Valdemar den Store (Knudsen) av Danmark (abt. 1131 - abt. 1182)

Born about 14 Jan 1131 in Schleswig, Danmark [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 12 May 1182 at about age 51 in Vordingborg, Danmark [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Early Scandinavia Project WikiTree [send private message]

Valdemar I (Knudsen) av Danmark was part of early Scandinavian history. Join: Early Scandinavia Project Discuss: EARLY_SCANDINAVIA

Biography

Valdemar I (Knudsen) av Danmark is Notable.

Hertug/Duke of Slesvig/Schleswig (1147).

Danish co-ruler from 1154 (with Svend Grathe/Sweyn III Grathe and Knud 5/Canute V of Denmark.

Not a friendly co-rule though, Svend Grathe killed Knud at the "Blodgildet in Roskilde", where Valdemar was injured but escaped. Soon after, Valdemar fought and defeated Sven in the battle of Grathe Hede. Having outlived his rival pretenders, Valdemar became sole ruler in 1157 and ruled as king for 25 years, until his death in 1182.

In Valdemar's time, Denmark was strengthened both internally and externally through close cooperation between the king and Absalon, his foster brother (who was later elected bishop in Roskilde). It is said they jointly defeated and forcibly Christianized the Venders/Wends and laid the foundations for the Danish Baltic empire. (The Venders/Wends were in the 12th century still considered heathens which attacked the Danish shores). One would also consider the marriages of his daughters to his increased prestige, one being married to Eric X of Sweden and another to Philip II of France.

During his reign there was also a strengthening of both administration and military. Around the country, a number of fortifications/castles were built, used both for defense against enemies and as abodes when the king was traveling. The fortifications/castles were usually built at important crossings at Danish straits and belts. The Danevirke was reinforced with a brick wall called Valdemar’s Wall, said to been three-kilometer long, over six-meter high, and abt 2,5 meters thick. and in front of this a moat 15 meters wide.

In 1169, Valdemar had his father made a saint and in 1170 he had his son Knud crowned to secure the succession to the throne. Not only did this introduce the hereditary kingdom in Denmark but his father being a saint made his family's right to the throne divine.

Name(s)

Given name: Valdemar
Byname: Den Store (The Great)
Patronymic Last Name: Knudsen (son of Knud)
Part of Jellingdynastiet (the Jelling Dynasty, also called House of Gorm). Sometimes he is also being referred to as belonging to the House of Estridsen.

He is the first king with the name Valdemar, he is said to been named after his mother's grandfather, Grand Prince Vladimir Monomakh of Kiev.

Parents and family

His parents were Knud/Canute Lavard Eriksen and his wife Ingeborg of Novgorod (sometimes also called Ingeborg of Kiev).

Valdemar was born just seven days after his father, Knud Lavard, was murdered. Valdemar was fostered by Asser Rig, a jarl and chieftain in Zealand, and grew up as a foster brother to his sons Absalon and Esbern Snare. Absalon would become his closest nearest ally through his whole life, being his adviser in ecclesiastical, political, and military affairs

Spouse(s) and children

He was betrothed to Sofia, halfsister of the co-ruler Svend Grathe, in 1154 and married her in 1157. (She is often called Sofia of Minsk and/or Sofie of Novgorod.)

They had the following children:

• Knud, born 1163. King Knud 6.
• Sofia/Sophia, born abt 1165.Married to Siegfried III, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde
• Valdemar, born 1170. King Valdemar 2, Valdemar Sejr.
• Margrete, nun in/at Roskilde
• Maria/Marie, nun in/at Roskilde
• Ingeborg, born abt. 1175. Married 1193 to French King Philippe II Auguste.
• Rikissa, born abt 1178. Married to Swedish King Erik Knutsson, Erik X
• Helene, born 1180. Married 1202 to William of Winchester, Lord of Lunenburg

Outside his marriage, he also had the son Christoffer Valdemarsen, presumably with a mistress named Tove (who is said to have been killed by his wife Sofia). Christoffer Valdemarsen was Hertug/Duke of Slesvig/Schleswig 1170–1173 and was possibly the oldest of Valdemars children.

Death and burial

Valdemar died on 12 May 1182 at Vordingborg Castle. His is said to been carried by peasants to Sankt Bendt's Church, where he was buried.

He himself initiated the building of this church and it is the first in Denmark to be built of bricks.

Sources

• https://snl.no/Valdemar_1_den_store
• https://natmus.dk/historisk-viden/temaer/kongeraekken/valdemar-1-den-store/
• https://danmarkshistorien.dk/vis/materiale/valdemar-den-store-1131-1182/

See also;

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Estridsen
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novgorod_Republic
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_of_Minsk
• https://www.visitnyborg.dk/nyborg/planlaeg-din-tur/valdemar-den-stores-borg-paa-sprogoe-gdk935678
• https://www.visitringsted.dk/turist/planlaeg-din-tur/valdemar-den-store-gdk905102
• https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaget_p%C3%A5_Grathe_Hede
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p10546.htm#i105459
• Nachkommen Gorms des Alten, 1978 , Brenner, S. Otto. 146 cited by http://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00029923&tree=LEO
• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/DENMARK.htm#ValdemarIdied1182B

Citations
[S38] John Morby, Dynasties of the World: a chronological and genealogical handbook (Oxford, Oxfordshire, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1989), page 149. Hereinafter cited as Dynasties of the World. [S16] Jirí Louda and Michael MacLagan, Lines of Succession: Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe, 2nd edition (London, U.K.: Little, Brown and Company, 1999), table 16. Hereinafter cited as Lines of Succession. [S16] Louda and MacLagan, Lines of Succession, table 27.