Helvig of Holstein

Helvig (or Helwig or Hedvig) of Holstein, (1260-1324), was a Swedish Queen, married to king Magnus III of Sweden. She was the child of count Gerhard I of Holstein (died 1290) and Elisabet of Mecklenburg (died 1280).

Biography

Helwig, or Helvig as she was also called, was married to Magnus Ladulås in 1276, and was granted the fief of Dåvö in Munktorp in Västmanland.

When her father was captured during the Folkunge party revolt (Folkungaupproret) by rebellious noblemen in Skara in 1278, she sought refuge in the convent in the city. Queen Helvig was crowned queen of Sweden in the city of Söderköping the 29 June 1281, which is the first confirmed coronation of a queen consort in Sweden. She founded the Greyfriars convent (Gråmunkekloster) in Stockholm and several churches and convents. As a queen, however, she is not very much heard of, despite of the fact that she was queen for fourteen years; she lived a very discreet life, both as a queen and as a dowager queen and king's mother. She was described as a noble, loyal and peace-loving mother figure, tormented by the conflicts between her sons.

After the death of her husband in 1290, Helvig lived a quite life on her estate, to which she withdrew in 1291. She did not take part in the political life or the minor regency of her son, though she may have had a formal seat in the council during the minor regencies of 1290-1302 and 1320-1327. She did, however, act as a foster mother for her son's future bride, princess Martha of Denmark, who spent a lot of her childhood in Sweden as the future queen of Sweden after 1290. In 1302, she was present at the coronation of her son.

Queen Dowager Helvig is buried in Riddarholm church in Stockholm, with her husband and her daughter Rikissa.

Children

"Helvig's wedding took place at Kalmar castle the 11 November 1276 with king Magnus III Ladulås of Sweden. The had the following children:"

# Ingeborg Magnusdotter of Sweden, born abt. 1279. Married King Eric VI of Denmark, Erik Menved.
# Birger Magnusson, born abt. 1280, king of Sweden.
# Eric Magnusson, Duke of Södermanland in 1302 and Halland etc c 1305, born abt. 1282. Died of starvation 1318 at Nyköpingshus castle while imprisoned by his brother King Birger.
# Valdemar Magnusson, Duke of Finland in 1302 and Öland 1310. Died of starvation 1318 at Nyköpingshus castle while imprisoned by his brother King Birger.
# Rikissa Magnusdotter, abbess of the convent of St. Clara at Stockholm. Died after 1347.

References

* Dick Harrison: Jarlens Sekel, Ordfront Förlag, 2002
* Nordisk Familjebok, Uggleupplagan, band 11, sida 373, Stockholm 1909
* Åke Ohlmarks, "Alla Sveriges drottningar"
* Lindqvist, Sveriges drottningar

Sucession