Christopher I of Denmark ^{2 3}

   Another name for Christopher was Christopher I Valdemarsson.

  General Notes:

Valdemar's son Erik was crowned (1232) during his father's lifetime, and his other sons, Abel and Christopher, were proclaimed dukes; Abel was given South Jutland and Christopher received the islands of Lolland and Falster.

Soon after Valdemar's death in 1241, a struggle broke out between his sons; Erik was killed in 1250 by the forces of his brother Abel, who succeeded him but soon lost his life during a war on the Frisians in 1252. Christopher was then crowned king, and Abel's eldest son, also called Erik, became duke of South Jutland, which was soon after declared a hereditary duchy. Under Christopher I, the cooperation between church and crown ended. The archbishop, Jakob Erlandsen, demanded the full extension of canon law, but was opposed by both the king and the peasants. Erlandsen was taken prisoner by the king, and Denmark was placed under an interdict. The archbishop was supported by Erik, duke of South Jutland, the count of Holstein, and the prince of Rügen, who attacked Denmark. During the ensuing war Christopher died (1259).
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Christopher I (1219-1259) was king of Denmark between 1252 and 1259. He was the son of Valdemar II of Denmark by his wife, princess Berengaria of Portugal, and was elected King upon the death of his older brother Abel in the summer of 1252.

While trying to have his brother Eric IV of Denmark, who was murdered in 1250, supposedly by king Abel, canonized, Christopher found himself excommunicated from the Catholic church. His men had arrested and humiliated the proud and self-righteous arch bishop Jakob Erlandsen after Erlandsen had refused to recognize Christopher's son Eric as his (Christopher's) successor, but the excommunication had little or no effect, and Christopher was buried in Christian soil by the bishop of Ribe upon his death on May 29th, 1259. Some claimed that the King died very unexpectedly and shortly after taking the holy communion, but proof that he was in fact poisoned have never been offered, although Christopher's allies apparently took to calling him "Krist-Offer" (Christ's sacrifice).

Christopher (Kristoffer) married Margrethe Sambiria of Kassuben and had three children:
- Matilda (died 1311), married to Albert III, margrave of Brandenburg
- Margaret (died 1306), married count John II of Holstein-Kiel
- king Eric V of Denmark.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Denmark, 25 Dec 1252.

Christopher married Margrethe Sambiria of Kassuben in 1248.¹ (Margrethe Sambiria of Kassuben was born in 1230 and died in 1282.)