Estrid of the Obotrites

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Estrid (or Astrid) of the Obotrites (ca. 979 – 1035), was a Swedish queen consort, married to Olof Skötkonung, the King of Sweden, ca. 1000, and mother of king Anund Jacob of Sweden.

[edit] Biography

Legend say Estrid was taken back to Sweden as a war-price; she was most likely given by her father, a chieftain of the Polabian Obotrites, as a peace offering in a marriage to seal the peace, and the guess is that she brought a great dowry, as a great Slavic influence is represented in Sweden from her time, mainly among craftsmen.

Her husband also had a mistress, Edla, who came from the same area in Europe as herself and who was perhaps taken to Sweden at the same time, and the king treated Edla and Estrid the same way and gave his son and two daughters with Edla the same privilegies as the children he had with Estrid, though it was Estrid he married and made queen.

Queen Estrid was baptised with her husband, their children and large parts of the Swedish court in 1008, when the Swedish royal family converted to Christianity, though the king promised to respect the freedom of religion - Sweden was not to be Christian until the last religion war of 1084-1088.

Snorre Sturlasson wrote, that Estrid was unkind to the children (Emund, Astrid and Holmfrid) of her husband's mistress Edla;

" Queen Estrid was arrogant and not kind towards her stepchildren and therefore the king sent his son Emund to Vendland, were he was brought up by his maternal relatives".

Not much is known of Estrid as a person. Snorre Sturlasson mentions her as the lover of pomp and luxury and as hard and strict towards her servants.

[edit] Children

Their son Anund Jacob succeeded Olaf as king. A daughter, Ingegerd Olofsdotter, in Russia called Anna, married Yaroslav I the Wise, prince of Novgorod and Kiev.

[edit] References

• Herman Lindqvist, "Historien om Sverige" (In Swedish)
• Åke Ohlmarks "Alla Sveriges drottningar" (In Swedish)

Estrid of the Obotrites Born: 979 Died: 1035
Swedish royalty
Preceded by Sigrid the Haughty (Queen consort)	Royal Consort of Sweden (Queen consort) 1000 - 1022	Succeeded by Gunhild (Queen consort)