Valdemar III, Duke of Schleswig

Valdemar III Abelsøn (died 1257) was Duke of Schleswig from 1253 until his death in 1257. He was the eldest son of King Abel of Denmark, Duke of Schleswig and Matilda of Holstein.

Life

At the time of his father's death in 1252, Valdemar was being held prisoner in the Archbishopric of Cologne, the hostage of the Prince-Archbishop. Thus unable to claim the throne of Denmark, his father's younger brother Christopher I was elected king.

However, his mother's relatives, the counts of Holstein were able to obtain his release and supported his claim to the Duchy of Schleswig. In 1253 Christopher I had to relinquish his opposition and created him Duke.

The following years Valdemar spent fighting his uncle, King Christopher. Valdemar died in 1257. He was succeeded as duke by his younger brother, Eric I.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Valdemar III, Duke of Schleswig

16. Canute Lavard               8. Valdemar I of Denmark                       17. Ingeborg of Kiev               4. Valdemar II of Denmark                             18. Volodar, Prince of Minsk and Hrodno               9. Sophia of Minsk                       19. Richeza of Poland               2. Abel of Denmark                                   20. Afonso I of Portugal               10. Sancho I of Portugal                       21. Maud of Savoy               5. Berengaria of Portugal                             22. Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona               11. Dulce of Aragon                       23. Petronila of Aragon               1. Valdemar III, Duke of Schleswig                                         24. Adolf II, Count of Holstein               12. Adolf III, Count of Holstein                       25. Matilda of Schwarzburg               6. Adolf IV, Count of Holstein                             26. Burchard II of Querfurt, Burgrave of Magdeburg               13. Adelheid of Querfurt                       27. Matilda of Gleichen               3. Matilda of Holstein                                   28. Bernhard II, Lord of Lippe               14. Hermann II, Lord of Lippe                       29. Heilwig of Are-Hostaden               7. Heilwig of Lippe                             30. Simon, Count of Tecklenburg               15. Oda of Tecklenburg                       31. Oda of Berg-Altena

References

• Biography in Dansk Biografisk Leksikon 1. ed.