Valdemar III of Denmark

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King 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
| Names

Valdemar Eriksen
House| Estridsen (Abelslægten line)
Father| Eric II, Duke of Schleswig
Mother| Adelaide of Holstein-Rendsburg
Religion| Roman Catholicism

Valdemar III (1314–1364) was King of Denmark from 1326 to 1329, while he was underage; he was also Duke of Schleswig as Valdemar V in 1325–26 and from 1330 to 1364. He was a rival king set up against the unsuccessful Christopher II and was widely opposed by his subjects. His term was ended when he abdicated. Sometimes the earlier King Valdemar the Young (c. 1209–1231) is also referred to as Valdemar III.[1]

## Biography[edit]

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, 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 pawnbroker of mortgaged Denmark, was appointed as the Regent and guardian (grev Gert or Den kullede Greve).[2]

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 the so-called Constitutio Valdemariana, which 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 enfeoffed 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 the peasants. A portion of the nobles were foreigners, and many set up new taxes. In 1328, peasants in Zealand rose in rebellion, though it was quelled, and a rebellion in Jutland followed in 1329; the Jutland rebellion had more success, but was 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.[3]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Valdemar III (1326-1329)" (in Danish). aerenlund.dk. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
2. ^ "Erik (II), Hertug af Sønderjylland –1325" (in Danish). Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
3. ^ "Richardis (eller Rixa), Hertuginde af Slesvig, –1360" (in Danish). Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved 2020-01-01.

Valdemar III of Denmark

Abelslægten

Cadet branch of the House of Estridsen

Born: 1314 Died: 1364

Regnal titles
Preceded by

Eric II

|  Duke of Schleswig
as Valdemar V
1325–1326  | Succeeded by

Gerard I

Preceded by

Christopher II

|  King of Denmark
as Valdemar III
1326–1329  | Succeeded by

Christopher II
and Eric

Preceded by

Christopher II

|  Duke of Estonia
as Valdemar II
1326–1329  | Succeeded by

Canute II and
Ingeborg of Norway

Preceded by

Gerard I

|  Duke of Schleswig
as Valdemar V
1330–1364  | Succeeded by

Henry

Preceded by

Otto I

|  Duke of Estonia
as Valdemar II
1338-1340  | Succeeded by

Valdemar III

* v
* t
* e

Monarchs of Denmark

Knýtlinga|

| c. 916 – 1042|

* (Harthacnut)
* Gorm the Old
* Harald Bluetooth
* Sweyn Forkbeard1
* Harald II
* Cnut1
* Harthacanute1

|

Fairhair|

| 1042–1047|

* Magnus the Good

|

Estridsen|

| 1047–1375|

* Sweyn II Estridsen
* Harald III Hen
* Canute the Saint
* Olaf I Hunger
* Eric Evergood
* Niels
* Eric the Memorable
* Eric Lamb
* Sweyn Grathe / Canute V / Valdemar the Great
* Canute VI
* Valdemar the Victorious / Valdemar the Young
* Eric Plough-tax
* Abel
* Christopher I
* Eric Klipping
* Eric Menved
* Christopher II / Eric Christoffersen
* Valdemar III
* Interregnum
* Valdemar Atterdag

|

Bjelbo|

| 1376–1387|

* Olaf II

|

Estridsen|

| 1376–1412|

* Margrethe I2

|

Pomerania|

| 1397–1439|

* Eric of Pomerania2

|

Palatinate-Neumarkt|

| 1440–1448|

* Christopher of Bavaria2

|

Oldenburg|

| Senior branch
1448–1863|

* Christian I2
* John2
* Christian II2
* Frederick I
* Christian III
* Frederick II
* Christian IV
* Frederick III
* Christian V
* Frederick IV
* Christian VI
* Frederick V
* Christian VII
* Frederick VI
* Christian VIII
* Frederick VII

|

Glücksburg
since 1863|

* Christian IX
* Frederick VIII
* Christian X3
* Frederick IX
* Margrethe II

* Italics indicates Danish monarchs who were also monarchs of Norway.
* 1 Also monarch of England.
* 2 Also monarch of Sweden.
* 3 Also monarch of Iceland.

Authority control

General|

* VIAF
* WorldCat (via VIAF)

National libraries|

* Germany

Biographical dictionaries|

* Germany

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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[c.]: circa