Eric II of Denmark

Eric II the Memorable (; – 18 September 1137) was king of Denmark between 1134 and 1137. He was an illegitimate son of Eric I of Denmark, who ruled the kingdom from 1095 to 1103. Eric the Memorable rebelled against his uncle Niels, King of Denmark, and was declared king in 1134. He punished his adversaries severely, and rewarded his supporters handsomely. He was killed by a subject in 1137 and was promptly succeeded as king by his nephew Eric III of Denmark.

Early life Eric the Memorable was born around 1090, to King Eric I of Denmark and an unknown concubine. He was given some Danish isles by his half-brother Canute Lavard, and was jarl of Møn, Lolland, and Falster. When Lavard was murdered in 1131, Eric joined his half-brother Harald Kesja in a rebellion against the responsible king Niels of Denmark. Eric was elected Danish Antiking in Scania in April 1131, which prompted Kesja to support Niels in jealousy.

Reign Eric was proclaimed king at Scania's landsting assembly at Lerbäckshögen in Kävlingevägen near Lund. Eric subsequently made Lund his capital city. With the resounding victory at Fotevik, Eric was given the nickname the Memorable to replace Harefoot.

Eric then sought to consolidate and legitimize his rule. He gave titles and privileges to his supporters, and proclaimed Archbishop Asser's nephew Eskil (c. 1100-1181), Bishop of the Diocese of Roskilde.

He initiated the process of getting his half-brother Canute Lavard canonized, and established an abbey at Ringsted to document reports of miracles at Canute's grave.

Eric was known as a harsh ruler to his enemies. In 1135, before this success in Arkona, Eric defeated in a naval battle near Denmark's coast the lechitic (West Slavic) troops under pomeranian Duke Ratibor who had sacked Roskilde, and a year later, after the battle of Konungahela, (now Kungälv in Sweden), sacked this city as well. He joined Magnus for an unsuccessful campaign in Norway, According to legend, Sorte Plov asked permission to approach the king, carrying a spear in his hand with a block of wood protecting the tip. Having deemed that King Eric wore no mail underneath his tunic, Sorte Plov kicked off the protection, and drove his spear right through the king. King Eric's nephew Erik Håkonssøn stepped forward with sword in hand, but the nobleman told him to calm down, seeing as how he – Erik – was next in line for the throne, being the only adult male in the royal family: "Put away thy mace, young Erik. A juicy piece of meat hath fallen in thy bowl!" According to legend, Sorte Plov escaped with his life. Eric was buried at Ribe Cathedral. Erik Håkonssøn was then crowned Eric III of Denmark.

Issue

Sometime before 1130, Eric married Malmfred of Kiev, the daughter of Grand Duke Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden. Malmfrid was the former wife of King Sigurd I of Norway. With his concubine Thunna, Eric had the illegitimate son Sweyn, who would later become king as Sweyn III of Denmark.