Helvig of Schleswig

Helvig of Schleswig
Queen Helvig shown on a contemporary fresco in St. Peter's Church, Næstved (Sankt Peders Kirke).
Queen consort of Denmark
Tenure	1340–1374
Died	c. 1374 Esrum Abbey
Burial	Esrum Abbey
Spouse	Valdemar IV of Denmark
Issue among others...	Christopher, Duke of Lolland Ingeborg, Duchess of Mecklenburg Margaret I
House	House of Estridsen Abelslægten line
Father	Eric II, Duke of Schleswig
Mother	Adelaide of Holstein-Rendsburg
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Helvig of Schleswig (da. Helvig af Slesvig), also erroneously Hedwig of Schleswig; died 1374, was a Danish Queen consort, spouse of King Valdemar IV of Denmark. She was the mother of Queen Margaret I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Life

Helvig was the daughter of Eric II, Duke of Schleswig and sister of Valdemar V, Duke of Schleswig, who had contended the Danish throne with her Christopher II of Denmark. She married Valdemar IV in 1340 at Sønderborg Castle. She brought with her a great dowry, which helped Valdemar in his politics. Valdemar suspected Helvig of adultery, and she was given her own castle and resided there with her own court, separated from him. In 1355 Queen Helvig, became a lay sister at Esrum Abbey after being supplanted by King Valdemar's mistress, Tove. The queen was buried in the abbey church, which brought royal gifts of property for the abbey.

Children

Helvig and Valdemar IV had at least six children;

1. Christopher, Duke of Lolland (1344–1363)
2. Margaret (1345–1350); betrothed to Henry III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
3. Ingeborg (1347–1370); married Henry III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and was the maternal grandmother of King Eric VII of Denmark
4. Catherine (1349); died young
5. Valdemar (1350); died young
6. Margaret I of Denmark (1353–1412)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Helvig of Schleswig

16. Abel of Denmark               8. Eric I, Duke of Schleswig                       17. Mechtild of Holstein               4. Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig                             18. Jaromar II, Prince of Rügen               9. Margarete of Rügen (d. 1272)                       19. Euphemia of Pomerania               2. Eric II, Duke of Schleswig                                   20. Albert I, Duke of Saxony               10. John I, Duke of Saxony                       21. Helene of Brunswick-Lüneburg               5. Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg                             22. Birger jarl               11. Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Bjelbo                       23. Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden               1. Helvig of Schleswig                                         24. Adolf IV, Count of Holstein               12. Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe                       25. Heilwig of Lippe               6. Henry I, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg                             26. John I, Lord of Mecklenburg               13. Elisabeth of Mecklenburg                       27. Luitgard of Henneberg               3. Adelaide of Holstein-Rendsburg                                   28. Gisbert, Count of Bronkhorst               14. William, Count of Bronkhorst                       29. Kunigunde of Oldenburg               7. Heilwig of Bronckhorst                             30. Louis of Randerode               15. Ermengarde of Randerode                       31. Jutta

References

• Alf Henrikson: Dansk historia (Danish history) (1989) (Swedish)
• Sven Rosborn (In Swedish): När hände vad i Nordens historia (When did what happen in the historiy of the Nordic countries) (1997)