Margaret of Sweden, Queen of Norway

Margaret of Sweden

Heraldic lions used by the Erican dynasty
Queen consort of Norway
Tenure 1189–1202
Predecessor Estrid Bjørnsdotter
Successor Margrete Skulesdatter
Born circa 1155
Sweden
Died 1209
Norway
Spouse Sverre of Norway
Issue Christina of Norway
House Eric
Father Eric IX of Sweden
Mother Christina Björnsdotter

Margaret of Sweden (Margrete Eriksdotter; c. 1155 1209) was Norwegian Queen consort as spouse of King Sverre of Norway.

Biography

Margaret was the daughter of King Eric IX of Sweden and Queen Christina Björnsdotter. In 1189, she married the Norwegian King Sverre. She is only sporadically mentioned in history during her tenure as queen; primarily in connection with an attempt by Nikolas Arnesson to become Bishop of Stavanger. In the sagas, Queen Margaret is portrayed as suspect and intrigant [1]

She became a widow in 1202, returned to her native Sweden, and retired to her estates in Västergötland and Värmland. Departing Norway, she had to leave her daughter Kristina Sverresdotter behind against her will. She spent two years in Sweden and returned to Norway in 1204.

On 1 January 1204, two days after she had returned to Norway, her stepson, King Haakon III of Norway, died with obvious symptoms of poisoning. Margaret became a suspect of the crime, and one of her servants tried to prove her innocence in a trial by ordeal which failed. The servant was drowned and Margareta fled back to Sweden.

Margaret returned to Norway in 1209 for her daughter's wedding. Her daughter married co-regent Filip Simonsson, the Bagler party candidate to the throne of Norway. Margaret took part in the wedding. Immediately after the wedding she became ill, and died a few weeks later.[2]

References

Other sources

Margrete Eriksdotter
Born: c. 1155 Died: 1209
Preceded by
Estrid Bjørnsdotter
Queen Consort of Norway
11891202
Succeeded by
Margrete Skulesdatter
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