The Danish Monarchy 1202-1241

King Valdemar the Victorious

Oct 5, 2008 Julie Refnov Mortensen

Valdemar the Victorious was known as one of the most influential kings in the history of Denmark.

During his reign, Valdemar the Victorious conquered and expanded the kingdom of Denmark and succeeded in making it the strongest power in Northern Europe.

Valdemar was only 12 years old when his father died and was therefore put under the care off Bishop Valdemar Knudsen of Schleswig. But the bishop took advantage of his power and used the young duke to cover up his own ambitions to take over the throne.

Young Valdemar found out about the Bishop’s conspiracies and had the bishop imprisoned in Søborg Tower for 13 years.

Valdemar had another threat in German Count Adolph of Rendsburg, who was attempting to unite German counts to overtake the Danish throne. But young Valdemar showed leader skills long before he became king and the count ended up in the tower next to Bishop Valdemar.

When Valdemar’s brother King Canute the VI died childless in 1202, Valdemar, who had been an adviser and great support to Canute during his reign, was elected king.

Valdemar the Conqueror

Valdemar took over a kingdom, which had become one of the greatest superpowers in Northern Europe. But Valdemar had no intention of stopping the conquering and continued his brother’s work to expand the power of Denmark, which owned him the name the Conqueror.

His greatest achievement was the invasion of Estonia in 1219.

Estonia

At first the Estonians seemed to accept the Danes and surrendered easily. But three days after the invasion, they attacked the Danish camps and started a bloody battle during which, legend has it, the Danish Archbishop Sunesen prayed for a sign from heaven. The sign came from the sky in the shape of a red cloth with a white cross on it. Soon after the cloth fell from the sky the Danes won the battle. The sign from heaven had significant meaning for the future Denmark as the Danish flag since 1219 has been a red banner with a white cross on it. It was after the victory in Estonia, Valdemar earned the name “The Victorious.”

The Downfall

But the success of Valdemar the Victorious wasn’t to last long. In 1923 he was invited, along with his son Prince Valdemar, on a hunt with Duke Heinrich of Schwerin. The Duke had his own agenda for the hunt, which resulted in Valdemar and his son being locked up in the tower of Schwerin. The duke released Valdemar three years later on the condition that Valdemar would give up most of Northern Germany.

Valdemar, however, didn’t keep his promise and in 1227, he attempted another invasion into Northern Germany where he was massively defeated at the Battle at Børnehoved. And with that defeat the era of Denmark as a superpower ended.

Valdemar died in 1241 and since his oldest son Prince Valdemar had died in an accident in 1231, Valdemar the Victorious’ next oldest son Erik, became king.

For more on the history of the Danish Monarchy read: The Danish Monarchy-The beginning and The Danish Monarchy 1241-1252, King Eric Plovpenning and King Abel

Sources:

www.kongehuset.dk

www.kongernesjelling.dk

www.kingsofdenmark.dk

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