Eric II of Denmark

Eric II
1575 portrait in the Ribe Cathedral
King of Denmark
Reign	1134–1137
Predecessor	Niels
Successor	Eric III
Born	c. 1090
Died	18 September 1137 (aged 46–47) Urnehoved, Denmark
Burial	Ribe Cathedral
Spouse	Malmfred of Kiev
Issue	Sweyn III of Denmark
House	Estridsen
Father	Eric I of Denmark
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Eric II the Memorable (Danish: Erik II Emune) (c. 1090 – 18 September 1137) was king of Denmark between 1134 and 1137. Eric was an illegitimate son of Eric I of Denmark, who ruled Denmark from 1095 to 1103. Eric the Memorable rebelled against his uncle Niels 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 by his nephew Eric III of Denmark.

Eric 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.

Eric's army lost several battles against Niels and his son Magnus the Strong, including Jelling in Jutland in 1131 and Værbro on Zealand, and he fled to Scania. His retreat earned him the nickname Harefoot. Eric unsuccessfully tried to convince Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor to support his bid for kingship, and had no luck asking Magnus IV of Norway for help. He returned to Scania in 1134, where Archbishop Asser of Lund joined his cause, and Lothair eventually supported him as well. In 1134, he defeated king Niels' entire army at the Battle of Fotevik in Scania, with the crucial help of German mounted mercenaries, and Niels died within the year.