Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden

Ingeborg Eriksdotter (c. 1212 – c. 1254) was a Swedish princess and duchess, daughter of King Eric X of Sweden, eldest sibling of King Eric XI of Sweden, wife of Birger Jarl, and mother of King Valdemar I of Sweden.

Biography

Ingeborg was born the eldest daughter of King Eric X of Sweden and his wife, Richeza of Denmark. She lived her youth in exile in Denmark, after her brother had been deposed by his guardian and regent in 1229.

Ingeborg Eriksdotter's marital engagement took place in about 1234 in connection of her brother Eric XI resuming the Swedish throne from the 'usurper' Canute II of Sweden, to have the mighty House of Bjellbo as their allies.

Princess Ingeborg bore a vast number of children to her husband dux Birger Jarl. In 1250, her brother died without heirs and her eldest son Valdemar was chosen to succeed Eric on the throne; her son was chosen because he was her son, and her husband was made regent during his minority. Ingeborg thereby became the King's Mother and first lady of the royal court.

Ingeborg is recorded to have inherited her brother Eric's private property upon his death, as his only living sibling. Even in her forties, she continued to give birth to children, and her death is believed to have occurred because of childbirth complications, possibly giving birth to twins.

Children

The following children survived to adulthood:

• Rikissa Birgersdotter, born 1238, married first in 1251 Haakon Haakonsson the Young, co-king of Norway, and second Henry I, Prince of Werle
• Valdemar Birgersson, born c 1238, King of Sweden 1250–1275, lord of parts of Gothenland until 1278
• Christina Birgersdotter, married presumably several times, one of her husbands was Lord Sigge Guttormsson
• Magnus Birgersson, born 1240, Duke (of Södermanland), then King of Sweden 1275-90
• probably: Catherine of Sweden, born 1245, married Siegfried, Count of Anhalt
• Eric Birgersson, born 1250, Duke
• probably: Ingeborg of Sweden, born circa 1254, died 30 June 1302, married John I of Saxony, Duke of Lauenburg in 1270
• Benedict, Duke of Finland, born 1254, Bishop of Linköping

References

• Cronica Principum Saxonie, MGH SS XXV, p. 476
• Lars O. Lagerqvist (1982). "Sverige och dess regenter under 1.000 år",("Sweden and its regents during 1000 years"). (in Swedish). Albert Bonniers Förlag AB. ISBN 91-0-075007-7.