Håtuna games
Encyclopedia
The Håtuna games were a 1306 conflict between king Birger Magnusson and his two brothers, the dukes Eric and Valdemar.
) now had a guardian
, marshal
Torgils Knutsson. In 1304 the dukes signed a document that forbade them from conducting their own foreign policy
and kept them out of the royal court
unless they had specifically been summoned. The bitterness over this agreement was probably the cause of the Håtuna games.
When marshal Torgils Knutsson returned from the third and last crusade
in Finland
in 1293 a feud
had developed between the brothers, with the marshal supporting King Birger. Duke Eric, as a leader of men and politician possibly better king material than Birger, tried to establish an independent kingdom around Bohuslän
, which he had received as part of his marriage to the Norwegian princess Ingeborg, and Halland
at the boundary between Sweden, Norway
and Denmark
. A civil war
broke out, but by 1306 emotions had cooled to the point where the dukes acknowledged the son of Birger, Magnus Birgersson, as the successor to the throne.
The marshal Torgils Knutsson was captured in 1305 by the dukes and was executed in 1306 in Stockholm
by decapitation
.
, and Birger received them as guests at a party that derailed towards in the middle of the night. Birger and his wife were captured by the dukes, and were imprisoned in the dungeon
in Nyköping Castle
. King Birger's son Magnus Birgersson was rescued by a courtier and sent to Denmark where he was taken up by king Eric VI
.
attacked Sweden, harassing Västergötland
. Duke Eric's brother Valdemar wreaked revenge by plundering Skåne with a force of German mercenaries
. The Norwegian king allied himself with the Danish king; this forced a settlement that allowed Birger to leave Nyköping Castle after two years' imprisonment.
During 10 years the brothers keep the peace with only smaller skirmishes. In 1317-1318 the Håtuna games had their final resolution at the gruesome Nyköping Banquet
and subsequent events.
Background
When Magnus Ladulås died in 1290 his son Birger Magnusson was only 10 years. He had already been elected as successor as a four year old, and he (and the kingdom of SwedenSweden
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....
) now had a guardian
Legal guardian
A legal guardian is a person who has the legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of another person, called a ward. Usually, a person has the status of guardian because the ward is incapable of caring for his or her own interests due to infancy, incapacity, or disability...
, marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Torgils Knutsson. In 1304 the dukes signed a document that forbade them from conducting their own foreign policy
Foreign policy
A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
and kept them out of the royal court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
unless they had specifically been summoned. The bitterness over this agreement was probably the cause of the Håtuna games.
When marshal Torgils Knutsson returned from the third and last crusade
Northern Crusades
The Northern Crusades or Baltic Crusades were crusades undertaken by the Christian kings of Denmark and Sweden, the German Livonian and Teutonic military orders, and their allies against the pagan peoples of Northern Europe around the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 1293 a feud
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
had developed between the brothers, with the marshal supporting King Birger. Duke Eric, as a leader of men and politician possibly better king material than Birger, tried to establish an independent kingdom around Bohuslän
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
, which he had received as part of his marriage to the Norwegian princess Ingeborg, and Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
at the boundary between Sweden, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. A civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
broke out, but by 1306 emotions had cooled to the point where the dukes acknowledged the son of Birger, Magnus Birgersson, as the successor to the throne.
The marshal Torgils Knutsson was captured in 1305 by the dukes and was executed in 1306 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
by decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
.
The Håtuna games
On September 29, 1306, Duke Eric and Duke Valdemar arrived at king Birger's estate Håtuna by Lake Mälaren. The came from a wedding feast in BjälboBjälbo
Bjälbo is a small village in Mjölby Municipality, Östergötland, Sweden.The medieval House of Bjelbo had a church and a manor house at Bjälbo. Today the church tower is preserved.In 1173, King Kol Sverkerson was killed in a battle at Bjälbo.-See also:...
, and Birger received them as guests at a party that derailed towards in the middle of the night. Birger and his wife were captured by the dukes, and were imprisoned in the dungeon
Dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
in Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle in Nyköping, Sweden, is a Mediaeval castle from the Birger Jarl era, partly in ruins. The castle is mostly known for the ghastly Nyköping Banquet which took place here in 1317.-Construction:...
. King Birger's son Magnus Birgersson was rescued by a courtier and sent to Denmark where he was taken up by king Eric VI
Eric VI of Denmark
Eric VI Menved was King of Denmark and a son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg.He became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered 20 November by unknown assailants...
.
Aftermath
Duke Eric took over power in Sweden. He was already sovereign in Halland and Bohuslän and, being married to princess Ingeborg, had aspiratoions to inherit the crown of Norway. But the closeness to Denmark became a threat, and King Eric VI of DenmarkEric VI of Denmark
Eric VI Menved was King of Denmark and a son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg.He became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered 20 November by unknown assailants...
attacked Sweden, harassing Västergötland
Västergötland
', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
. Duke Eric's brother Valdemar wreaked revenge by plundering Skåne with a force of German mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
. The Norwegian king allied himself with the Danish king; this forced a settlement that allowed Birger to leave Nyköping Castle after two years' imprisonment.
During 10 years the brothers keep the peace with only smaller skirmishes. In 1317-1318 the Håtuna games had their final resolution at the gruesome Nyköping Banquet
Nyköping Banquet
The Nyköping banquet was king Birger of Sweden's Christmas celebration December 11, 1317 at the Nyköping Castle in Sweden...
and subsequent events.