Valdemar III of Denmark

Valdemar III

Seal of Valdemar III
King of Denmark
Reign 1326–1330
Predecessor Christopher II and Eric Christoffersen
Successor Christopher II and Eric Christoffersen
Regent Gerhard of Holstein
Duke of Schleswig
Reign 1325–1326
1330–1364
Predecessor Eric II
Gerhard of Holstein
Successor Gerhard of Holstein
Henry
Born 1314
Died 1364
Consort Richardis of Schwerin
Issue Valdemar, Hereditary Prince of Schleswig
Henry, Duke of Schleswig
Full name
Valdemar Eriksen
House House of Estridsen
Abelslægten line
Father Eric II, Duke of Schleswig
Mother Adelaide of Holstein-Rendsburg
Religion Roman Catholicism

Valdemar III (1314–1364) was a king of Denmark from 1326 to 1329 briefly when underage, as well as in 1325–26 and from 1330 to 1364 Duke of Schleswig as Valdemar V. He was a rival king set up against the unsuccessful Christopher II and was widely opposed by his many subjects. His term was ended when he abdicated. Sometimes the earlier king Valdemar the Young is called Valdemar III instead.

Biography

Valdemar's father was Duke Eric II of Schleswig and his mother was Adelaide, daughter of Henry I of Rendsborg.

When his distant kinsman and the head of the rival royal branch Christopher II of Denmark was exiled from his kingdom, the Holsteiner and Danish high nobles got to choose a new king. Their choice fell to 11-year-old Duke Valdemar V of Schleswig, who was the head of the branch descended from king Abel of Denmark. Due to his young age, his maternal uncle, the mighty Count Gerhard of Rendsborg (Gerhard III of Holstein) who also was the biggest pawnholder of mortgaged Denmark, was appointed as the Regent and guardian ("grev Gert" or "Den kullede Greve").

Valdemar's ascension promissory was at least as strict as Christopher's had been. There were some new stipulations, such as all royal castles in Scania should be demolished, and all nobles received the right to fortify their homesteads. The most important agreement however was so-called Constitutio Valdemariana that promised that in the future, the same person could never be both ruler of Slesvig and Denmark simultaneously.

Valdemar accordingly gave up his patrimony, Schleswig, and entfeoffed it to his uncle and guardian, whereby the first Holsteinian became a Duke: Gerhard, Duke of Jutland (or Southern Jutland or Schleswig).

Denmark was now held totally by certain nobles, in practice. That was not popular among peasants. A portion of the nobles were foreigners, and many set up new taxes. In 1328, peasants in Zealand rose to rebellion, which though was quelled. In 1329, was Jutland's turn to rebel. They had a better success, but were also quelled in the end. Finally, count Gerhard gave up in the name of his king, and in 1329 Christopher II was allowed to return to the throne. Valdemar became again Duke of Schleswig.

In 1340, he gave his only sister Helvig of Schleswig to marriage with Valdemar IV, the new king of Denmark. During the rest of his rule he led a changeable policy towards Denmark by which war alternated with co-operation.

Valdemar died in 1364. He was married to Richardis of Schwerin (died 1384), daughter of Count Günzelin VI of Schwerin-Wittenburg. They had two sons, Valdemar (1338–1360) and Henry (1342–1375). Henry succeeded as Duke of Schleswig when his father died.

Ancestry

References

    Valdemar III of Denmark
    Abelslægten
    Cadet branch of the House of Estridsen
    Born: 1314 Died: 1364
    Regnal titles
    Preceded by
    Christopher II    		 King of Denmark
    as Valdemar III
    1326–1329     		Succeeded by
    Christopher II
    and Eric
    Preceded by
    Eric II    		 Duke of Schleswig
    as Valdemar V
    1325–1326     		Succeeded by
    Gerard I
    Preceded by
    Gerard I    		 Duke of Schleswig
    as Valdemar V
    1330–1364     		Succeeded by
    Henry
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