Eric the Saint
| Eric | |
|---|---|
| King of Sweden | |
| Reign | c. 1156 – 18 May 1160 |
| Predecessor | Sverker the Elder |
| Successor | Magnus II |
| Born | c. 1120-25 |
| Died | 18 May 1160 Uppsala, Kingdom of Sweden |
| Burial | Church of Old Uppsala, later moved to Uppsala Cathedral |
| Spouse | Christina Björnsdotter |
| Issue |
Canute I of Sweden Filip Eriksson Katarina Eriksdotter Margareta, Queen consort of Norway |
| House | Eric |
| Father | Jedvard |
| Mother | Cecilia (?) |
Eric IX of Sweden, (Swedish: Erik Jedvardsson; Erik den helige; died 18 May 1160), also called Eric the Lawgiver, Erik the Saint, Eric the Holy, and, in Sweden, Sankt Erik, meaning Saint Eric, was a Swedish king c. 1156-60. No historical records of Eric have survived, and all information about him is based on later legends that were aimed at having him established as a saint. The Roman Martyrology of the Roman Catholic Church names him as a saint memorialized on 18 May. He is the ancestor of the House of Eric which ruled Sweden with interruptions from c. 1156 to 1250.
As later kings from the House of Eric were consistently buried at Varnhem Abbey near Skara in Västergötland, the family is considered to have Geatish roots like other medieval ruling houses in Sweden. Osteological investigations of Eric's remains suggest that he may have lived the last 10-15 years of his life in Västergötland rather than in Uppland where he died. On the other hand, the only manor he is known to have possessed is situated in Västmanland in Svealand. Eriksberg in central Västergötland has been suggested as the original manor of the family. As for his family he had a brother, whose name began with a "J". This brother has been identified with a Joar Jedvardsson. This in turn fits with King Sverre's Saga which refers to "Eirik the Saint, son of Jatvard". Late medieval Swedish tradition likewise knows the king by the name Eric Jedvardsson. The name of the father, Jedvard (Edward) is not Scandinavian and may point to English missionary influence. His mother was, according to 14th-century tradition, Cecilia, a daughter of King Blot-Sweyn. This information is highly debatable, however.
The only full account of Eric's life is a hagiographic legend dating from the late 13th century. The historicity of the legend has been much-discussed by Swedish historians. It tells that Eric was of royal blood and was unanimously chosen king of Sweden when there was a vacancy of the kingship. It also states that Eric reigned for ten years, which would put the beginning of his reign in c. 1150. If this is correct he would have been a rival king to Sverker the Elder who had ascended the throne in c. 1132 and was murdered in 1156. At any rate it is assumed that Eric was recognized in most provinces after 1156. While his paternity is obscure, there is good evidence that he strengthened his claims to the throne by marriage to the Danish princess Christina Björnsdotter, a granddaughter of King Inge I. His realm did not include Östergötland where Sverker's son Karl Sverkersson ruled in the late 1150s. According to the legend, Eric did much to consolidate Christianity in his realm. However, the only reliable source mentioning his reign is a Cistercian chronicle from c. 1200. Quite contrary to the impression of pro-clerical policy of the Eric Legend, it says that King Eric and Queen Christina harassed the monks of Varnhem Abbey in Västergötland. Some monks left for Denmark where Vitskøl Abbey was founded in 1158. After this, however, Eric and Christina changed their stance and allowed Varnhem to be reorganized under Abbot Gerhard of Alvastra Abbey. An early 13th-century source adds that he made donations to Nydala Abbey in Småland.
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