Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Three Daughters of Knud Lavard and Ingeborg of Russia







 Knud Lavard and Ingeborg had three daughters: Margrethe, married to Stig Hvide (Hvidelæder), Kirsten(Christine) married to the Norwegian king Magnus Sigurdsson (den Blinde) and Cathrine, who probably was married to the Wendic prince Prizlav. Eight days after Knud's murder and probably before the tragic news had reached Schleswig, their son Valdemar was born.

1) Margrethe; (no exact information about Margrethe), but she was married to Stig Hvide (Hvidelæder) and had a daughter Christine and two sons, Niels and Aage. She was probably named after Ingeborg's aunt Margrethe Fredkulla.

Hvide, Stig, –1151, Høvding, is known as the founder of the impressive Benedictine-kloster Essenbæk at Randers and as a follower of Svend Grathe and Valdemar. In the battle at Viborg in 1151, where the two kinsmen won over Knud Magnussen, Stig Hvide was killed.

He must be the "Stig Hvidelæder" (White Skin), who in the Knytlinga-Saga is said to be married to Valdemar's eldest sister, Margrethe. In this marriage was born Christine(Kirsten), who married the Swedish king Carl Sverkersen(1163) and became the mother of Sverker II. Stig Hvide and Margrethe also had the sons Niels and Aage, who distinguished themselves in the violent fight against the Estonian and Kuriske pirates (1170). It is also told about Aage, that he was the leader of the magnates, who followed the pope's proclamation and went out to contribute to conquer Jerusalem, but had to restrict himself to a peaceful pilrimage (1191-93).

Other information start:
Toke Ebbesen and Gyda's son was Stig Tokesen Hvide/Stig Hvidelæder Tokesen/ Stig Hvita), born ab. 1120, died 1152 in the battle by Gedebæk near Viborg. Stig Tokesen was married to Margrethe Knudsdatter, born ab. 1129 , a daughter of Knud Lavard and a sister of Valdemar the Great. Stig Tokesen Hvide and Margrethe Knudsdatter had a son: Toke Stigsen Hvide, his son: Anders Tokesen Hvide, his son: Stig Andersen Hvide, marsk. His wives were ladies of the Hvide-family, but he was actually a Hvide himself.
Other information finished.

It is doubtful if the kæmpevise (giant folksong) "Ridder Stigs Fald" as the king's brave standard bearer had Stig Hvide's fall at Viborg as the starting-point, and the song about Ridder Stig's attempt to win "Liden Kirsten's" love with the help of magic runes - which work on the king's sister Regitze instead - lack historical character.

Grundtvig, Danmarks gl. folkeviser II, 303. III,9.
Hans Olrik; Knud Lavard.
(Svensk) Hist.Tidsskrift 1891, S. 290.


From Hans Olriks texst:grethe bachmann
Dansk Biografisk Lexicon,
Carl Frederik Bricka
Project Runeberg.

2) Kirsten
(Christine), born ab.1118– , Knud Lavard's and Ingeborg's second daughter, was engaged to the Norwegian king Magnus Sigurdsson in 1132, but caused by her youth the marriage took place the following year. Shortly after Kirsten's father's brother Erik (Emune) took flight to Norway; but since the unreliable king Magnus thought about handing over his guest to his enemies, Kirsten hurried to reveal her husband's schemes; Erik cunningly got away, but as a revenge Magnus repudiated his young queen. Kirsten now lived in Denmark; she is mentioned as a witness, when Erik Lam issued a gift letter to Odense kloster (1141), but her later life is unknown. A folksong let king Valdemar's sister "liden Kirsten" be danced (or whipped) to death by her brother, because she was seduced by prince Buris, but from chronological reasons "liden Kirsten" cannot be Knud Lavard's daughter, and it is very doubtful if this folk song has got a truthful base in the history of that time. (Dansk Biografisk Lexicon calls her Kirsten, but the variation Christine is more likely. Her maternal grandmother was named Christine.)

Grundtvig, Danm. gl. Folkeviser III, 63 ff. Nord. Maanedsskr. 1875, S. 436 ff. H. Olrik, Knud Lavard. J. Steenstrup, Vore Folkeviser.

From Hans Olrik's Danish text: grethe bachmann.
Dansk Biografisk Lexicon
Carl Fr. Bricka
Project Runeberg

3)Cathrine,
married to the Wendic prince Prizlav. They had a son Knud Prizlavsen:

Knud
(Prizlavsen), –1183, prince, was a son of the Wendic prince Prizlav, whom Valdemar as a thanks for his good services had given him his sister Cathrine in marriage and large properties in Denmark. Knud was thus Valdemar's sister's son, and he inherited large estates at Funen and the island Als and he had Lolland as a vasalry. He participated in the Wendic fights, but did not reach the same fame as his father Prizlav. When Valdemar after the expedition to Stettin in 1171 wanted to make him chief of the war ships at Rügen, he did not want to have such a dangerous job, since he only had such a small vasalry. Valdemar got angry, and Absalon got the command of the navy. Knud's relation to Valdemar grew well again, he was in the king's entourage among the "elskede mænd" (most trusted men), who witnessed the gift letter to Esrom in 1176. Knud made himself popular with the king by building a castle at the coast of Funen. (probably Nyborg). Knud was in the brotherhood of the monks in Sct. Knud's kloster in Odense and bought a burial place in their church; when he felt he was about to die , he gave (20 Nov. 1183) the kloster all his estate upon the island Als, if the monks would celebrate soul Masses for him, as if he was one of their own. As a prince Knud had a double seal; upon one side was a warrior horseman, on the other side a leopard, which referred to his family relation to the dynasty.

From Hans Olrik Danish text: grethe bachmann.
Dansk Biografisk Lexicon
Carl Fr. Bricka
Project Runeberg

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