Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Harald Skrænk, --1182--, royal descendant, son of Oluf?


Harald Skrænk, --1182--, royal descendant.
When the villagers in Skåne were told about
Valdemar I's death (1182), they renewed at once
the rebellion, which was recently put a brake on.
Archbishop Absalon and several magnates had to
leave Skåne. In order to get a chief the rebels
called H. from Sweden. He is just called a Danish
royal descendant, but all indicates that he was
a son of Oluf, Harald Kesja's son, who once with
Swedish assistance was made king in Skåne. H.
was also supported by the Swedish king,Knud
Eriksen, and the earl Birger Brosa, who both were
his relatives. Except for his high descent H.
lacked everything which creates a chief. «It is
not easy to know, if the shame was on Sweden for
sending him or on Skåne for accepting him," says
Saxo. The citizens of Lund closed the city gates
for him, the king's and Absalon's army were
victorius at Lommeaa - in spite of heavy resistance
- over the rebellious flock, and H. had to take
flight to Sweden together with the leader of the
villagers, Aage. (1183). A new rebellion was about
to start, but Absalon appealed to the peasants, and
at the Thing the magnates judged H. outlawed. When
king Knud Valdemarsen shortly after came to Skåne,
H.'s supporters were punished with money-fines. His
own conduct had been without honour, the byname
"Skrænk" ( = bottom) is not a very courteous, but
a well deserved sarcasm for his quick escape.

Hans Olrik.
Kilde:
Dansk Biografisk Lexicon
Carl Fr. Bricka
Project Runeberg
(1887-1905) 
 
translation grethe bachmann  ©copyright