Source: Dansk Biografisk Lexicon Carl Fr. Bricka Project Runeberg (1887-1905) Svend Grathe, o.1125-1157, king, was en illegitimate son of Erik Emune . His father took him along, when he sought shelter in Norway (1133), and dangerous to himself he also took his boy along on his bold flight from Norway to Denmark(1134). When Erik was killed (1137) S. was too young to be king; Erik Lam, who was crowned, sent him to Conrad III's court, where he became friend with the king's brother's son, the young Frederik of Schwaben (later emperor Frederik I). German sources from this time call S. by the name Peter; like others in the royal family he had a double name. In the late part of Erik Lam's rule he was back in Denmark, where he and his cousin Valdemar in spite of archbishop Eskil's protest shrined Knud Lavard's bones.(1146). The same year Erik retired and died, and soon after S. grasped for the Crown, he succeeded in winning support from the people from Zealand and Skåne, but the main part of the Jutlanders supported Knud Magnussen, and a violent throne-fight began. Eskil was close to supporting Knud, but S. won over the archbishop and held him prisoner in his own cathedral, but he soon goot scared by his own daring and bought Eskil's forgiveness and support by giving the archbishopric some estate in Skåne and a big part of Bornholm. He defeated luckily Knud at Slangerup and drove him back to Jutland. Under influence of the large European crusade- movement the kings then joined in a common expedition to the Wends (1147), but did not achieve much; the Jutlanders saw happily the Wends slay down the Skånings and take S.'s royal ship, and S. was too distrustful of Knud; he did not want to sail home on his ship. The war of the kings broke out again.Knud was again the attacker, he took Roskilde by surprise, but lost the battle at Tåstrup, where S. did not distinguish himself personally (1148). S. had now the upper hand, he conquered Funen, placed Valdemar as hertug in Schleswig and attacked - supported by the Ditmarsker Edeler - grev Adolf of Holstein, because he had joined Knud, but he could not prevent the fall of Edeler in an uneven fight with the Holsteiners. Later S. was victorious at Viborg (1150) and chased Knud out of the country, but when Knud came back with some German auxiliaries, he inflicted a new defeat on him at Gedbæk (1151). The honour of these victories was mostly due to Valdemar. S. tried to secure his control over Denmark by a humble approach to Conrad III, whom Knud also,but in vain, asked for assistance. Once again Knud fastened on Danish ground by conquering the Frisians, but S. captured the Frisian Castle (Friserborg).Knud went to the German king,Frederik I, who summoned his friend to the meeting in Merseburg (1152).The Crown was judged to go to S.; but he became the vasal of Frederik and had to promise to give Zealand to Knud as a vasalry. When he however only gave him spread vasalries, he offended Valdemar, who had vouched for the agreement, and S. thereby made the base of his own misfortune. During his success he had in spite of bishop Elias' advice spared his captured enemies, even his father's murderer Plov. (Sorte Plov) But this magnanimity was rather reckless, he was blind for the reality and underestimated his opponents. Furthermore there were deficiencies in his ruling. During the throne- feuds the Wends had grown more dangerous in the Danish waters. S. let build some earth-banks as a protection and inflicted some defeats on them, but else he was content with just giving large sums to the Sachserhertug Henrik Løve that he should keep away the Wends, which Henrik did not do, and S. did not use his power to build a big national defence. An insult - towards the jarl Carl by the Swedish king's son, Jon Sverkerson, gave S. an excuse for an attack on Sweden,but caused by the winter-cold he had to go home without having achieved anything.(1153). He was always in a feud with Eskil, and his unreliability and exploitations woke aversion in many people. He suppressed some rebellions in Skåne with blood, and he often did wrong to his friends. He admitted German gentlemen in his entourage, and he submitted to their rude behaviour towards his own people. And with partiality for German law (duels) and court customs he caused enmity from everyone.German musicians were his guests, but an Icelandic Scald was not payed for his kongekvad.(a song about the king). In these circumstances Valdemar and Knud joined more closely together. S. tried to kill Valdemar or to neutralize him by luring him into German captivity, but his plan failed. At Viborg Thing Knud and Valdemar took name of king.(1154). Eskil left S., even many of his earlier faithful supporters left him, and followed by his warriors' disdain he took flight to Germany. He drifted around for almost three years without finding any helpers for his fight. Giving golden promises to Henrik Løve he finally got prepared for war with his assistance. They bribed Danevirk'es guard to let them slip through into Schleswig, extorted contributions from the city and plundered the trade-fleet in Slien, but went back without waiting for the enemy to arrive. Henrik Løve let however the Wends he ruled ravage Funen and then lead S. to the plagued island, where they paid tribute to him. The other kings advanced against him, but some negotiations began in Odense and a peace- meeting was arranged at Lolland, where Valdemar by a court order divided the kingdom and chose Jutland for himself; S. had a right to choose before Knud and took the Skåne-country in order not to be pent-up between his rivals, and Knud got Zealand. S.'s bad luck had for long removed the good elements he originally had owned and developed his worst qualities, he now became a villain. At the "Blodgildet" (Blood Feast) in Roskilde (9. August 1157) he let Knud cut down and almost killed Valdemar too, but Valdemar escaped and S. followed him to Jutland.At the crucial meeting Valdemar was the victor; S. took flight, his horse got stuck in a moor, and S. was run down by exhaustion, he was discovered by some robbing peasants, who killed him (23. Okt. 1157). This happened at Grathe Hede, and he later got a by-name from this place. Some peasants buried the body, soon a chapel was built, and at its northern side was S.'s stone coffin seen not so long ago. His queen Adelheid went to Germany and married again; a son of S. died a baby; their daughter Luccardis was later married to grev Berthold II of Andechs, Markgreve of Istrien, but divorced from him because of infedelity.(died 1188). Saxo, ed. Müller. Helmold, Chron. Slavorum. H. Olrik, Konge- og Præstestand II. Steenstrup, Vore Folkeviser S. 215 ff. Hist. Tidsskr. 6. R. III, 108 ff. 226 ff.; 7. R. III, 369 ff. Aarh. f. nord. Oldkynd. 1887, S. 78 ff. Hans Olrik. Adelheid (or Adele)(of Meissen) --1152--queen, was the next-youngest daughter of Conrad of Wettin, Markgreve of Meissen and Lausitz, and his wife Luccardis. Adelheid was in 1152 married to king Svend (Grathe), with whom she had a son, who died a child, and a daughter, Luccardis. She was accused for inducing her husband to introduce foreign customs in Denmark, but Saxo said this was unjust.After Svend's death she married grev Albert of Aschersleben or Ballenstedt, with whom she had a daughter Gertrudis, who later was married to Walther af Arnstein. Suhm, Hist. af Danmark VI. J. Kinch. Source: Dansk Biografisk Lexicon Carl Fr. Bricka Project Runeberg (1887-1905)
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