Birger Jarl (Birger Magnusson den Äldre) d. October 21, 1266 Statesman and Duke. He was the founder of the royal branch of the powerful Bielbo Dynasty (called the Folkung until recently), supported King Eric the Lisper-and-Halter and married his sister, Princess Ingiburga. He helped the royal party triumph over the revolt by Prince Hollinger in 1247. For that Birger was created Sweden's last Jarl the following year, an epithet that has become a part of his name and later developed in England as the (lower) title of Earl. He henceforth was the mightiest...[Read More] (Bio by: J T Demitz) Varnhems kyrkagard (Varnhem Churchyard), Axvall, Vastra Gotalands Lan, Sweden Plot: Birger Jarls grav (The Grave of Duke Birger)
Canute I (Knut Eriksson) b. 1149 d. April 8, 1196 King of Sweden. He was the son of Erican Dynasty founder Eric (IX) the Holy and skillfully promoted the saintly cult aglow around the name of his father. His campaigns against Sweartgar's sons, in the opposing dynasty, were supported by Norway, and he took over the throne after managing to have Carl I killed in 1167. Canute then reigned for almost 30 years. In the beginning he had to secure his reign by also getting rid of Carl's surviving half-brothers, Coal and Boleslaw, who seem to have...[Read More] (Bio by: J T Demitz) Varnhems kyrkagard (Varnhem Churchyard), Axvall, Vastra Gotalands Lan, Sweden
Eric (X) the Survivor (Erik Knutsson) b. 1190 d. April 10, 1216 King of Sweden. The third monarch of the Erican Dynasty, he was the son of King Canute I, and likely he was the tenth Eric but is not counted that way officially. Under the rule of the rival Sweartgarian Dynasty's King Sweartgar II, and when that king began to promote sons of his own, Canute's young sons, who already had been promised the throne after Sweartgar, went over to Norway and raised an army. They returned in revolt in 1205, but were defeated in battle. Three years later, however, in...[Read More] (Bio by: J T Demitz) Varnhems kyrkagard (Varnhem Churchyard), Axvall, Vastra Gotalands Lan, Sweden
Eric (XI) the Lisper-and-Halter (Erik Eriksson Läspe och Halte) b. 1216 d. February 2, 1250 King of Sweden. He was the last ruler of the Erican Dynasty, almost certainly the eleventh Eric, and born posthumously as the only son of King Eric (X) the Survivor. His mother, Dowager Queen Richeza, was originally a Danish princess. Though only 5 or 6 years old, it could not be contested that he became King upon the death of the last Sweartgarian, John I, who was unmarried and childless. Eric reigned in two periods, at first in 1222-1229 having two great earls as his regents. Unseated by his...[Read More] (Bio by: J T Demitz) Varnhems kyrkagard (Varnhem Churchyard), Axvall, Vastra Gotalands Lan, Sweden
d. October 21, 1266