Nicholas I, Bishop of Schleswig

Nicholas I (, , ) (died 1233 ) was Bishop of Schleswig between 1209 and 1233. Since 1192 he de facto, though not consecrated, officiated during the flight and following royal captivity of his predecessor Bishop Valdemar (1193–1206). Since 1214 Nicholas also served as Chancellor of Denmark (i.e. about prime minister) until his death. Innocent III, however, refused again referencing to canon law precepts.

In the same year Nicholas followed King Valdemar II in his campaign to conquer the Estonian island Øsel (Saaremaa). From there, accompanied by Lund's Archbishop Anders Sunesen, Nicholas went to Riga and stayed there until 1207.

However, when Bishop Valdemar de facto ascended the Bremen see in 1208, against the papal command to await his papal confirmation, Innocent III deposed Bishop Valdemar as bishop of Schleswig and Nicholas was consecrated as new bishop of Schleswig in the following year. From the same year onwards he spruced up the prior reprobate Guldholm Abbey, which had become Cistercian as part of the reform. Nicholas wielded his episcopal office with diligence, also shown by his questions to Rome, which the pope replied (1213).

King Valdemar II had much confidence to Bishop Nicholas and made him Chancellor of Denmark (i.e. prime minister) in 1214, succeeding the late Chancellor Peder Sunesen, Bishop of Roskilde, brother of Archbishop Anders Sunesen. In 1219 Nicholas accompanied King Valdemar in another crusade in Estonia. Bishop Nicholas was probably among the Danish bishops, who have been captured in the Battle of Bornhöved in 1227. On his later years almost nothing is known. He kept the chancellorship until his death in 1233.