{{Short description|King of Denmark from 1104 to 1134}} {{For|his great-grandson|Niels of Aarhus}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox royalty | type = monarch | name = Niels | succession = King of Denmark | image = Coin of Niels, King of Denmark 1104 1134.jpg | caption = Fragment of a coin depicting King Niels | reign = 1104–1134 | predecessor = Eric I Evergood | successor = Eric II Emune | spouses = Margaret Fredkulla<br>Ulvhild Håkansdotter | issue = Magnus Nielsen | issue-link = #Issue | issue-pipe = more… | house = Estridsen | father = Sweyn II of Denmark | birth_date = {{circa|1063}} | death_date = 25 June {{Death year and age|1134|1063}} | death_place = Schleswig | burial_place = "boggy grave" in Gottorp }} '''Niels''' ({{circa|1065}} – 25 June 1134) was the King of Denmark from 1104 to 1134. Niels succeeded his brother Eric Evergood and is presumed to have been the youngest son of King Sweyn II Estridson. King Niels actively supported the canonization of Canute IV the Holy and supported his son Magnus after he killed his rival for the succession, Knud Lavard. His secular rule was supported by the clergy. Niels was killed in an ensuing civil war and succeeded by Eric II Emune.
==Early life== Niels was born around 1063, married in 1105, and died in 1134.<ref name="pajung">Stefan Pajung, [http://www.danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/niels-1065-1134/ Niels 1065–1134] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719122404/http://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/niels-1065-1134/ |date=19 July 2011 }}, Aarhus University, 22 January 2010</ref> His parents were King Sweyn II Estridson and an unknown concubine. Four of Niels' brothers ascended the throne before him. He is first mentioned in history in 1086 when he was sent to Flanders to take the place of his exiled brother, King Olaf I.<ref name="bricka">Bricka, Carl Frederik, ''Dansk Biografisk Lexikon'', vol. XII [Münch – Peirup], 1898, pp. 199–201. [https://runeberg.org/dbl/12/0201.html Available online]</ref> When his brother Eric Evergood died in July 1103 during a pilgrimage, Niels, who was the last surviving brother, was elected king the following year<ref name="kongehuset">[http://kongehuset.dk/lineage.php?id=58197&dogtag=k_dk_monarkiet_kongeraek&list_id=1 Kongerækken] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118011459/http://kongehuset.dk/lineage.php?id=58197&dogtag=k_dk_monarkiet_kongeraek&list_id=1 |date=18 November 2009 }} at The Danish Monarchy</ref> ahead of Evergood's chosen deputy Harald Kesja.<ref name="gyldendal">[http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Danmarks_geografi_og_historie/Danmarks_historie/Danmark_f%C3%B8r_Reformationen/Niels,_konge_af_Danmark?highlight=Kong%20Niels Niels, konge af Danmark] at Gyldendals Encyklopædi</ref> He married Margaret Fredkulla, the daughter of Inge I of Sweden. She was believed to have wielded considerable influence during his reign.<ref name="bricka"/>
==Policies and patronage== During the majority of Niels' reign, the country had internal peace. The contemporary ''Chronicon Roskildense'' describes him as mild and forthcoming, though not a competent ruler.<ref name="pajung"/> He carried through reforms of his personal ''hird'' retinue, separating it into a military and an administrative branch<ref name="gad">"Gads Historie Leksikon", 3rd edition, Copenhagen, 2006. Entry: ''Svend Estridsen-sønner'', Paul Ulff-Møller, p.637</ref> responsible for tax collection.<ref name="pajung"/> He placed family members as his ''jarls'', including his son-in-law Jarl Ubbe and his nephews Eric (Emune) and Canute Lavard, who were the sons of Eric Evergood.<ref name="pajung"/> Niels supported the canonization of his brother Canute IV the Holy by bestowing gifts on the clergy of Odense as he sought to enlarge the power and influence of the monarchy through the aid of the church.<ref name="gyldendal"/> However, it is likely he did not win the full support of the magnates on Zealand.<ref name="gyldendal"/> He also campaigned against the Wends in alliance with Poland.<ref name="pajung"/> According to Saxo Grammaticus, Niels' son Magnus was elected King of Geats in 1220s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gillingstam |first=Hans |date=1982–1984 |title=Magnus Nilsson |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=10158&forceOrdinarySite=true#Arkivuppgifter |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon}}</ref>
==Civil war== His wife, Margaret, died in 1128 or 1129,<ref name="pajung"/> and his son, Magnus, was forced from the Swedish throne in 1130.<ref name="royalcourt">[http://www.royalcourt.se/royalcourt/monarchy/themonarchyinsweden/themonarchsofsweden.4.396160511584257f2180005932.html Kings and Queens of Sweden — A thousand year succession] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517101330/http://www.royalcourt.se/royalcourt/monarchy/themonarchyinsweden/themonarchsofsweden.4.396160511584257f2180005932.html|date=17 May 2011}} at Monarchy of Sweden</ref> After 26 years of internal peace, conflict erupted between Magnus and his cousin Canute Lavard. Canute was popular in the Duchy of Schleswig where he was ''jarl'' and was seen as a potential successor to Niels.<ref name="bricka"/> On 7 January 1131, Magnus slew Canute near Haraldsted just north of Ringsted. Niels initially condemned Magnus but eventually supported him, and a civil war ensued between Niels and the supporters of Canute's half-brother, Eric (Emune). Niels had his strongest base of support in Jutland,<ref name="bricka"/> and the church also supported him.<ref name="kongehuset"/> He secured support from the Holy Roman Empire by agreeing to subordinate the Danish Archdiocese of Lund in Scania to the German Archdiocese of Hamburg-Bremen, which prompted Archbishop Asser of Lund to support Eric.<ref name="gad"/>
Eric made little progress in Denmark and moved on to the battle for Scania in 1134. Niels and Magnus landed at Fotevik Bay in Scania in June 1134 seeking to deal Eric a decisive defeat. At the Battle of Fotevik on 4 June 1134, Niels and Magnus were taken by surprise by a contingent of German soldiers on horses.<ref>[http://www.mik.dk/Aktuelt/Netop_Nu/Tur_middelaldertur/Middelaldertur_krig.aspx Krig og krigsteknologi i middelalderen]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at "Museer i København – og omegn"</ref> Niels escaped, while Magnus was slain.<ref name="bricka"/> Niels sought refuge with Holy Roman Emperor Lothar III of Germany, but did not make it past the city of Schleswig. Niels ventured into the former city of Canute Lavard on 25 June 1134, despite warnings. "Should I fear tanners and shoemakers?," he supposedly remarked.<ref name="bricka"/> He was greeted by the clergy, but he and his vanguard were slain before they could reach the royal palace as the townspeople turned against him.<ref name="bricka"/> The almost sixty-year reign of Sweyn II Estridson's sons ended when Niels fell and Eric II Emune became king.
==Issue== Niels married Margaret Fredkulla, daughter of king Inge I of Sweden. After Margaret's death in either 1128 or 1129,<ref name="pajung"/> he married Ulvhild Håkansdotter, who had been married to Inge II of Sweden and later married Sverker I of Sweden. Niels had two children with Margaret, and one child out of wedlock.
# Inge Nielsen, who died as a child.<ref name="bricka"/> # Magnus Nielsen # Ingerid of Denmark was born out of wedlock, and eventually went on to marry Jarl Ubbe Esbernsen, a descendant of Canute the Great.<ref name="bricka"/>
==References== {{commonscat-inline|Niels of Denmark}} <references/>
{{s-start}} {{s-hou|House of Estridsen||c. 1064|25 June|1134||name=Niels}} {{s-reg}} {{s-bef|before=Eric I}} {{s-ttl|title=King of Denmark|years=1103–1134}} {{s-aft|after=Eric II}} {{s-end}} {{Monarchs of Denmark}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niels, King Of Denmark}} Category:1060s births Category:1134 deaths Category:12th-century murdered monarchs Category:Danish Roman Catholics Category:House of Estridsen Category:Illegitimate children of Sweyn II Category:12th-century kings of Denmark Category:Sons of kings