Ten Danish Kings With Other Names Quiz

Answer: Erik VII

1396 (de jure)/1412 (de facto) - 1439.
Grandson of Ingeborg of Denmark, oldest daughter of King Valdemar IV.
He was chosen by his great-aunt, Margrethe I - ruler of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden - to be her successor, and was bought to Denmark in 1389 to be raised by Margrethe. However, 'Bogislaw' was supposedly deemed to not really be fitting for a Scandinavian ruler, so his named was changed to 'Erik'.
'Erik' that was the name - after 'Christian' and 'Frederik', with ten each - that has been shared by most Danish kings, he was the last.

Answer: Harald I

958 - 986.
It is unknown exactly how it happened. One famous legend tells the story about how the priest Poppo convinced Harald of the superior strength of the Christian God by holding a fire-heated lump of iron in his hand without injury.
However, a more likely explanation is that it was simply political; by getting baptized, Harald ensured that Denmark was not invaded and forcibly converted by Emperor Otto I.
It is also worth noting that the process didn't happen all-at-once, rather it was a slow process, with people continuing to follow old pagan traditions several years after Denmark became a Christian country. In fact, we still use the old Norse word 'Jul' (in English 'Yule') for 'Christmas'.

Answer: Valdemar II

1202 - 1241.
He spent the last years of his life putting together a code of laws for Jutland, Zealand, and Scania. These laws were used until 1683.
This was a significant change from the earlier tradition of law-making at regional assemblies, and outlawed methods of determining guilt and innocence, including trial by ordeal, and trial by combat.
The Code of Jutland (Jyske lov) starts with the words "Med lov skal land bygges" (roughly translated to "With law shall country be build), those words - although slightly changed to "med lov skal man land bygge" are written above the entrance to the City Court of Copenhagen.

Answer: Abel

1250 - 1252.
Yep, that's right. In a reverse of the famous Biblical story, in this case Abel was suspected of having had his brother killed, rather than being killed by said brother. However, the brother in question was named 'Erik', not 'Cain'.
"Abel by name, Cain by his deeds" ("Abel af navn, Kain a gavn") became a saying at the time.
He died after less than two years on the throne, his sudden death was seen by people at the time as God's punishment for the murder of his brother.

Answer: Knud IV

1080 -1086.
A peasant revolt broke out in Vendsyssel where he was staying. He fled first to Schleswig, and then to Odense, where he took refuge inside the wooden St. Alban's Priory. However, the rebels stormed the church and slew him, alongside his brother and 17 of their followers before the altar.
During the reign of his successor - Olaf I - Denmark began suffering from crop failures, which were seen as divine retribution for the sacrilegious killing of Knud. Miracles were soon reported as taking place at his grave, and his canonization were already being sought during the reign of Olaf I.
In 1101 - during the reign of Erik I - he was canonized by Pope Paschal II.

Answer: Erik III

1137 - 1146.
He abdicated for unknown reason, being the last Danish monarch to do so until Margrethe II in 2024. Possible explanations for his abdication have been given as either being rooted in his realisation of his inability to govern, or an illness which ultimately killed him, in August 1146.

Answer: Erik V

1259 - 1286.
In November the King for unknown reasons - possibly after a hunt - spent the night in the Church Barn of the small village of Finderup, near Viborg. After they had settled down, a group of assassins, who had been hiding in the barn, rushed forwards and attacked the King. According to legend, each stabbed him once.
It was the last historical example of regicide in Denmark.
Through his daughter Richeza, he was an ancestor of the first Oldenburg King, Christian I, and through him the current Danish Royal Family.

Answer: Valdemar IV

1340 - 1375.
During the reign of his father, Christopher II, Denmark went bankrupt and was mortgaged out in parcels. Valdemar spent most of his childhood and youth at the court of Emperor Louis IV in Bavaria.
Following the assassination of Gerhard II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg, he was proclaimed king, and immediately set of to repay the debts in order to regain control of Denmark. This was done through funds from his wife's dowry, heavy taxes, and selling off Danish Estonia to the Teutonic Order.
By 1347, he had thrown the Germans out, and once again Denmark was a nation.

Answer: Knud II

1018 - 1035.
The North Sea Empire referred to the kingdoms of Denmark, England, and Norway. It's important to note that he did not become king of all three kingdoms at the same time.
First, in 1016, he became King of England through conquest.
Then, in 1018, his younger brother Harald II - who had succeeded their father as King of Denmark in 1014 - died, and he returned to Denmark to affirm his succession to the Danish crown.
Finally, in 1028, he became King of Norway, again through conquest.

Answer: Valdemar I

1154 - 1182
After the abdication of Erik III, Svend III was elected King of Denmark on Zealand. However, at the same time Knud V was also able to get elected in Skåneland.
Knud attempted to invade Zealand, but was repelled by Svend. Then, in 1147 they called a truce to participate in the Wendish Crusade.
Upon their return, the fighting continued. Initially Valdemar I joined the side of Svend III - his cousin - and eventually Svend had claimed control of most of Denmark and established himself as sole king, while Knud fled to Saxony.
In 1153-1154 Valdemar switched sides, and became co-regent along with Knud. More fighting ensued, but peace negotiations began in spring 1157 and a deal was made to divide Denmark into three kingdoms.
To celebrate, Svend hosted a feast in Roskilde, but his men murdered Knud and wounded Valdemar in what would become known as the 'Blood Feast of Roskilde'.
Valdemar fled, and with the help of Knud's followers he was able to defeat Svend at the Battle of Grathe Heath, becoming the sole king.