Nicholas I, Bishop of Schleswig

Nicholas I
Bishop of Schleswig
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Lund
See	Diocese of Schleswig
In office	1209–1233
Predecessor	Valdemar Knudsen
Successor	Tuco
Personal details
Born	unknown
Died	1233

Nicholas I (Latin: Nicolaus, Danish: Niels, German: Nikolaus) (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).

After Valdemar's papal deposition in 1208 Nicholas was finally consecrated as bishop in 1209. Since 1214 Nicholas also served as Chancellor of Denmark (i.e. about prime minister) until his death.

He was originally a canon at Lund Cathedral obviously highly esteemed by Archbishop Absalon.

After Bishop Valdemar Knudsen, also Prince-Archbishop elect of Bremen, son of the murdered King Canute V of Denmark and therefore claiming the Danish throne, had attempted to overthrow King Canute VI of Denmark, the latter captured Bishop Valdemar in 1193, who stayed in royal captivity until 1206. Canute VI then unilaterally appointed Nicholas as bishop of Schleswig, however Pope Celestine III refused to depose the imprisoned Valdemar.

In 1201 Nicholas participated - either as fellow traveller or even as leader - in a delegation to France, where in March they met the repudiated Ingeborg of Denmark, Queen consort of France during a council in Soissons, where the king, however only temporary, declared he readmitted her. Ingeborg gave him relics as a gift to bring to Denmark. A delegation sent to the new Pope Innocent III in order to get Nicholas' papal confirmation as bishop, returned with empty hands.

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