Valdemar Birgersson 1
General Notes: King of Sweden (1250-75) who governed jointly with his father Birger Jarl until the latter's death in 1266 and then reigned alone. Because of an extramarital affair with his wife's sister, a postulant nun, by whom he had a child, Valdemar in 1274 made a pilgrimage to Rome to gain forgiveness. Pope Gregory X exacted concessions, whereby Valdemar acknowledged papal overlordship and the responsibility to send taxes to Rome; and these concessions inspired Valdemar's brothers to rebel. By 1275, Magnus, the next in line, had made himself king (as Magnus I). Valdemar, defeated in battle, fled into exile in Norway, where he continued unsuccessfully for many years to hatch conspiracies to regain the throne. Noted events in his life were: • Acceded: King of Sweden, 1250. • Deposed: 1275. Valdemar married Sophie Eriksdottir of Denmark, daughter of Erik IV Plogpenning of Denmark and Jutta of Saxony, in 1260. (Sophie Eriksdottir of Denmark was born in 1242 2 and died in 1286.) |