Folkunge Party
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The Folkunge were an aristocratic party in Sweden against centralizing royal power all through the 13th century.
Many of actors of the party were descendants of the House of Bjellbo, but not everyone. (Thus, the name Folkunge has seme centuries later given to that house, whose mightiest leaders, later kings, actually were the party's opponents and sometimes executioners.)
They were political opponents (singular Folkunge, plural Folkungar) of the same House of Bjelbo.
This "political party" fought for the ancient right of free men to elect the kings in Sweden.
Its name is said to have come from Earl Folke (probably a member of he House of Bjellbo) who fell in 1210 at the battle of Gestilren, having served the new king Eric X as his earl againsat the previous, deposed king Sverker II only for a brief period. Eric X's supporters were autonomous-minded Swedes and their Norwegian allies, against Danish influence and models ofmore centralized government.
Earl Folke's allies continued in different agendas.
In 1229 they supported the usurper Canute II, when Eric X's son (Eric XI) was under Danish influence and the centralizing continued by the boy's regents.
earl Ulf Fase was leader of the party in 1230s and 1240s. Even Eric XI's return after Canute's death did not yet depose Ulf, and the country were under two almost opponent constitutionaloffocers, of whom the king was yet young, whereas the earl was experienced and strong.
Birger jarl, of Bjellbo, however ascended to ladership of the royal party, and this was the start of death throes of the Folkunga Party.
In 1247 Birger scceeded Ulf Fase as earl, same year a Folkunge revolt (in favor of pretender Holmger, Canute II's son) was crushed and sme leaders killed. In 1251, a new revolt was again crushed, more Folkunge party leaders getting executed.
As a last convulsion, they started yet one revolt in c 1278 in Gothenland, against king Magnus III (Birger 's son), but were crushed in 1280 when again a bunch of leaders were executed.
Political Folkungs belonged to different Swedish noble families, united by the ambition to fight against a central ruler of Sweden. Folkungs wanted to keep the old "freedom" of the petty kingdoms, including the election of kings, and to retain local power in their own control. Many Folkungs came from the ancient provinces of Svealand (Uppland was home of plenty of their leaders), opposing the ruling families of the time that were mostly Geatish. The first Folkung uprising in 1229 was successful, elevating Canute II on the throne. Later developments were less promising, and the centralized system eventually suppressed their resistance.
