Benedict, Duke of Halland

Duke Benedict of Halland and Finland (c. 1330 – c. 1360), aka Bengt Algotsson, was a medieval Swedish lord, and royal favourite.

He was born to a family who descended from Svantepolk of Skarsholm and his wife Benedikta Sunadotter. Svantepolk had been the younger son of Canute, Duke of Reval, Laland and Belinge (possibly also Halland), a bastard of Valdemar II of Denmark with Helena Guttormsdatter, daughter of a Swedish earl. Benedikta was the sister-in-law of King Eric XI and daughter of earl Sune Folkason, justiciar of Västergötland, with his wife Helena Sverkersdotter, herself the daughter of Sverker II of Sweden and his first wife Benedikte Ebbesdotter of the Galen. This made Benedict as one of the noblest blood of Sweden of his time.

His success was due to his being the favorite and alleged lover of king Magnus IV of Sweden and Norway.

His coat of arms was a standing lion; thus, the family has in some later reconstructions been called Lejon. This may also mean they were kin with the Folkunge, his line's ancestress belonging to those siblings of Boberg family who were nephews and nieces of Birger jarl.

His paternal great-grandfather was Bengt Magnusson, justice of Östergötland.

His kinship with the royal family (he was at least a distant cousin of Magnus, fourth cousin counted from Danish kings) and with other noble families of the country is presumed as the reason for the young man's exceptionally rapid rise.

From 1352 he is known to had a seat in the kingdom's Privy Council.

Duke Benedict was married to Ingeborg Ulvsdotter of Tofta, a member of the Sparre family. She was much older than he, possibly already a widow. Ingeborg was the daughter of Ulf Abjörnsson, justiciar of Tiohärad, the younger half-sister of Lord Karl of Tofta, maternal niece of Erengisle, Earl of Orkney, and the aunt of the future Margaret Sparre of Tofta, mother of Charles VIII of Sweden and ancestress of Gustav Vasa.

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