Christina Björnsdotter

Christina (Kristina) Björnsdotter of Denmark (c. 1120/1125-1170), was a Swedish queen consort in the 12th century, married to king Eric the Saint of Sweden and mother of king Canute I of Sweden.

Biography

According to the "Knýtlinga saga", she was the daughter of Björn Haraldsson Ironside, the son of the Danish prince Harald Kesja, and his consort, the Swedish Princess Katarina Ingesdotter of Sweden, the daughter of Inge I of Sweden. She was made fatherless in 1134, when her father Prince Björn was murdered by orders from his uncle king Eric Emune of Denmark.

Kristina was married to her cousin Eric the Saint, then pretendent in Uppland, in 1149 or 1150; six years later, her husband became king, and she became queen; she was the queen of Sweden for four years, from 1156 to 1160.

Queen Kristina became notable for her animosity toward the newly founded convent in Varnhem, Västergötland, which forced the monks to leave the country and seek refuge in Denmark, a conflict for which the pope contemplated to have her excommunicated.

Queen Kristina was widowed at the deposition of the king outside the curhc in Uppsala in 1160, and according to legend, she fled with her son and her followers with the crowned head of her husband.

In 1167, her son became king as Canute I. Queen dowager Kristina is believed to have died in the beginning of her son king Knuts reign in 1170, but neither the date of her birth or death is completely clear.

Children:
#Canute I of Sweden, King of Sweden 1167-1196.
#Filip
#Katarina Eriksdotter, married to Nils Blake.
#Margareta Eriksdotter, married in 1185 Sverre I of Norway,died in 1202.

References

* Nordisk familjebok
* Åke Ohlmarks, "Alla Sveriges drottningar"

Sucession