Erik Birgersson
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Erik Birgersson (c. 1250 – 17 December 1275) was a Swedish duke from the House of Bjälbo (Folkungaätten) and the third son of Birger Jarl. While his eldest brother, Valdemar, was elected King of Sweden and his second brother, Magnus, was made a duke, Erik initially received no title. Magnus and Erik rebelled against King Valdemar, defeating him at the Battle of Hova in 1275. After Magnus was elected king, Erik was granted the title of Duke of Småland. However, he died shortly afterward.[1][2] Erik may have had a genetic disorder known as Marfan syndrome.
Biography
[edit]Erik was the third son of Birger Magnusson (commonly known as Birger Jarl), Jarl of Sweden from 1248 to 1266. His mother was Ingeborg Eriksdotter, the daughter of King Erik Knutsson and the sister of King Erik Eriksson.[3][4][5] In 1250, his eldest brother Valdemar was elected King of Sweden while still a minor. However, their father Birger Jarl effectively ruled Sweden as regent until his death in 1266.[6]
All of Erik's brothers, except for Erik himself, were granted titles. The second brother, Magnus (later known as Magnus Ladulås), was granted the title iunior dux ("junior jarl") in 1255,[7] while the youngest brother Bengt rose through the ranks of the clergy. According to the Magnúss saga lagabœtis, Erik referred to himself as Allsintet ('Nothing of anything') because of this.[8] However, the Erikskrönikan claims that this nickname was given to him by Valdemar's queen Sofie.[7]
After Birger Jarl's death in 1266, a conflict arose between King Valdemar and his brothers. According to the Magnúss saga, Erik was the driving force behind the conflict, while Erikskrönikan attributes the instigation to Magnus. In 1275, the conflict had developed into an open war, and Magnus and Erik defeated Valdemar in the Battle of Hova with the help of Danish troops. After Magnus emerged victorious and was proclaimed king in 1275, Erik was made Duke of Småland. He died shortly thereafter.[9]
Erik was buried at Varnhem Abbey alongside with his father Birger Jarl and his father's second wife, Mechtilde of Holstein. When the grave was opened and examined in May 2002, osteologist Torbjörn Ahlström from Lund University confirmed that the tomb contained the remains of three people – probably Birger, Mechtilde, and Erik. His father's skeleton shows that he was about 172 cm long, while Erik was a few inches longer but with a much thinner build. Erik's muscular attachments were poorly developed. In the vertebrae and sternum there were some signs of pathological changes.[10] Ahlström suggested that Erik may have had Marfan syndrome, a hereditary genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue.[11] It has been speculated that his uncle, King Erik Eriksson, nicknamed "the lisp and the lame", may have had the same condition.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ J. Rosén. "Erik Birgersson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ "Folkungaätten". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Sten Engström. "Birger Magnusson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Sture Bolin. "Erik Knutsson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Sture Bolin. "Erik Eriksson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Line 2007, p. 585.
- ^ a b Line 2007, p. 131.
- ^ translated by Alexander Bugge (1914). "Magnus Haakonssøns saga in Norges Kongesagaer". Christiania: I. M. Stenersens Forlag. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Line 2007, p. 134-136.
- ^ "Skeletten från jarlen Birger Magnussons grav i Varnhems klosterkyrka. Osteologiska resultat och historiska konsekvenser baserade på undersökningen i maj 2002". Lund University. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Bianucci, R.; Donell, S.T.; Galassi, F.M.; Lanza, T.; Mattutino, G.; Nerlich, A.G.; Sineo, L. "Marfan Syndrome in Palaeopathology: A review". Human Evolution. 38 (1–2). Angelo Pontecorboli Editore: 29–36. doi:10.14673/HE2023121111.
- ^ Harrison, Dick. "Led svenska medeltidskungar av Marfans syndrom?". SvD | Bloggarkivet. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
Sources
[edit]- Line, Philip (2007). Kingship and State Formation in Sweden. Leiden ; Boston: BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-15578-7.
Further reading
[edit]- Rolf Pipping, Kommentar till Erikskrönikan (Helsingfors 1926).