History of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Vol. 2 (of 2)Dunham, S. A. (Samuel Astley)
History
History of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Dunham, S. A. (Samuel Astley)
Scandinavia -- History
Charles, the son of Swerker, was now monarch of the whole country. But
he had some difficulty in expelling the invaders, who had proclaimed the
son of the Danish king. He, too, was much attached to the church, and to
which he was more generous than even his predecessor. If tradition be
true (there is no contemporary authority for the statement), he
embarrassed his affairs by his immoderate liberality. As he obtained
from the pope the erection of an archbishopric,—that of Upsal,—he was
expected to endow it. From his munificence in this respect, may have
originated the report in question. His reign was not exempt from
trouble. The adherents of the rival dynasty were his enemies, from a
suspicion (apparently ill-founded) that he had been one of the
conspirators against St. Eric. Though in conformity with the agreement
which we have mentioned, he nominated Canute, the son of Eric, his
successor, that prince would not remain in the kingdom, under the
pretence that his life was in danger. In a few years he returned into
Sweden, at the head of a considerable Norwegian force, was joined by the
partisans of his house, and enabled to triumph over his rival, whom he
captured and beheaded. This act he justified by appealing to the
untimely end of his father, which he represented as the work of Charles.
[Sidenote: 1167 to 1192.]
The reign of CANUTE was disturbed by two invasions. The first,
consisting of Danes, who had armed to revenge the death of the late
king, or rather under that plea to profit by the disasters of a rival
country. The Goths, who loved the memory of Charles, immediately joined
it; but the king was victorious. The second was an irruption of the
Esthonian pirates, who laid Sigtuna in ashes, slew the archbishop of
Upsal, and carried away many prisoners before the king could overtake
them.
[Sidenote: 1192 to 1210.]
SWERKER II., the son of Charles, was the next king, in virtue of the
compact between the Goths and the Swedes. But every day more clearly
evinced the dangers resulting from that compact: it daily widened the
breach, not merely between the two royal families, but between the two
great tribes which constituted the nation. Blood had been openly or
treacherously spilt by both parties; and the deadly feud had descended
to the chiefs of both. It was, from the first, the object of Swerker to
exterminate the family of his rival; but one prince—Eric, the only son
of the late king—escaped into Norway. For some years he governed with
moderation; but becoming tyrannical, the people of Upland invited the
exile to return. Eric obeyed the call, was joined by most of the nobles,
and enabled to triumph over Swerker, though the latter was supported by
a Danish army. The king was expelled, and though he subsequently
returned twice to renew the contest, twice he was defeated, and on the
latter occasion his own corpse was among the slain.
[Sidenote: 1210 to 1250.]
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