# Eric II of Denmark

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**Eric II the Memorable** (Danish: *Erik II Emune*; c. 1090 – 18 September 1137) was [king of Denmark](/source/King_of_Denmark) between 1134 and 1137. He was an illegitimate son of [Eric I of Denmark](/source/Eric_I_of_Denmark), who ruled the kingdom from 1095 to 1103. Eric the Memorable rebelled against his uncle [Niels, King of Denmark](/source/Niels,_King_of_Denmark), and was declared king in 1134. He punished his adversaries severely, and rewarded his supporters handsomely. He was killed by a subject in 1137 and was promptly succeeded as king by his nephew [Eric III of Denmark](/source/Eric_III_of_Denmark).

## Early life

Eric the Memorable was born around 1090, to King [Eric I of Denmark](/source/Eric_I_of_Denmark) and an unknown [concubine](/source/Concubine).[2] He was given some Danish isles by his half-brother [Canute Lavard](/source/Canute_Lavard),[3] and was *[jarl](/source/Earl)* of [Møn](/source/M%C3%B8n), [Lolland](/source/Lolland), and [Falster](/source/Falster).[4] When Lavard was murdered in 1131, Eric joined his half-brother [Harald Kesja](/source/Harald_Kesja) in a rebellion against the responsible king [Niels of Denmark](/source/Niels_of_Denmark).[5] Eric was elected Danish [Antiking](/source/Antiking) in [Scania](/source/Scania) in April 1131, which prompted Kesja to support Niels in jealousy.[2]

Eric's army lost several battles against Niels and his son [Magnus the Strong](/source/Magnus_the_Strong),[5] including [Jelling](/source/Jelling) in [Jutland](/source/Jutland) in 1131 and [Værbro](/source/V%C3%A6rbro) on [Zealand](/source/Zealand_(Denmark)), and he fled to [Scania](/source/Scania). His retreat earned him the nickname *Harefoot*.[3] Eric unsuccessfully tried to convince [Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor](/source/Lothair_III,_Holy_Roman_Emperor) to support his bid for kingship,[5] and had no luck asking [Magnus IV of Norway](/source/Magnus_IV_of_Norway) for help.[3] He returned to Scania in 1134, where [Archbishop Asser of Lund](/source/Asser_of_Lund) joined his cause, and Lothair eventually supported him as well.[2] In 1134, he defeated king Niels' entire army at the [Battle of Fotevik](/source/Battle_of_Fotevik) in Scania, with the crucial help of German mounted [mercenaries](/source/Mercenaries),[4] and Niels died within the year.[6]

## Reign

Eric was proclaimed king at Scania's *[landsting](/source/Thing_(assembly))* assembly at Lerbäckshögen in Kävlingevägen near [Lund](/source/Lund). Eric subsequently made Lund his [capital city](/source/Capital_city).[7] With the resounding victory at Fotevik, Eric was given the nickname *the Memorable* to replace *Harefoot*.[3] Kesja returned to Denmark and was proclaimed king at Urnehoved in [Schleswig](/source/Schleswig). Eric chased him down and killed Harald Kesja and his sons, of whom only [Olaf Haraldsen](/source/Olaf_Haraldsen) escaped with his life.[5][8]

Eric then sought to consolidate and legitimize his rule. He gave titles and privileges to his supporters, and proclaimed Archbishop Asser's nephew [Eskil](/source/Eskil_of_Lund) (c. 1100-1181), Bishop of the [Diocese of Roskilde](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Roskilde).[9]

He initiated the process of getting his half-brother Canute Lavard [canonized](/source/Canonization), and established an abbey at [Ringsted](/source/Ringsted) to document reports of miracles at Canute's grave.[5] Eric wanted to establish the [divine right of kings](/source/Divine_right_of_kings), and canonizing Canute would support his claim on the throne.[2] Canute was finally canonized in 1170.[10]

Eric was known as a harsh ruler to his enemies.[2] In the summer of 1136, Eric undertook a [crusade](/source/Crusade) against the pagan population on the [Baltic](/source/Baltic_Sea) island of [Rügen](/source/R%C3%BCgen) and its capital [Arkona](/source/Cape_Arkona).[3] He ordered his men to dig a canal between the city and the rest of the island. The canal had the effect of drying up the spring which supplied Arkona with drinking water. Arkona was forced to surrender.[11] In 1135, before this success in Arkona, Eric defeated in a naval battle near Denmark's coast the [lechitic](/source/Lechites) (West Slavic) troops under [pomeranian](/source/Duchy_of_Pomerania) [Duke Ratibor](/source/Ratibor_I,_Duke_of_Pomerania) who had sacked [Roskilde](/source/Roskilde), and a year later, after the battle of [Konungahela](/source/Kungah%C3%A4lla), (now [Kungälv](/source/Kung%C3%A4lv) in [Sweden](/source/Sweden)), sacked this city as well.[12] He joined Magnus for an unsuccessful campaign in Norway,[3] where he managed to burn down [Oslo](/source/Oslo).[2] When he learned that Eskil had raised the nobles of Zealand against him, Eric raced north to put down the rebellion which spread rapidly across [Funen](/source/Funen) and Jutland, and fined Eskil heavily.[2]

## Death

Eric was killed on 18 September 1137. The death of Eric, as told by [Arild Huitfeldt](/source/Arild_Huitfeldt): A harsh and unpopular ruler, Eric died at Urnehoved *landsting* in 1137. King Eric was struck down by a local nobleman, Sorte Plov.[13] According to legend, Sorte Plov asked permission to approach the king, carrying a spear in his hand with a block of wood protecting the tip. Having deemed that King Eric wore no [mail](/source/Mail_(armour)) underneath his tunic, Sorte Plov kicked off the protection, and drove his spear right through the king. King Eric's nephew Erik Håkonssøn stepped forward with sword in hand, but the nobleman told him to calm down, seeing as how he – Erik – was next in line for the throne, being the only adult male in the royal family: "Put away thy mace, young Erik. A juicy piece of meat hath fallen in thy bowl!" According to legend, Sorte Plov escaped with his life.[14] Eric was buried at [Ribe Cathedral](/source/Ribe_Cathedral).[5] Erik Håkonssøn was then crowned [Eric III of Denmark](/source/Eric_III_of_Denmark).

## Issue

Sometime before 1130, Eric married [Malmfred of Kiev](/source/Malmfred_of_Kiev), the daughter of Grand Duke [Mstislav I of Kiev](/source/Mstislav_I_of_Kiev) and [Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden](/source/Christina_Ingesdotter_of_Sweden).[2] Malmfrid was the former wife of King [Sigurd I of Norway](/source/Sigurd_I_of_Norway). With his concubine Thunna, Eric had the illegitimate son Sweyn, who would later become king as [Sweyn III of Denmark](/source/Sweyn_III_of_Denmark).[3]

## References

1. [Monarkiet i Danmark – Kongerækken](http://kongehuset.dk/lineage.php?id=58197&dogtag=k_dk_monarkiet_kongeraek&list_id=1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20091118011459/http://kongehuset.dk/lineage.php?id=58197&dogtag=k_dk_monarkiet_kongeraek&list_id=1) November 18, 2009 at the Wayback Machine at [The Danish Monarchy](/source/Monarchy_of_Denmark)

1. Stefan Pajung, [Erik Emune ca. 1090–1137](http://www.danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/erik-emune-ca-1090-1137/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110719123459/http://www.danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/erik-emune-ca-1090-1137/) 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine, danmarkshistorien.dk, [Aarhus University](/source/Aarhus_University), 20 January 2010

1. [Bricka, Carl Frederik](/source/Carl_Frederik_Bricka), *Dansk Biografisk Lexikon*, vol. IV [Clemens – Eynden], 1890, [pp.540–542](https://runeberg.org/dbl/4/0542.html).

1. Palle Birk Hansen, [Forside > Jubilæumslogo > Logohistorier > Peder Bodilsen](http://net.naestved.dk/875/JubilaeumsLogo/Logohistorier/Peder%20Bodilsen.aspx) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110719130616/http://net.naestved.dk/875/JubilaeumsLogo/Logohistorier/Peder%20Bodilsen.aspx) 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine, [Næstved Municipality](/source/N%C3%A6stved_Municipality)

1. [Erik 2. Emune](http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Danmarks_geografi_og_historie/Danmarks_historie/Danmark_f%C3%B8r_Reformationen/Erik_2._Emune) at Gyldendals Åbne Encyklopædi

1. ["Asser, –1137, Ærkebiskop"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/1/0386.html). Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

1. [1050–1250 – Konge og Kirke](http://www.oresundstid.dk/arkiv/arkivalt.aspx?id=558,559,561,560,562,563,564&tekst=1050-1250&standard=J) at Oresundstid.dk

1. ["Urnehoved"](http://denstoredanske.dk/Danmarks_geografi_og_historie/Danmarks_historie/Danmark_f%C3%B8r_Reformationen/Urnehoved). Den Store Danske, Gyldendal. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

1. von Kettenburg, Philipp. Vol. 5.

1. ["Knud Lavard, ca. 1096-1131"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052625/http://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/knud-lavard-ca-1096-1131/?no_cache=1). Danmarks Historien. Archived from [the original](http://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/knud-lavard-ca-1096-1131/?no_cache=1) on September 6, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

1. [Erik Emune \[1134–1137](http://www.mogwai.dk/Erik%20Emune.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110719125940/http://www.mogwai.dk/Erik%20Emune.html) 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine at Mogwai.dk

1. Olga Baranowska, *Pomorze Zachodnie, moja mała ojczyzna*, Szczecin 2001, wyd. "Ines", K.Kozłowski, J.Podralski *Gryfici Książęta Pomorza Zachodniego*, KAW Szczecin 1985

1. ["Kongemorderen Sorte Plov"](http://www.kongeaastien.dk/da/content/kongemorderen-sorte-plov). kongeaastien.dk. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

1. [Huitfeldt, Arild](/source/Arild_Huitfeldt). *Danmarks Riges Krønike*.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Eric II of Denmark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_II_of_Denmark) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_II_of_Denmark?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.