King of Sweden. He was the son of Erican Dynasty founder Eric (IX) the Holy and skillfully promoted the saintly cult aglow around the name of his father. His campaigns against Sweartgar's sons, in the opposing dynasty, were supported by Norway, and he took over the throne after managing to have Carl I killed in 1167. Canute then reigned for almost 30 years. In the beginning he had to secure his reign by also getting rid of Carl's surviving half-brothers, Coal and Boleslaw, who seem to have reigned as kings of at least portions of the country for a year or so each. There were controversies with the Archbishop, who preferred the Sweartgarians, and also because Canute I supported the Emperor against the Pope in the ongoing European strife between them. This King entered into Sweden's first known trade agreement, which was with the German port of Lübeck. In the 1180's, it is believed that he founded the kingdom's present capital of Stockholm, of which his father's face has become a crest symbol, by building a fortified tower on the central island where the Royal Palace now stands. In 1187, old Sigtuna town was burned and the Archbishop assassinated by pagan invaders from across the Baltic. Canute's Earl of the Realm was the powerful Birger the Smiler (Brosa), who had married a widowed queen, Bridget. The name of Canute's own queen is not known for certain, but a theory is that it was Cecilia, in which case she probably was a granddaughter of Sweartgar I who founded the other dynasty. Canute I's death at Ericsberg near Herrljunga in Westrogothland was unusual for the period, in that he died in bed of natural causes.
King of Sweden. He was the son of Erican Dynasty founder Eric (IX) the Holy and skillfully promoted the saintly cult aglow around the name of his father. His campaigns against Sweartgar's sons, in the opposing dynasty, were supported by Norway, and he took over the throne after managing to have Carl I killed in 1167. Canute then reigned for almost 30 years. In the beginning he had to secure his reign by also getting rid of Carl's surviving half-brothers, Coal and Boleslaw, who seem to have reigned as kings of at least portions of the country for a year or so each. There were controversies with the Archbishop, who preferred the Sweartgarians, and also because Canute I supported the Emperor against the Pope in the ongoing European strife between them. This King entered into Sweden's first known trade agreement, which was with the German port of Lübeck. In the 1180's, it is believed that he founded the kingdom's present capital of Stockholm, of which his father's face has become a crest symbol, by building a fortified tower on the central island where the Royal Palace now stands. In 1187, old Sigtuna town was burned and the Archbishop assassinated by pagan invaders from across the Baltic. Canute's Earl of the Realm was the powerful Birger the Smiler (Brosa), who had married a widowed queen, Bridget. The name of Canute's own queen is not known for certain, but a theory is that it was Cecilia, in which case she probably was a granddaughter of Sweartgar I who founded the other dynasty. Canute I's death at Ericsberg near Herrljunga in Westrogothland was unusual for the period, in that he died in bed of natural causes.
Bio by: Count Demitz
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