Ingeborg of Denmark, Duchess of Mecklenburg

Ingeborg of Denmark Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Born 1 April 1347 Sønderborg Castle[1] Died 16 June 1370 (aged 23) Mecklenburg? Spouse Henry III, Duke of Mecklenburg Issue Euphemia, Princess of Mecklenburg-Werle Albert IV, Duke of Mecklenburg Maria, Duchess of Pomerania Ingeborg, Abbess of Ribnitz Full name Ingeborg Valdemarsdatter House Estridsen Father Valdemar IV of Denmark Mother Helvig of Schleswig Religion Roman Catholicism

Ingeborg of Denmark (Danish: Ingeborg Valdemarsdatter) (1 April 1347–16 June 1370) ^[2] was the eldest daughter of Valdemar IV of Denmark and his wife Helvig of Schleswig. By marriage she was Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, although she died before her husband's succeed her father-in-law. She was potential heiress to the Danish throne and was the older sister of Margaret I of Denmark.

Ingeborg was betrothed to Duke Henry of Mecklenburg after the death of Ingeborg's older sister Margaret in 1350, who was betrothed to the Duke. She had two sisters named Margaret. The marriage contract between Henry and Ingeborg was established in Dornburg October 23, 1350. Ingeborg and Henry then married in 1362. They had the following children:

• Euphemia (d. 1400), married to John V, Prince of Mecklenburg-Werle
• Albert IV (1362–1388), Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, married to Elisabeth of Holstein
• Maria (1363–1403), wife of Wartislaw VII, Duke of Pomerania
• Ingeborg (1368–1408), a nun in Ribnitz 1376, where she was the abbess 1395–1408

Ingeborg was potential heir to the Danish throne in 1363 upon the death of her only surviving brother Christopher, Duke of Lolland. However, Denmark was an elective monarchy, and also, Ingeborg did not outlive her father, she died on 16 June 1370, aged twenty-three. Ingeborg's father died five years after in an attack of gout without appointing an heir. The succession of to the Danish throne was disputed. The Estates of Denmark met at Odense to elect the next king. The nobles were divided between either electing Ingeborg's son Albert IV, put forth by his grandfather Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg; Margaret's son Olaf II, heir to the Norwegian throne; or choosing a new dynasty. The estates were eventually won over by Queen Margaret's charm and popularity, as the only surviving daughter of the deceased king, and along with the potential of a union with Norway and anti-German sentiments, Olaf II was elected as King of Denmark in 1376 with Queen Margaret as regent.^[3] With Albert III, Duke of Mecklenburg, Ingeborg's brother-in-law, on the Swedish throne, the Danish may not want another Mecklenburg ruler in Scandinavia.

Ingeborg's grandson Eric of Pomerania inherited the rights of his grandmother and succeeded as King of Denmark in 1396 with Margaret as his regent. He became the first monarch of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Her last surviving descendants was Christopher of Bavaria who succeeded Eric as ruler of the Kalmar Union.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Ingeborg of Denmark, Duchess of Mecklenburg

16. Christopher I of Denmark               8. Eric V of Denmark                       17. Margaret Sambiria               4. Christopher II of Denmark                             18. John I, Margrave of Brandenburg               9. Agnes of Brandenburg                       19. Jutta of Saxony               2. Valdemar IV of Denmark                                   20. Barnim I, Duke of Pomerania               10. Bogislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania                       21. Marianna of Sweden?               5. Euphemia of Pomerania                             22. Wizlaw II, Prince of Rügen               11. Margaret of Rügen (d. 1320)                       23. Agnes of Brunswick-Lüneburg               1. Ingeborg of Denmark                                         24. Eric I, Duke of Schleswig               12. Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig                       25. Margaret of Rügen (d. 1272)               6. Eric II, Duke of Schleswig                             26. John I, Duke of Saxony               13. Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg                       27. Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Bjelbo               3. Helvig of Schleswig                                   28. Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe               14. Henry I, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg                       29. Elisabeth of Mecklenburg               7. Adelheid of Holstein                             30. William, Count of Bronkhorst-Reckheim               15. Heilwig von Bronckhorst                       31. Ermengarde of Randerode

References

1. Our Family History and Ancestry. "Ingeborg Valdemarsdatter, Prinsesse of Denmark". Retrieved 2011-05-05.
2. Cawley, Charles, DENMARK, Medieval Lands, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, retrieved August 2012,
3. Margaret of Denmark By Mary Hill. Page 52-55