Helena, Queen of Sweden
Encyclopedia
Queen Helena or Elin, also known as Maer, Mär or Mö (Old Norse
for Maiden) (born in the 11th century – Floruit
1105), was a Swedish
queen consort
, spouse of King Inge the Elder and the sister of King Blot-Sweyn
of Sweden.
. Helena is said to have been of the old Swedish royal family, a sideline of the House of Yngling, and the sister of Blot-Sweyn
. King Inge, who was King of Sweden and parts of Sweden several times, is famous for being the King who defeated the pagans
in the religious wars who took place in Sweden between 1022 and 1088 and abolished freedom of religion
, requiring everyone to profess the Christian faith. His greatest opponent in this fight was the Pagan King Blot-Sweyn
.
King Inge was said to have married Blot-Sweyn's sister Maer, or Mö; in Iceland
ic sources, she is referred to as Mär and officially, she is referred to as Helena. It is also sometimes suggested that she was of Greek or Russian origin, but this is unconfirmed and unlikely. The marriage is well pointed out in history as the wedding between Inge and the sister of Blot-Sweyn, and Sweyn is always referred to as the brother-in-law
of Inge*. Because of this it is therefore sometimes believed that Inge was married two times.
However, "Maer" is not an actual name, it is simply an old Nordic word for "Maiden
"; the other spelling of the name, "Mö", is still well known as an old-fashioned word for "Maiden" or "Virgin". "Helena" is the usual Latin
spelling of the Swedish name Elin. This can be assumed to be the same person; the maiden Elin, to Christian foreigners spelled as Helena in Latin, sister to the Pagan King Blot-Sweyn.
The genealogy of the old Viking
families is very hard to follow, in spite of the many songs which describe them, but as sister of Blot-Sweyn
, she may have been a daughter of Prince Ingvar Vittfarne of Sweden, son of King Emund the Old of Sweden, and the cousin of her spouse. The marriage was likely arranged for political reasons to unite the Pagan and Christian fractions. A runestone raised by a man by the name Sigtorn to the honour of his daughter Mö and his son Sven is suggested to have been raised by the father of Queen Helena and her brother Blot-Sweyn. Helena's full name would in that case have been Helena Sigtornsdotter.
Not many things are confirmed about queen Helena, but she was most likely a Pagan like her brother at the time of her marriage and convinced, willingly or by force, to submit to the Christian faith and convert. She may have received the name Helena by her christening, as her daughters were also given names from Christian Europe: Christina, Margaret and Catherine. It is not known which side she favoured between the Pagans and Christians. In 1087-88, she witnessed the war between her Christian spouse and her Pagan brother and saw the former triumph. Perhaps she mourned the death of ther brother and Paganism in 1087–1088, but to the end of her life she was, or gave the impression to be a Christian; after the defeat of the pagans, she founded Sweden's first known nunnery, the Benedictine Vreta Abbey
in Östergötland, jointly with her spouse some time between 1090 and 1100. She donated twenty estates in Östergötland to the convent upon its foundation, estates believed to have been the queen's, possibly as a dowry
, or as an inheritance after her brother Sweyn. After the death of her spouse in c. 1105, Queen Dowager Helena enterred the Vreta Abbey as a nun
.
Helena of Skövde
(d.1135), who lived in Sweden during the same period. This is a misconception which has no support from historians now.
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Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
for Maiden) (born in the 11th century – Floruit
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1105), was a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
, spouse of King Inge the Elder and the sister of King Blot-Sweyn
Blot-Sweyn
Sweyn was a Swedish king c. 1080, who replaced his Christian brother-in-law Inge as King of Sweden, when Inge had refused to administer the blóts at the Temple at Uppsala. There is no mention of Sweyn in the regnal list of the Westrogothic law, which suggests that his rule did not reach...
of Sweden.
Biography
The background of Queen Helena is unconfirmed. She is believed to have been from ÖstergötlandÖstergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
. Helena is said to have been of the old Swedish royal family, a sideline of the House of Yngling, and the sister of Blot-Sweyn
Blot-Sweyn
Sweyn was a Swedish king c. 1080, who replaced his Christian brother-in-law Inge as King of Sweden, when Inge had refused to administer the blóts at the Temple at Uppsala. There is no mention of Sweyn in the regnal list of the Westrogothic law, which suggests that his rule did not reach...
. King Inge, who was King of Sweden and parts of Sweden several times, is famous for being the King who defeated the pagans
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
in the religious wars who took place in Sweden between 1022 and 1088 and abolished freedom of religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
, requiring everyone to profess the Christian faith. His greatest opponent in this fight was the Pagan King Blot-Sweyn
Blot-Sweyn
Sweyn was a Swedish king c. 1080, who replaced his Christian brother-in-law Inge as King of Sweden, when Inge had refused to administer the blóts at the Temple at Uppsala. There is no mention of Sweyn in the regnal list of the Westrogothic law, which suggests that his rule did not reach...
.
King Inge was said to have married Blot-Sweyn's sister Maer, or Mö; in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic sources, she is referred to as Mär and officially, she is referred to as Helena. It is also sometimes suggested that she was of Greek or Russian origin, but this is unconfirmed and unlikely. The marriage is well pointed out in history as the wedding between Inge and the sister of Blot-Sweyn, and Sweyn is always referred to as the brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
of Inge*. Because of this it is therefore sometimes believed that Inge was married two times.
However, "Maer" is not an actual name, it is simply an old Nordic word for "Maiden
Maiden
Maiden or Maidens may refer to:* A female virgin; see virginity* Maiden name, the family name carried by a woman before marriage; see married and maiden names* Maiden, the first of the three aspects of the Triple Goddess...
"; the other spelling of the name, "Mö", is still well known as an old-fashioned word for "Maiden" or "Virgin". "Helena" is the usual Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
spelling of the Swedish name Elin. This can be assumed to be the same person; the maiden Elin, to Christian foreigners spelled as Helena in Latin, sister to the Pagan King Blot-Sweyn.
The genealogy of the old Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
families is very hard to follow, in spite of the many songs which describe them, but as sister of Blot-Sweyn
Blot-Sweyn
Sweyn was a Swedish king c. 1080, who replaced his Christian brother-in-law Inge as King of Sweden, when Inge had refused to administer the blóts at the Temple at Uppsala. There is no mention of Sweyn in the regnal list of the Westrogothic law, which suggests that his rule did not reach...
, she may have been a daughter of Prince Ingvar Vittfarne of Sweden, son of King Emund the Old of Sweden, and the cousin of her spouse. The marriage was likely arranged for political reasons to unite the Pagan and Christian fractions. A runestone raised by a man by the name Sigtorn to the honour of his daughter Mö and his son Sven is suggested to have been raised by the father of Queen Helena and her brother Blot-Sweyn. Helena's full name would in that case have been Helena Sigtornsdotter.
Not many things are confirmed about queen Helena, but she was most likely a Pagan like her brother at the time of her marriage and convinced, willingly or by force, to submit to the Christian faith and convert. She may have received the name Helena by her christening, as her daughters were also given names from Christian Europe: Christina, Margaret and Catherine. It is not known which side she favoured between the Pagans and Christians. In 1087-88, she witnessed the war between her Christian spouse and her Pagan brother and saw the former triumph. Perhaps she mourned the death of ther brother and Paganism in 1087–1088, but to the end of her life she was, or gave the impression to be a Christian; after the defeat of the pagans, she founded Sweden's first known nunnery, the Benedictine Vreta Abbey
Vreta Abbey
Vreta Abbey, Swedish Vreta Kloster, in operation from the beginning of the 12th century to 1582, was the first nunnery in Sweden, initially Benedictine and later Cistercian, and one of the oldest in Scandinavia. It was located in the municipality of Linköping in Östergötland.- History :The exact...
in Östergötland, jointly with her spouse some time between 1090 and 1100. She donated twenty estates in Östergötland to the convent upon its foundation, estates believed to have been the queen's, possibly as a dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
, or as an inheritance after her brother Sweyn. After the death of her spouse in c. 1105, Queen Dowager Helena enterred the Vreta Abbey as a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
.
Confusion with Helena of Skövde
Queen Helena or Elin has long been confused in history with SaintSaint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Helena of Skövde
Helena of Skövde
Saint Helena was a woman of high birth, who lived in the 12th century, and was considered to be the patron saint of Skövde, Sweden. Saint Helena decorates the Skövde city arm and is the patron saint of the church in Ränneslöv.She was born around 1101...
(d.1135), who lived in Sweden during the same period. This is a misconception which has no support from historians now.
Children
- ChristinaChristina Ingesdotter of SwedenPrincess Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden was a Swedish princess and, by marriage, a princess of Veliky Novgorod, Rostov and Belgorod, spouse of Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev....
, married Grand Duke Mstislav I of KievMstislav I of KievMstislav I Vladimirovich the Great was the Grand Prince of Kiev , the eldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh by Gytha of Wessex...
, and ancestress of several Kievan and Novgorod princes. - Ragnvald, who died before his father and who was father of Ingrid, who first was married to the Danish prince Eric Skatelar, and later to the Norwegian king Harald Gille. She was the mother of pretender (and alleged murderer) Magnus Henriksson.
- Margaret FredkullaMargaret FredkullaMargaret Fredkulla of Sweden was a medieval Scandinavian queen, Princess of Sweden and Queen consort of Denmark and Norway, married to King Magnus III of Norway and King Niels of Denmark, and regent de facto of Denmark. She is known as Margareta Fredkulla in Sweden, Margret Fredskolla in Norway...
, married (1) Magnus Barefoot, king of Norway, and later king Niels of DenmarkNiels of DenmarkNiels of Denmark was King of Denmark from 1104 to 1134, following his brother Eric Evergood, and is presumed to have been the youngest son of king Sweyn II Estridson. Niels actively supported the canonization of Canute IV the Holy, and his secular rule was supported by the clergy...
; through her second marriage, she was the mother of King Magnus the StrongMagnus the StrongMagnus I of Sweden, son of Nicholas , later called Magnus the Strong , was a Danish duke who ruled Gothenland in southern Sweden from 1125 to 1130...
of Västergötland and claimant of Denmark. - Catherine, married a Danish "Son of King", Björn Ironside HaraldssonBjörn Ironside HaraldssonBjörn Haraldsen Ironside was a Danish prince.Bjorn was one of the 15 sons of prince Harald Kesja. Björn married princess Katarina Ingesdotter of Sweden, the daughter of King Inge I of Sweden. Björn was the father of Christina Bjornsdatter, a Swedish queen.Björn was executed by orders from his...
, with whom she had a daughter Christina BjornsdatterChristina BjornsdatterChristina of Denmark ; c. 1120/25–1170), was a Swedish queen consort in the 12th century, married to king Eric IX of Sweden and mother of king Canute I of Sweden.-Biography:...
who married the future Eric IX of SwedenEric IX of SwedenEric "IX" of Sweden, , also called Eric the Lawgiver, Erik the Saint, Eric the Holy and in Sweden Sankt Erik meaning Saint Eric was a Swedish king c.1155 – 1160...
.
Sources
- Svensk Uppslagsbok, 1947 års Utgåva.(Swedish dictionary, 1947 edition)
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- Sven Rosborn : När hände vad i Nordens historia (When did what happen in the history of the Nordic countries) (1997)