1st Swedish King Eric

Other Events:

• Name: Eric the Victorious
• Reference Number: 15916

Notes:

Eric the Victorious (Old Norse: Eiríkr inn sigrsæli, Modern Swedish: Erik Segersäll), (945? - c. 995), was the first Swedish king (970-995) about whom anything definite is known.[1] Whether he actually qualifies as king of Sweden is debatable as his son Olof Skötkonung was the first ruler documented to have been accepted both by the Svear around Lake Mälaren and by the Götar around Lake Vättern.
Referring to Eric the Victorious as Eric VI (or with any other numeral) is a later invention. The Swedish kings Erik XIV (1560-68) and Charles IX (1604-11) took their numbers after studying a highly fictitious History of Sweden.[2]
His original territory lay in Uppland and neighbouring provinces. He acquired the name "victorious" as a result of his defeating an invasion from the south in the Battle of Fýrisvellir close to Uppsala.[3] But reports that Eric's brother Olof was the father of his opponent in that battle, Styrbjörn the Strong, belong to the realm of myth.[4]
The extent of his kingdom is unknown. In addition to the Swedish heartland round lake Mälaren it may have extended down the Baltic Sea coast as far south as Blekinge.
According to the Flateyjarbok, his success was due to the fact that he allied with the free farmers against the aristocratic jarl class, and it is obvious from archeological findings that the influence of the latter diminished during the last part of the tenth century.[5] He was also, probably, the introducer of the famous medieval Scandinavian system of universal conscription known as the ledung in the provinces around Mälaren.
In all probability he founded the town of Sigtuna, which still exists and where the first Swedish coins were stamped for his son and successor Olof Skötkonung.
[edit]Sagas

Eric the Victorious appears in a number of Norse sagas, historical stories which nonetheless had a heathy dose of fiction. In various stories, he is described as the son of Björn Eriksson, and as having ruled together with his brother Olof. It was claimed that he married the infamous (and likely fictional) Sigrid the Haughty, daughter of the legendary Viking Skagul Toste, would later divorce her and give her Götaland as a fief. According to Eymund's saga he took a new queen, Auð, the daughter of Haakon Sigurdsson, the ruler of Norway.
Before this happened, his brother Olof died, and a new co-ruler had to be appointed, but the Swedes are said to have refused to accept his rowdy nephew Styrbjörn the Strong as his co-ruler. Styrbjörn was given 60 longships by Eric and sailed away to live as a Viking. He would become the ruler of Jomsborg and an ally and brother-in-law of the Danish king Harold Bluetooth. Styrbjörn returned to Sweden with an army, although Harald and the Danish troops supposedly turned back. Eric won the Battle of Fýrisvellir at Old Uppsala, according to Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa after sacrificing to Odin and promising that if victorious, he would give himself to Odin in ten years.
Adam of Bremen relates that Eric was baptised in Denmark but that he forgot about the Christian faith after he returned to Sweden.

— Sigrid. (daughter of Skagul Toste) died 1013. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 15914

Notes:

Olof Skötkonung (Old Icelandic: Óláfr sænski, Old Swedish: Olawær skotkonongær) was the son of Eric the Victorious and Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around 980 and he succeeded his father in 995.

Etymology

One of many explanations to his Swedish name Skötkonung is that it means "tributary king" and one English scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather.[1] This explanation is however highly speculative as it is not supported by any evidence or historical sources. Another possible explanation[citation needed] of the name "Skötkonung" is that it means "treasure king" and refer to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins.
[edit]Life

Coin minted for Olof Skötkonung in Sigtuna
Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne. The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olaf's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves.
[edit]Viking expedition to Wendland
In a Viking expedition to Wendland, he had captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and she gave him the son Emund (who was to become king of Sweden), and the daughter Astrid -later wife of Olaf II of Norway. He later married Estrid of the Obotrites, and she bore him the son Anund Jacob and the daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter.
[edit]Alliance with Sweyn Forkbeard
Olof is said to have preferred royal sports to war and therefore Sweyn Forkbeard retook Denmark, which Olof's father Eric had conquered.[2] Olof also lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now Estonia and Latvia.
In 1000, he allied with Sweyn Forkbeard, who was married to Olof's mother, and with the Norwegian Jarls Eric and Sven, against the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf Tryggvason died in the Battle of Svolder and Olof gained a part of Trøndelag as well as modern Bohuslän.[3]
[edit]Norwegian-Swedish War
When the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by Olaf II of Norway, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. Many men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In 1018, Olof's cousin, the earl of Västergötland, Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the thing of Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Thorgny Lawspeaker.
Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as Erik Eymundsson and Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to their men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men. The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.
Thorgny finished his speech by saying: if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook anymore of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us.
However, Olof married his daughter Ingegerd-Irene to Yaroslav I the Wise instead. An impending war was settled when Olof agreed to share his power with his son Anund Jacob. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with Olaf II of Norway at Kungahälla, who already had been married (unbeknownst to Olof) with Olof's daughter, Astrid, through the Geatish jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson.
[edit]Christian King
Olof was baptised, probably by the missionary Sigfrid, c.1008, and he was the first Swedish king to remain Christian until his death. However, according to Adam of Bremen, the fact that the vast majority of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to limit Christian activities to the already Christian border province of Västergötland.
When he stamped coins in Sigtuna in the province of Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style. Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT (in the coin above), ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si(gtuna) Dei meaning God's Sigtuna.[4][5]
[edit]Óláfsdrápa sœnska

The Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem Óláfsdrápa sœnska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. Other skalds who served Olof were Gunnlaugr ormstunga, Hrafn Önundarson and Gizurr svarti.
[edit]Death

The alleged Olaf Grave at Husaby Church
His death is said to have taken place in the winter of 1021-1022. According to a legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. He's venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Since the 1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but it should be noted that such identifications are speculation, and by no means uncontroversial. The remains in the alleged grave are also too young to be his.

Olof — Estrid of The Obotrites. Estrid was born 979; died 1035. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 15908

Ingegerd — I Yaroslav. I (son of Vladimir I of Kiev) was born 978; died 20 Feb 1054. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Anna Yaroslavna
• Reference Number: 15798

Notes:

Anne of Kiev or Anna Yaroslavna (between 1024 and 1032 - 1075), daughter of Yaroslav I of Kiev and his wife Princess Ingegerd of Sweden, was the queen consort of France as the wife of Henry I, and regent for her son Philip I.

Marriage

After the death of his first wife, Matilda, King Henry searched the courts of Europe for a suitable bride, but could not locate a princess who was not related to him within illegal degrees of kinship. At last he sent an embassy to distant Kiev, which returned with Anne (also called Agnes or Anna). Anne and Henry were married at the cathedral of Reims on 19 May 1051.
[edit]Children

With Henry I of France:
Philip (23 May 1052 - 30 July 1108) - Anne is credited with bringing the name Philip to Western Europe. She imported this Greek name (Philippos, from philos (love) and hippos (horse), meaning "the one that love horses") from her Eastern Orthodox culture.
Hugh (1057 - 18 October 1102) - called the Great or Magnus, later Count of Crépi, who married the heiress of Vermandois and died on crusade in Tarsus, Cilicia.
Robert (c. 1055-c. 1060)
[edit]Regency

For six years after Henry's death in 1060, she served as regent for Philip, who was only seven at the time. She was the first queen of France to serve as regent. Her co-regent was Count Baldwin V of Flanders. Anne was a literate woman, rare for the time, but there was some opposition to her as regent on the grounds that her mastery of French was less than fluent.
A year after the king's death, Anne, acting as regent, took a passionate fancy for Count Ralph III of Valois, a man whose political ambition encouraged him to repudiate his wife to marry Anne in 1062. Accused of adultery, Ralph's wife appealed to Pope Alexander II, who excommunicated the couple. The young king Philip forgave his mother, which was just as well, since he was to find himself in a very similar predicament in the 1090s. Ralph died in September 1074, at which time Anne returned to the French court. She died in 1075, was buried at Villiers Abbey, La-Ferte-Alais, Essonne and her obits were celebrated on 5 September.
[edit]Ancestry

Ancestors of Anne of Kiev[show]
[edit]Note

11th-century fresco of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev representing the daughters of Yaroslav I, with Anna probably being the youngest. Other daughters were Anastasia wife of Andrew I of Hungary, Elizabeth wife of Harald III of Norway, and Agatha wife of Edward the Exile.
In 1717, Tsar Peter the Great stopped in the cathedral in Reims where the French monarchs were crowned. He was shown the missal on which all French kings since the 11th century swore their coronation oaths. To everyone's surprise, he began reading from the missal which was written in Old Church Slavonic, the ancestor of all literary Slavonic languages, and used in Christian Orthodox Churches during the services; its function was the same as Latin in Western Europe.
Anna had brought the missal with her from Kiev to the Church where she and Henry had taken their vows. All French monarchs, save the Bonapartes, were crowned after swearing their oaths on it.
[edit]Sources

Bauthier, Robert-Henri. Anne de Kiev reine de France et la politique royale au Xe siècle, revue des Etudes Slaves, Vol. 57, 1985

Buried:
Villiers Abbey

Anne married Henry I of France 19 May 1051. Henry (son of Robert II of France and Constance of Arles) was born 4 May 1008, Reims, Marne, Champagne-Ardenne, France; died 4 Aug 1060, Vitry-en-Brie, France; was buried Saint Denis Basilica, Paris, France. [Group Sheet]