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

Ancestors of Valdemar III of Denmark

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. Margaret 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. Valdemar III of Denmark                                         24. Adolf IV, Count of Holstein               12. Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe                       25. Hedwig of Lippe               6. Henry I, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg                             26. John I, Lord of Mecklenburg               13. Elisabeth of Mecklenburg                       27. Luitgard of Henneberg               3. Adelheid of Holstein                                   28. Gisbert, Count of Bronkhorst               14. William, Count of Bronkhorst-Reckheim                       29. Kunigunde of Oldenburg               7. Heilwig of Bronckhorst                             30. Louis of Randerode               15. Ermengarde of Randerode                       31. Jutta

References