Sverker I the Elder of Sweden Kolsson ^{1 2 3}

   Cause of his death was he was killed.

  General Notes:

Sweden in the 12th century consisted of Svealand and Götaland, which were united into a single kingdom during the first half of that century, while the provinces of Skåne, Halland, and Blekinge in the south belonged to Denmark; Bohuslän in the west, along with Jämtland and Härjedalen in the north, were part of Norway. About 1130 Sverker, a member of a magnate family from Östergötland, was acknowledged as king, and this province now became the political centre of Sweden. Sverker sided with the church and established several cloisters staffed by French monks; he was murdered about 1156. During the later years of Sverker's reign, a pretender named Erik Jedvardsson was proclaimed king in Svealand.

After several efforts Sweden became Christian during the reign of Sverker.
__________________________________________

Sverker I Kolson or Sverker the Elder was a king of Sweden between 1133 and about 1156. According to a theory, he was the son of Kol and the grand-son of Blot-Sweyn.

Sverker deposed the Danish prince Magnus the Strong in 1130, and became the king of Sweden. He ruled for about 26 years, but in spite of the long reign not much is known about him. The convents and monasteries of Alvastra, Nydala and Varnhem were founded. According to a Russian chronicle, he made a failed crusade in the east.

He was murdered by his own coach going to the early service on Christmas day, in 1156. This was considered a shocking crime, even by medieval standards. The pretender Magnus Henriksson was suspected of the crime.

His son, Sune Sik Sverkersson Prince of Sweden, by Rycheza of Poland was born c.1154.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Sweden, 1130.

Sverker married Ulfhild Hakonsdottir, daughter of Hakon Finnson and Unknown.

Sverker next married Richiza Boleslawsdatter, daughter of Boleslaw III Wrymouth of Poland and Salome of Berg-Schelklingen, after 1139. (Richiza Boleslawsdatter was born on 12 Apr 1116 and died after 1155.)