Danish Monarch. He reigned as King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He was the youngest son of king Christoffer II and his queen Euphemia von Pommern. Valdemar was raised at the court of the German emperor Ludwig von Bayern 1326-1338. 1340 Valdemar was elected king according to an agreement with the Counts of Holstein. This followed a period of 8 years without a king. The country was torn apart Now a "new day dawned" after the 8 dark years. The kings nickname Atterdag means "Dawn of a new day". By means of fierce tax-collections, an insistant will to negociate, armed intervention and the sale of Estonia 1346 for the price of 19.000 marks in silver, he succeeded in rallying the different parts of the country together as a nation again. The following year the king offered his thanks to God, and went on a 6 months pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he was knighted. The Black Plague tormented the kingom 1348-1350. This reduced the population dramatically. 1361 Valdemar conquered the Hanseatic stronghold Visby on the Baltic island of Gotland. Accordingly he was styled "Lord of the Goths".He was married to Helvig og Schleswig, a sister of the puppet-king Valdemar III. The couple had 6 children, but left no male heir. Their daughter Margrethe I of Denmark-Norway-Sweden had married the king of Norway, Haakon VI, and their son Oluf III succeeded his grandfather in 1375 with queen Margrethe I ruling from 1375-1412. Another daughter was Ingeborg. She had married Heinrich, Duke of Mecklenburg. Their grandson was chosen as king of the Union of the kingdoms Denmark, Norway and Sweden 1397. He ruled under the Name Erik VII of Pommern.
Danish Monarch. He reigned as King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He was the youngest son of king Christoffer II and his queen Euphemia von Pommern. Valdemar was raised at the court of the German emperor Ludwig von Bayern 1326-1338. 1340 Valdemar was elected king according to an agreement with the Counts of Holstein. This followed a period of 8 years without a king. The country was torn apart Now a "new day dawned" after the 8 dark years. The kings nickname Atterdag means "Dawn of a new day". By means of fierce tax-collections, an insistant will to negociate, armed intervention and the sale of Estonia 1346 for the price of 19.000 marks in silver, he succeeded in rallying the different parts of the country together as a nation again. The following year the king offered his thanks to God, and went on a 6 months pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he was knighted. The Black Plague tormented the kingom 1348-1350. This reduced the population dramatically. 1361 Valdemar conquered the Hanseatic stronghold Visby on the Baltic island of Gotland. Accordingly he was styled "Lord of the Goths".He was married to Helvig og Schleswig, a sister of the puppet-king Valdemar III. The couple had 6 children, but left no male heir. Their daughter Margrethe I of Denmark-Norway-Sweden had married the king of Norway, Haakon VI, and their son Oluf III succeeded his grandfather in 1375 with queen Margrethe I ruling from 1375-1412. Another daughter was Ingeborg. She had married Heinrich, Duke of Mecklenburg. Their grandson was chosen as king of the Union of the kingdoms Denmark, Norway and Sweden 1397. He ruled under the Name Erik VII of Pommern.
Bio by: Benny Chordt Hansen
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