Eric IV of Denmark

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Eric IV (1216 – August 9, 1250), also known as Plovpenning, was king of Denmark from 1241 until his death. He was the son of Valdemar II by his wife, Princess Berengária of Portugal, and brother to Abel and Christopher I.

Eric was coruler with his father from 1232.

His short rule was marked by bitter conflicts and civil wars against his brothers. Especially he fought his brother Abel, Duke of Schleswig who seems to have wanted an independent position and who was supported by the counts of Holstein. Eric also fought the Scanian peasants, who rebelled because of his hard taxes, among other things, on ploughs. This gave him his epithet "ploughmoney", Danish, Plovpenning).

After a dearly-bought victory over Abel 1250 he negotiated a truce with him but the same year he was taken prisoner by his brother as he passed through Schleswig and was assassinated.

Eric had only daughters surviving from his marriage with Jutta of Saxe, the most important of whom were: