Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig

Valdemar IV Eriksøn (died 1312) was Duke of Schleswig from 1283 until his death in 1312. He was the eldest son of Duke Eric I of Schleswig and Margaret of Rugia.

Early life

At the death of his father Duke Eric I in 1272, Valdemar was only about 10 years old. For the following ten years, King Eric V of Denmark, feudal overlord over the Duchy of Schleswig, refused to install Valdemar in his father's duchy. Only in 1283, at a meeting of the Danehof in the city of Vordingborg, did the Danish magnates force King Eric to install Valdemar as duke. In 1284 he granted city rights to the city of Flensburg.

Duke of Schleswig and conflict with the King

However, Valdemar was not content and also claimed the island of Als, as well as the Crown lands of Schleswig. When in 1284 a judgment of the Danehof ruled against the claims of Duke Valdemar, he occupied the island of Als by force. However, the military campaign proved disadvantageous for the duke, and as he intended to travel north to gain support in Sweden and Norway, he was captured by King Eric and confined at Søborg Castle in 1285. He was released the following year on condition that he abandoned almost all of his claims.

Murder of King Eric

Just half a year later, in November 1286, King Eric was assassinated, and Duke Valdemar naturally fell under suspicion. The Queen Dowager, Agnes of Brandenburg, apparently shared the suspicion, but feared open aggression with the Duke. Instead, his support was achieved by accepting his claims and appointing him regent of the kingdom during the minority of King Eric's under age son and successor, Eric VI.

Renewed conflict with the King

Already in 1289, the confidence between Duke Valdemar and Dowager Queen Agnes was breached and a clash occurred between the Duke and the followers of the Queen. Shortly after, Duke Valdemar even entered into a league with King Eric II of Norway, then at war with Denmark. Apparently, in 1295 Valdemar suffered a defeat at a naval battle in the channel of Grønsund. In 1297, a final settlement was concluded where Duke Valdemar among other things abandoned his claims to the disputed island of Als.

Minor disputes with King Eric VI continued during the following years. On a whole, however, the Duke was on friendly terms with the King from then on and supported him in his wars in Sweden and the Holy Roman Empire. In 1311 he participated in the magnificent tournament held by King Eric in Rostock.

Death

Duke Valdemar died in the spring of 1312. He was succeeded as Duke by his son Eric II who had already been his father's coruler for several years. Valdemar was buried in the Schleswig Cathedral.

Marriage and Issue

In 1287 Duke Valdemar married Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg, a daughter of John I, Duke of Saxony. This marriage produced the only legitimate son of Duke Valdemar:

• Eric II (c. 1290 – 1325), Duke of Schleswig 1312–1325

In 1306 he married Anastasia of Schwerin, a daughter of Niklot I, Count of Schwerin.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig

16. Valdemar I of Denmark               8. Valdemar II of Denmark                       17. Sophia of Minsk               4. Abel of Denmark                             18. Sancho I of Portugal               9. Berengaria of Portugal                       19. Dulce of Aragon               2. Eric I, Duke of Schleswig                                   20. Adolf III, Count of Holstein               10. Adolf IV, Count of Holstein                       21. Adelheid of Querfurt               5. Matilda of Holstein                             22. Hermann II, Lord of Lippe               11. Heilwig of Lippe                       23. Oda of Tecklenburg               1. Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig                                         24. Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen               12. Wizlaw I, Prince of Rügen                       25. Hildegard of Denmark               6. Jaromar II, Prince of Rügen                             13. Margaret, niece of bishop Absalon                       3. Margaret of Rügen                                   28. Mestwin I, Duke of Pomerania               14. Swietopelk II, Duke of Pomerania                       29. Swinisława, maybe daughter of Mieszko III the Old               7. Euphemia of Pomerania                             30. Odon of Poznań               15. Euphrosyne of Poznań                       31. Viacheslava of Halych

References

• Biography in Dansk Biografisk Leksikon 1. ed.