her brother, the underaged Valdemar of Sweden became king through his mother, and her father jarl Birger became regent of Sweden. Jarl Birger's policy included efforts to keep the peace between Scandinavia's three kingdoms and to strengthen his own already powerful family's in fluence. Thus his legitimate children were all considered de facto (practically) Swedish princes and princesses through their mother and through Birger's own royal ancestry.
In 1251, Rikissa was married to the heir of Norway, Haakon Haakonson
(1232–1257), titular king of Norway and co-ruler along his father king Haakon IV of Norway
. Haakon and Rikissa had one son, Sverre, who died young (1252–1261). King Haakon died within half a decade before his father, leaving his younger brother, the future Magnus VI of Norway
as Norway's heir.
In 1262, the Dowager Queen of Norway was married to Henry of Mecklenburg, Prince of Werle
, (d. 1291). She had several children in her second marriage:
Haakon Haakonsson the Young
Haakon Haakonsson the Young was the son of king Haakon Haakonsson of Norway, and held the title of king, subordinate to his father, from 1 April 1240 to his death...
, and then Princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
of Werle
Werle
Werle was a fiefdom, or Herrschaft in German, in the Holy Roman Empire that was founded in 1235. It was created in the partition of territories in Mecklenburg that followed the death of Henry Borwin II of Mecklenburg ....
, as wife of Henry of Mecklenburg, Prince of Werle
Henry I, Prince of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Henry I was a Prince of Mecklenburg-Werle and Mecklenburg-Güstrow.-Biography:He was the son Prince Nicholas I of Mecklenburg-Werle and his wife Princess Jutta of Anhalt the daughter of Prince Henry I of Anhalt and his wife Princess Irmgard of Thuringia...
.
Biography
Rikissa Birgersdotter was born as one of the eldest children in the marriage of lord Birger Magnusson of Bjelbo, later riksjarl and regent of Sweden, and Princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter of SwedenIngeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden
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.- Biography :...
, 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:...
.
Rikissa's parentage is historically well attested, contrary to that of her supposed younger sisters. Rikissa received her name in honor of her maternal grandmother, the late Rikissa of Denmark
Rikissa of Denmark
Richeza of Denmark was a medieval queen consort of Sweden, spouse of King Eric X of Sweden and mother of King Eric XI of Sweden.-Biography:...
, queen of Sweden - the Scandinavian custom was to give names of deceased grandmothers to daughters of a family, and a first-born daughter was usually christened as namesake of maternal grandmother, if she was no longer alive.
In 1250, her uncle, king Eric, died without heirs and her brother, the underaged Valdemar of Sweden became king through his mother, and her father jarl Birger became regent of Sweden. Jarl Birger's policy included efforts to keep the peace between Scandinavia's three kingdoms and to strengthen his own already powerful family's in fluence. Thus his legitimate children were all considered de facto (practically) Swedish princes and princesses through their mother and through Birger's own royal ancestry.
In 1251, Rikissa was married to the heir of Norway, Haakon Haakonson
Haakon Haakonsson the Young
Haakon Haakonsson the Young was the son of king Haakon Haakonsson of Norway, and held the title of king, subordinate to his father, from 1 April 1240 to his death...
(1232–1257), titular king of Norway and co-ruler along his father king Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
. Haakon and Rikissa had one son, Sverre, who died young (1252–1261). King Haakon died within half a decade before his father, leaving his younger brother, the future Magnus VI of Norway
Magnus VI of Norway
Magnus VI Lagabøte or Magnus Håkonsson , was king of Norway from 1263 until 1280.-Early life:...
as Norway's heir.
In 1262, the Dowager Queen of Norway was married to Henry of Mecklenburg, Prince of Werle
Henry I, Prince of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Henry I was a Prince of Mecklenburg-Werle and Mecklenburg-Güstrow.-Biography:He was the son Prince Nicholas I of Mecklenburg-Werle and his wife Princess Jutta of Anhalt the daughter of Prince Henry I of Anhalt and his wife Princess Irmgard of Thuringia...
, (d. 1291). She had several children in her second marriage:
- Prince Henry (died 1308)
- Prince Nicholas (died 1298)
- Princess RixaRixa of WerleRixa of Werle was the only daughter of Lord Henry I of Werle and his wife Rikissa Birgersdotter. Rikissa was a daughter of Birger Magnusson of Bjälbo and his first wife Ingeborg....
(died 1312) married Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Göttingen
Speculations
Chronica principum Saxonie mentions Rikissa as Daughter of King of Sweden (filia regis Suecie), which title has caused consternation among later researchers. This has been explained by suggesting that:- during king Valdemar's minority, the all-powerful regent looked like a king to the writer of that chronicle
- Rikissa was the granddaughter of aking Eric X of SwedenEric X of SwedenEric "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...
- upon Valdemar's accession to the royal throne, their mother Ingeborg, through whose lineage the crown was generally perceived to have come, was regarded as Queen MotherQueen motherQueen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since at least 1577...
, despite never having been queen regnant or queen consort. - the term in the chronicle just refers to "Royal Family of Sweden".