Eufemia of Rügen

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Eufemia Güntersdotter was Queen Consort of Norway from 1299 to 1319. She is known for translating ballads.

Eufemia was born as daughter of Günther, Count of Arnstein, but grew up at the court of Wizlaw II, Prince of Rügen, her maternal grandfather.

She married Haakon V of Norway in the spring of 1299.

Her after her marriage her title was Eufemia, the Queen of Norway, Countess of Ruppin.

The couple lived at Akershus Castle, which still exists today. Eufemia loved to read and at the time she was Queen of Norway, she had a large collection of books - said to have been one of the largest collections in Europe at that time. Eufemia had several chivalric ballads (such as Flores and Blancheflor) translated to Norwegian. These ballads became known as Eufemiaviseneand were popular in both Norway and Sweden. Queen Eufemia represented the incoming knightly culture, with tournaments and such, in Norway.

Her only surviving child was, Ingeborg of Norway, Duchess of Halland etc.

Queen Eufemia favored the Swedish Duke Eric, a reputedly knightly figure, and arranged for her daughter to marry the almost twenty years older Eric.

Håkon V Magnusson and Eufemia were buried in St. Mary's church in Oslo. Remains of two people, deemed to be Haakon and Eufemia, were discovered during excavations of the ruins of that church and reinterred in the Royal Mausoleum in Akershus Castle.