Birger jarl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Birger jarl , also known as Birger Magnusson (about 1210 – October 21, 1266), was a Swedish statesman and the founder of Stockholm. He was a member of the House of Bjelbo and played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden.
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[edit] Biography
Birger was born about 1210 (exact date uncertain) as the son of Magnus Minnesköld and Ingrid Ylva, nephew to the jarl Birger Brosa from the House of Bjelbo. Birger was later claimed to have been responsible for the military campaign against the Novgorod Republic that ended in a defeat by Alexander Nevsky during the Neva Battle in 1240. Birger was elevated to the position of jarl by king Eric XI in 1248. He had earlier married king's sister Ingeborg Eriksdotter.
In 1249, Birger led an expedition to Finland, later dubbed as the Second Swedish Crusade, which permanently established the Swedish rule in Finland. On king Eric's death in 1250, Birger's son Valdemar was elected as the new king while Birger acted as regent, holding the true power in Sweden until his death. During the sixteen years of his sway Sweden advanced greatly in fame and prosperity.
Birger is considered to have been the founder of Stockholm in 1252. He enriched Stockholm by making it the chief mart for the trade of Lübeck, with which he concluded a commercial treaty. As a lawgiver Birger laboured strenuously in the interests of civilization.
Ingeborg died in 1254 and in 1261 Birger married the widow of King Abel of Denmark, the queen dowager Mechtild of Holstein. Birger died on October 21, 1266, at Jälbolung in Westrogothia. His grave at the Church of Varnhem was opened in May 2002.
There is a statue of the great earl in the Riddarholm church at Stockholm, erected by Fogelberg at the expense of the Over-Governor of Stockholm in 1884, and there is a cenotaph for him at the base of the tower of Stockholm City Hall (it was originally intended to move his remains there, but this was never done). He is also the central figure of Fr. Hedberg's drama Bröllopet på Ulfåsa (1865).
[edit] Children
[edit] Mother unknown
[edit] From marriage with Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden
The marriage was contracted relatively near the time when Ingeborg's brother the once-deposed Eric XI returned from exile in Denmark in 1234.
- Rikissa Birgersdotter, born 1238, married firstly 1251 Haakon Haakonson, co-king of Norway, and secondly, Henry I, Prince of Werle
- Valdemar Birgersson, born c 1238, king of Sweden 1250–1275, lord of parts of Gothenland until 1278
- Christina Birgersdotter, married presumably several times, one of her husbands was lord Sigge Guttormsson
- Magnus Birgersson, born 1240, Duke (of Sudermannia), then king of Sweden 1275
- probably: Catherine of Sweden, born 1245, married Siegfried, Count of Anhalt
- Eric Birgersson, born 1250, Duke (of Smalandia)
- probably: Ingeborg of Sweden, born ca. 1254, died 1302, married John I of Saxony, Duke of Lauenburg
- Benedict, Duke of Finland, born 1254, bishop of Linköping
[edit] With Mechtild (doubtful)
- Christine Birgersdotter
[edit] Trivia
- The street Birger Jarlsgatan in central Stockholm is named after him.
