Eric I of Denmark

Male 1070 - 1103  (~ 33 years)


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  • Name Eric I of Denmark 
    Born cir 1070  Slangerup, North Zealand, Denmark Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 10 Jul 1103  Paphos, Cyprus Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I149085  Little Chute Genealogy
    Last Modified 22 Aug 2007 

    Father Sweyn II of Denmark,   b. 1018,   d. 1076  (Age 58 years) 
    Mother Gunhild Svendsdatter,   b. cir 1018 
    Family ID F59617  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Boedil Thurgotsdatter,   b. cir 1070 
    Children 
     1. Harald of Denmark,   b. 1080, Denmark Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1135, Vejle, Denmark Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years)
    Last Modified 21 Jul 2022 
    Family ID F59616  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Eric I of Denmark (c. 1070 – July 10, 1103), also known as Eric "Evergood", was King of Denmark following his brother Olaf I in 1095. He was a son of King Sweyn Estridson, by his wife Gunhild Svendsdatter, and he married Boedil Thurgotsdatter. It is possible that this is the earliest record of the name "Eric". He was born in the town of Slangerup in North Zealand. During the rule of his half-brother Canute IV of Denmark he was an eager supporter of the king but he was spared during the rebellion against Canute and lived in exile until the change of public feeling which made him elected as a king. Medieval chroniclers (for instance Saxo Grammaticus) and myths portray him a “strapping fellow” appealing to the common people, a loud man who liked parties and who led a rather dissipated private life. Though a presumed supporter of a strong royal power he seems to have behaved like a diplomat avoiding any clash with the farmers. On a visit to the Pope in Rome he obtained canonization for Canute, and an archepiscopal in Denmark (now Lund in Scania), instead of being under Hamburg-Bremen. He died at Paphos, Cyprus during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem as the first king after the city was conquered during the First Crusade. He had two sons, Canute Lavard and Harald Kesja. Canute was the eldest, and he was a chivalrous and popular Danish prince. He was murdered January 7, 1131 by his cousin Magnus, the son of then King Niels, who viewed Canute as a likely competitive contender for the throne. His death occurred days before the birth of his child, Valdemar, who himself would become King of Denmark from 1157-1182. During this royal line Eric is the ancestor of later Danish monarchs. (Wikipedia)