Abraham Brodersson
| Abraham Broderssono | |
|---|---|
| Died |
27 August 1410 Near the Sønderborg Castle |
| Cause of death | Execution by King Eric of Pomerania |
| Title | Knight |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Offices | Lord Lieutenant of Northern Halland, Castellan of the Kalmar Castle |
Abraham Brodersson (ca. 1350 – 27 August 1410) was a Swedish statesman and military commander who lived in the 14th and early 15th century.
He was a very able military leader and trusted advisor who contributed greatly to the rise of Queen Margaret I of Denmark, although initially he might have been introduced to the Queen and raised in her favours due to his handsome appearance. He is reported to have had a daughter with Margaret.
As a member of one of the richest and most powerful families in Sweden, the Baad family from Halland, he joined the pro-Margaret party in his country and helped her to depose Albert of Mecklenburg. He then supported Margaret in uniting the three crowns of Scandinavia and designating as her heir Eric of Pomerania.
He led Margaret's land forces and fleet together with Algot Magnusson in sieges of Stockholm during 1393-1394. He also participated in the campaign against the Island of Gothland a decade later.
On Trinity Sunday, 17 July 1397, Margaret caused her grand nephew Eric to be crowned, and on the same day conferred knighthood on 133 people, among them Abraham Brodersson. An old chronicle recounts that "Amidst all the fine folk present, none shone in manly beauty and bravery of apparel like Abraham Broderson ... Abraham was always present in her mind." From 1403 to 1405 he was the castellan of the Kalmar Castle. He was also District Councillor of Halland, Värend and Finnveden. He became her powerful gunstling, about whom the people sang a lay "The whole forest is full of Abraham."
He was one of the largest and richest landowners in the Kalmar Union, with much property in Småland, Västergötland and Denmark. In Sweden, he had more servants than the king . According to Ahlbäck and Helle, as the castellan of the Kalmar Castle (a powerful office), he was notorious for levying heavy taxes, and he abused Margaret's trust in unashamedly acquiring lands from widows and petty nobility, possibly amassing some 500 holdings. He became the owner of a lot of property through his first wife Margareta as well. The total number of farms Abraham owned might be more than 600.
In 1410, Queen Margaret appointed her nephew, King Eric of Pomerania, as the commander-in-chief in a campaign against Holstein. Based on abilities and experience, Brodersson should have been made the commander, but Margaret wanted to use this opportunity to reform and train her heir, who had been a disappointment to her. Thus, Brodersson was given a battalion, while the campaign was led by an untested and untried Eric to disastrous results. Resentful of Brodersson's presence and his power, after a failed siege against the Sønderborg Castle, Eric blamed his defeat on Brodersson, (possibly falsely) accused him of raping a woman and had him executed by sword, unknown to Margaret . According to Louis Gabriel Michaud, by this time, Brodersson had become so powerful and was held by the queen in such high regards that he became a rival who threatened Eric's throne.
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