Danish Civil Wars

Danish Civil War

Scene from the Blood Feast in Roskilde. Canute is chopped down and Valdemar is attacked, while Sweyn with a royal crown follows.
Date1131–1134; 1139–1143; 1146–1157
Location
Result Valdemar I of Denmark becomes King of Denmark
Belligerents

1131–1134

Denmark Eric II of Denmark

1131–1134
Denmark Niels I of Denmark
Sweden Magnus the Strong

Denmark Harald Kesja

1139–1143

Denmark Eric III

1139–1143

Denmark Olaf Haraldsen

1146–1147

Denmark Canute V

1146–1147
Denmark Sweyn III

Denmark Valdemar I

1147–1154
Denmark Canute V

Sweden Sverker I of Sweden

1147–1154
Denmark Sweyn III

Denmark Valdemar I

1154–1157
Denmark Canute V
Denmark Valdemar I

Sweden Sverker I of Sweden

1154–1157

Denmark Sweyn III
Commanders and leaders
Denmark Eric II of Denmark X

Denmark Niels I of Denmark X
Sweden Magnus the Strong 

Denmark Harald Kesja Executed
Denmark Eric III of Denmark Denmark Olaf Haraldsen 

Denmark Canute V X
Denmark Valdemar I

Sweden Sverker I of Sweden
Denmark Sweyn III 

The Danish Civil Wars (Danish: Kongekrigene, Norwegian: De danske kongekrige) were a series of civil wars fought in the Kingdom of Denmark, first from 1131 to 1134 over the murder of Canute Lavard, then from 1139 to 1143, and finally a war of succession fought from 1146 to 1157, after the abdication of Eric III of Denmark, the first monarch in Danish history to have abdicated.[1] The first phase of the war was fought between King Eric II of Denmark and King Niels joined by Magnus the Strong. The second phase of the war was fought between the son of Magnus the Strong, Canute V of Denmark, the son of Eric II of Denmark, Sweyn III of Denmark, and his cousin Valdemar I of Denmark, son of Canute Lavard.[2] The civil wars marked an increase in the influence of the Holy Roman Empire in Denmark, and for a time after, Denmark was a vassal state of Emperor Frederick I.[3] The war ended with the deaths of seven kings. Two of the kings, Olaf Haraldsen and Magnus the Strong, are not amongst the official Danish line of kings. The other kings are Niels I, Eric II, Eric III, Canute V and Sweyn III.[4]

  1. ^ "Erik III Lam | lex.dk". Den Store Danske (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  2. ^ "Dér hvor vi holder vagt: Christiansborg". De Danske Garderforeninger (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  3. ^ "Denmark – The High Middle Ages". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  4. ^ "Valdemar the Great". dandebat.dk. Retrieved 2021-04-30.