arrow arrow
Ulf Tostesson
(-)
Njål Finnsson
(-1011)
Ragnvald Ulfsson den Gamle of Sweden
(-Cir 1020)
Astrid Njålsdatter
(-After 1066)
Stenkil Ragnvaldsson of Sweden
(1028-Cir 1066)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
Maria Anundsdotter

Stenkil Ragnvaldsson of Sweden 1

  • Born: 1028 2
  • Marriage: Maria Anundsdotter
  • Died: Cir 1066 aged 38

  General Notes:

Stenkilslekten etterfulgte Munsöslekten som konger av Sverige fra 1056 til 1125. Slekten ble etterfulgt av Sverkerslekten og Erikslekten.

Stenkil var i slekt med den gamle kongeætten, og ble konge etter at Emund Slemme døde i 1060. Han arbeidet ivrig for kristendommens utbredelse i Sverige. I motsetning til sine foretredere samarbeidet han med representanter for kirken i Hamburg-Bremen, biskop Egino av Dalby og biskop Adalvard d.y. av Sigtuna. Stenkil forhindret den sistnevnte i å brenne ned hedningtemplet i Uppsala. Etter hans død utbrøt det en hednisk reaksjon i Sverige.
_______________________________

Stenkil, Jarl, king of Sweden, 1060-1066. He was born in 1028 and died in 1066. According to Hervarar Saga, he was the son of Jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson of Westrogothia. He is consequently said to have been the great-grandson of the legendary viking Skogul Toste.

According to "Hervarar Saga", he was married to Maria Anundsdotter, the daughter of the former king Anund Jacob, and consquently the son-in-law of the former king Emund the Old. This saga also related that he was a powerful man of noble descent. His mother, Astrid, was the grand-daughter of Finn Skjalge, the son of Njal of Hålogland in Norway. This was the first time a person was elected king and did not belong to a house of the kings of old. Stenkil was a great chieftain and died in his bed in Sweden about the time that Harald Hardrada of Norway died in England. The date of his death is ironic as he had actively supported Harald's competitor for the throne of Norway and could thus never profit from his investments.

Stenkil had several children among whom were Halsten and Inge who also became kings of Sweden. The other sons were Olof Noseking and the eldest son, Erik Stenkilsson who died in 1067 during battle for the crown. He also had a daughter who married Blot-Sven.

Stenkil was a relatively popular king. The church lauded him for helping the missionary Adalvard establish a bishop in Sigtuna. He was a great archer and Norwegian sources describe him as fat and heavy and a good man to drink with.
He is said to be buried in the mound of Kungshögen, Levene.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Sweden, 1061.


Stenkil married Maria Anundsdotter, daughter of Anund Jacob and Gunhild Sveinsdatter.


Sources


1 Tore Nygaard, Tore Nygaard's Genealogy (http://www.nygaard.home.se). Snorre Sturlasson: Harald Hardrådes saga, avsnitt 69-70, 72. Snorre Sturlasson: Magnus Berrføtts saga, avsnitt 12. Svensk Uppslagsbok, Bind 26 (1935), "Stenkil". C.M. Munthe: Norske slegtsmerker, NST Bind I (1928), side 351. Mogens Bugge: Våre forfedre, nr. 563. Bent og Vidar Billing Hansen: Rosensverdslektens forfedre, side 73, 94.

2 Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/).

Updated 14 June 2008. Contact: Ken Nygaard    My Home Page