sign in sign up
<<
Home , Archbishop of Uppsala, Birger Jarl, Danish Realm, Denmark, ERIC, Eric of Pomerania

S P E C I A L I Z E D A G E N C I E S TOWARDS THE UNION

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the 31st Annual American Model 2016 at the of Toronto! On behalf of all of the staff at NAMUN, we welcome you to the Specialized Agency branch of the conference. I, and the rest of the committee staff are thrilled to have you be a delegate in during the High , taking on this challenging yet fascinating topic on the futures of the three Scandinavian Kingdoms in a time of despair, poverty, dependence and competitiveness. This will truly be a new committee experience, as you must really delve into the of these Kingdoms and figure out how to cooperate with each other without sending everyone into their demise.

To begin, in the Towards the Specialized Agency, delegates will represent influential characters from , and , which include prominent knights, monarchs, nobles, and important religious figures who dominate the political, and economic scenes of their respective Kingdoms. The impending issues that will be discussed at the meeting in Kalmar, Sweden include the future of the Danish and Norwegian crowns after the death of the sole heir to the thrones, Olaf II. Here, two distant relatives to Valdemar IV have a claim to the throne and delegates will need to decide who will succeed to the throne.

The second of business is to discuss the growing German presence in Sweden, especially in economic cities. The , many of which are brought in by Albert of , are generally seen as a threat to the Swedish people and . Hopefully, a peaceful compromise will be the best option between the Swedish Council of the Realm and King Albert and his son.

Thirdly, the idea of a coalition has been raised by the Danish in which all three Kingdoms, can act in the same manor concerning foreign and domestic policies, an idea that can single-handedly strengthen the Scandinavian Kingdoms’ power and presence in a crowded . Finally, the question of the powerful will also be in throughout the committee and its devastating influence on the economies of the and where their true alignment and prospects lie.

This is the first Council meeting of its kind to involve the most prominent officials from all three Kingdoms, and is sure to be a time of great opportunity.

Below you will find a Background Guide with more information on the committee, the parties involved and other essential information to help you familiarize yourself with this specialized agency. I very strongly suggest that you look additional information on your own time, not only from online sources, which are very limited, but also in libraries where one can find an abundance of physical resources.

With that, I and the committee staff welcome you to NAMUN 2016 and we look forward to meeting you all and working with you to give you a true NAMUN experience.

Nickolas Shyshkin

2

History of the Committee

Each of the Scandinavian Kingdoms of Norway, Denmark and Sweden have a Council of the Realm, also known as a or Riksråd, which consists mostly of nobles, bishops and powerful of . These councils worked closely and alongside the of the Kingdom on important decisions that would in each Kingdom’s survival including the rights of peasants, and domestic and foreign policy. These councils were not only made to work with the Monarch to control the , but also provided a check on the Monarch’s power.

A monarch is usually selected through the royal line of succession, although when there is no one else to fulfill the position, the Council of the Realm will vote on an appropriate candidate, one who is usually recommended by the current monarch. The monarch by law, is always a male: a female can only rule as for a successor to the throne who is underage or not ready.

The Church is a very important aspect in the Scandinavian society, so much so that is almost runs like a state-like authority in parallel with the and contributes greatly to each Kingdom’s society. The Church is very rich due to the collection of church taxes amongst the people and owns a great deal of land, as much as almost half of Denmark. Many bishops even act as political advisers and counsellors, thus explaining the position of many bishops in the Privy Councils. These bishops act as an inspiration to the peasantry through the word of God and inform them of the Kingdom’s decisions and policies.

In addition, in the committees, the conversation on is frequently discussed, especially between the magnates, as Sweden, Denmark and Norway are all located in very strategic locations in on the Baltic . The German Hanseatic League has progressively gained greater control of the trading industry in Northern Europe, so much that it practically controls all trade in Sweden, and has infiltrated Denmark and Norway through the use of blockades to gain access into the markets. The growing Hansa presence is something that threatens each Kingdom and its ability to control its imports, exports, and their own .

The committee that has been called in Kalmar, Sweden is a mix of bishops, monarchs and nobles from the three Scandinavian kingdoms. The most influential members of the Privy Councils from the different kingdoms are invited to Kalmar to discuss who will be the future heir to the Norwegian and Danish throne and how the three Kingdoms can collectively work together in order to be the true powerhouse of Europe. Discussions will also include tactics and

3

policies to counteract the Hanseatic League and their exploitation of the Trade and the impact on the economies of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Denmark hopes that all three can put the northern Germans back in their place through these discussions and cooperation. The move to elect a new King in Denmark will have to be a careful one as Sweden and Denmark are elective , where the heir must obtain the permission of the Council in order to rule the kingdom.

Monarch and

The three Scandinavian Kingdoms consist of what is known as the monarch, who is the King or Queen and also known as a sovereign or ruler, and then the nobility, an aristocrat who have a great deal of power and own large portions of land. The Monarch controls the Kingdom and takes charge of domestic and foreign affairs. He is an elected monarch in Denmark and Sweden, but is a hereditary monarch in Norway. Nobles can either have blood relations to the Monarch or be a person of high birth who has been given certain privileges, including rights over the peasantry. The nobility has great say in the Kingdom’s matters and a few nobles are found on the Privy Councils along with other influential persons of the Kingdom. The balance of power between the nobles and the Monarch is always in question.

History of Denmark

Sweyn II Estriden ruled Denmark from 1047-1074 as the King of Denmark during its transition into a feudal Christian society from a Norse religious one.1 Most of the decisions in the new Denmark were in the hands of local assemblies which were organized and consisted of freemen, who would legislate on many conflicts and issues as well. In 1147, Valdemar the Great was acknowledged as the monarch and eventually his son, Valdemar the Victorious, took control in 1202 and extended the Danish influence all across the Baltic by conquering large portions of northern including , Mecklenburg, Vanden, and Ditmarsken between 1185 and 1227 and northern from 1219 until 1346.2 After the defeat of Valdemar II by I of in 1227, many of the German footholds were surrendered by Denmark, a huge setback to the foreign policy of the Kingdom. A struggle for

1 “Scandinavian kingdoms: 9th-,” historyworld.net, accessed October 9, 2015, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=557&HistoryID=aa59>rack=pth c. 2 Peter Ravn Rasmussen, “A brief : Part 2 (800-1536),” scholiast.org, last updated August 18, 2005, http://scholiast.org/history/denmark/danhist2.html.

4

power ensued where King Erik IV and King Erik V were both murdered in 1250 and 1286 respectively and replaced by Erik VI3. Erik the V formally implemented a that limited the power of the King, in which he recognizde the power of the Danish lords in exchange for their support of the monarchy. The King was thus barred from imprisoning nobles and lords on pure suspicion and the charter called for an annual meeting of the hof4. The meetings resulted in the creation of the haandfaestning, which was viewed as Denmark’s first . The constitution proved to be “a feudal, not a democratic one” and took away all power from the peasants.5 In addition, the kingdom driven into deep debt after a later king’s mismanagement.

In 1340, Valdemar IV established power, married the sister of the of South , and focused on the reunification of Denmark and getting the kingdom out of debt.6 The King sold Estonia in 1346, reclaimed of Denmark through either negotiations or use of force and conquered the Swedish Skåne and of in 1360 and 1361 respectively.7 Moreover, the King collected extra taxes and replaced the haandfaestning with the Risgråd, or Council of the Realm, a national council of the , bishops, magnates and the nobility that quelled many revolts and protests by the public. After the pandemic in 1350, the King also confiscated estates that were no longer owned and reorganized the . With the conquest of the Swedish Gotland, the Hanseatic League, an organization of north German trading that had great influence over Gotland, declared war on Denmark. Moreover, Sweden was not pleased with the invasion of their land by one of their fellow Scandinavian allies. The Hansa attacked Valdemar in 1367 and to prevent further problems, the King travelled to Germany to find allies that could support him and obtain a treaty between the Danish and the Hansa. A peace treaty was signed in 1370 in the Pomeranian city of , and Denmark agreed to pawn parts of Skåne and Gotland to The Hanseatic League and give them access to trading rights within the wealthy Denmark.8 This granted a virtual monopoly of trade. Valdemar IV continued leading the Kingdom until his death in 1375.

3 “Denmark”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated August 18, 2015, http://www.britannica.com/place/Denmark. 4 “Denmark,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated August 18, 2015, http://www.britannica.com/place/Denmark. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid. 7 Peter Ravn Rasmussen, “A brief history of Denmark : Part 2 (800-1536),” scholiast.org, last updated August 18, 2005, http://scholiast.org/history/denmark/danhist2.html. 8 John Danstrup, A History of Denmark (: Wivel, 1949), 37.

5

Valdemar’s only children were , who married Henry III, Duke of Mecklenburg and later died, as well as Margaret I, who had married Haakon VI of Norway, who also happened to be the King of Sweden from 1362 to 1364. Haakon died in 1380 and was survived by his and Margaret’s only son, Olaf II. With the death of Valdemar IV and Haakon VI, Olaf was chosen as king of Denmark in 1376 and then chosen as King of Norway in 13809. Not only was Norway brought under the Danish , but so was , and the Faroe . Since Olaf was still underage, Margaret ruled as guardian and regent and promoted a policy of peace abroad and the strengthening of the monarch in Denmark.10 Margaret also pushed for Olaf’s claim to the Swedish throne as he was last in the male line of Swedish .11 But before the Swedish could respond, Olaf died unexpectedly at the age of 16 in 1387. The is now at a standstill and Margaret must focus on finding a new king for Denmark, Norway and potentially Sweden and on uniting all three kingdoms under one monarch. Margaret will confront the Council of the Realm and the nobility in the hopes of having another relative become the new King and succeed Olaf III. Margaret has her eyes set on a young child who has claims to the Danish throne: of Pomerania. is the only surviving child of Valdemar VI’s granddaughter, Maria of Mecklenburg, who was the daughter of Ingeborg of Denmark.12 This is Denmark’s only true hope as a successful claim by Eric I of Mecklenburg would be a devastating blow for the Danish and would to the continuation of a German controlled Sweden.

The nobility is relying on Margaret I to find a suitable King in place of Olaf, one who would best represent the Danish foreign and domestic policy and be a true leader that can make Denmark great once more. For the most part, the nobility believes in and trusts Margaret and her decisions regarding the succession to the Danish throne. This being said, the nobility still has a great deal of power over Margaret I as she is technically not a queen or regent any longer. The most important member of the nobility is Henning Podebusk, a counsellor to Margaret I who has a strong working relationship with the royal woman, and a man who plays the important role as the of Danish royal interests.13

9 Palle Lauring, A History of the Kingdom of Denmark, trans. David Hohnen (Copenhagen: Høst, 1960), 107-108. 10 Vivian Etting, Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union (Leiden: Brill, 2004), 39-53. 11 John Danstrup, A History of Denmark (Copenhagen: Wivel, 1949), 38-39. 12 Vivian Etting, Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union (Leiden: Brill, 2004), 58. 13 Ibid., 22.

6

Denmark currently remains the most powerful of the three Scandinavian Kingdoms, with almost complete control over Norway due to its lack of central government and independent monarchy. Sweden remains weak and left with the powerless King who has plans to reassert himself and bring back his royal powers. Margaret ruled on behalf of Olaf II very effectively14 (as he was still too young) and thus has strong leverage over who the next King will be.

History of Norway

As the Age came to a close, descendants of the Viking chief Harald I Fairfair, who announced himself as the King of , were recognized as the legitimate royal family. Harald III’s son Olaf III (not to be confused with Olaf III of Denmark), reigned together with his brother Magnus II as it was common for two or more king to rule, until Magnus died in 1069. Olaf died in 1093 and ruled Norway peacefully without starting any conflicts.15 After a between the monarch and the members and supporters of the church had ended in 1217, the “Golden Age” of Norway began.16 The Royal Council and the ’s Office were created and a law was passed that established the indivisibility of the Kingdom, which gives the king the ability to take over legislative functions and gives hereditary right of the King’s eldest legitimate son to the throne.17 King Haakon IV stabilized the northern regions of the Kingdom through a treaty signed with while “Greenland and Iceland agreed to voluntary personal unions” with the Norwegian monarch in 1261 and 1262, a deal which also included the and the Scottish Isles.18 With the growing presence of German merchants, Norway attempted to limit the rights of the Hanseatic League in The Kingdom, although the Hanse cities in protested through a blockade that succeeded in forcing Norway to give in to German demands and grant free commercial access to the country.19

14 “Scandinavian kingdoms: 9th-14th century,” historyworld.net, accessed October 9, 2015, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=557&HistoryID=aa59>rack=pth c. 15 T.K Derry, A Short (: G. Allen & Unwin, 1957), 44-46. 16 “Norway”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated 26, 2015, http://www.britannica.com/place/Norway. 17 T.K Derry, A Short History of Norway (London: G. Allen & Unwin, 1957), 59. 18 “Norway”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated May 26, 2015, http://www.britannica.com/place/Norway. 19 Ibid.

7

Magnus VII Erikson, the grandson of Haakon V and the child to Duke Erik of Sweden succeeded the throne. Magnus VII was elected to the Swedish throne in 1319, thus creating a between both kingdoms until 1355. 20 As Norway’s magnates became more powerful and rich, Magnus VII was forced to recognize his younger son, Haakon VI, as King of Norway to decrease the power of the magnates and bring the nation back into the power of the royal family. The Plague then came in the midcentury and had a terrible effect on Norway, wiping out one third of the population and killed many Norwegian high civil servants and .21 Danish and Swedish servicemen filled these positions and as this happened, the central government lost control of much of Norway and local areas began to pursue and conduct their own business.22 Haakon VI married Margaret I of Denmark23, the daughter of Valdemar IV, and their son Olaf was elected as King of Denmark in 1375 and then succeeded his father as the King of Norway. Olaf II died unexpectedly in 1387 and the future of Norway is currently at a deadlock without a King and no plan of action on how to regain the same of control that the government enjoyed back during the Golden Age.

Norway is a kingdom that is outmatched by the other two Scandinavian powers in population and resources and any partnerships with them would most definitely be dominated by the interests of the Swedish or Danish. Currently, the Norwegian nobility is in a very weak state because of devastation by the Plague and the intrusion of Danish and Swedish families. Norway is at the mercy of Denmark as their now-deceased King was Danish, and although this is not the most preferred alternative for the poor Kingdom, they are content a Denmark that has proven to be a relatively benevolent overlord. Currently, there are few real plans to disassociate from the larger Kingdom.

History of Sweden

By the end of the in the 11th century, Sweden consisted of a loose of many provinces. Many local leaders of the provinces would often claim to be the rulers of Sweden, although this was never the case and such chiefs would only have power over their own

20 T.K Derry, A Short History of Norway (London: G. Allen & Unwin, 1957), 69. 21 Ibid, 70-71. 22 “Norway”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated May 26, 2015, http://www.britannica.com/place/Norway. 23 “Scandinavian kingdoms: 9th-14th century,” historyworld.net, accessed October 9, 2015, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=557&HistoryID=aa59>rack=pth c.

8

provincial strongholds.24 First evidence of Sweden being referred to as united was in a papal in 1164.25 By this time, Knut would establish a fortress in , making it the capital, create the new and work closely with the Church. The families of Knut sought the Church’s aid, because of its influence, in the nearly constant struggle for power at this time, before finally in 1210, Erik Knutsson, the son of Erik Knut, was crowned King. In the , , a prominent , would organize expeditions abroad and handled military affairs in the east of the Kingdom.26 Birger was able to cement central power through royal acts all across Sweden. Such acts included increased protection for women, the church, and the courts.27 The growth of Stockholm was promoted through a treaty with the Hanseatic city of Lübeck, where merchants from that received shipping privileges in the Scandinavian Kingdom. In 1275, Birger’s son was overthrown by his brother Magnus I with the aid of the Danish army.

Magnus died in 1290 and was succeeded by his underage son Birger, although after a lengthy and bloody struggle between the regent, the Marshall of Sweden, and Birger and his brothers28, a new king was elected by the Council of the Realm and chose Magnus VII Erikson, the son of Haakon V of Norway’s daughter and son of Duke Erik of Sweden. With orders from the magnates, the King was not allowed to raise taxes without approval from the provincial assemblies and the Swedish Council of the Realm.29 In 1355, Magnus gave German merchants even more privileges than before. But Magnus was having trouble gaining the support of the nobility, so he turned to Valdemar IV of Denmark for help, and in 1359, Magnus’ son Haakon VI of Norway married Valdemar’s daughter, Margaret. The next year, Valdemar attacked Skåne in Sweden, and Magnus willingly gave this land to Denmark, so long Valdemar agreed to help Magnus defeat his Swedish enemies. After another year, Denmark had captured Gotland and during this time30, Haakon had married his Danish wife and reigned as King of Sweden for two years, sharing the title with Magnus.

24 “Sweden”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated February 3, 2015, http://www.britannica.com/place/Sweden. 25 Ibid. 26 Carl Palmstierna and Ragnar Svanström, A Short , trans. Joan Bulman (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934), 30. 27 Tim Lambert, “A brief history of Sweden”, localhistories.org, last revised 2015, http://www.localhistories.org/sweden.html. 28 Carl Fredrik Palmstierna and Ragnar Svanström, A Short History of Sweden, trans. Joan Bulman (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934), 35-36. 29 Ibid., 38. 30 Ibid., 38-39.

9

The enemies of Magnus, which included most of the Swedish , went to Mecklenburg in northern Germany to ask for the help of Albert of Mecklenburg in attacking Sweden and dethroning Magnus. Magnus was forced to flee from Sweden and Albert was crowned as king in 1364. 31 Under King Albert, a coalition was formed between Sweden, Holstein and Mecklenburg against Denmark and they succeeded in dethroning Valdemar IV for a short while. The was hoping that Albert would be weaker, but this proved not to be the case and he came to be seen as a threat to Sweden. The nobles eventually forced him to sign two royal ridding him of his powers as King, once in 1371, and another time in 1383. King Albert has plans to reassert himself as King of Sweden. His plans focused initially on the Swedish drost, Grip, who was attempting to write Albert out of his will and loss keep his estates out of German hands. In this, Bo Jonsson failed, and eventually, Albert took over all of his lands and forced Bo Jonsson’s widow to name King Albert as the legitimate claimant of his will and legacy.32 Understandably, these machinations did not go over well with the nobility or the peasantry and the reaction was a clear statement that he was very unpopular within the Kingdom.

King Alberts still plans to have his son, Eric I, rule not only the Swedish throne, but also take the Danish and Norwegian crowns, spurred by the of Olaf’s death. Eric I has claims to the Danish throne, as it turned out Ingeborg of Denmark was Eric I’s uncle’s wife, who was the daughter of Valdemar IV of Denmark and the sister of Margaret. Although there is no blood relation, this is still a very valid claim that can place all of Scandinavia in the hands of Germans and the Hanse, especially because Eric I is now the only living “grandson” of Valdemar.33

Although the Swedish nobility is currently not on the best terms with Denmark after Valdemar had invaded and taken over Skåne and Gotland, the nobility is deciding whether it should ask for help from Margaret I and the Danish army to depose the German king. This would help restore the monarchy as purely Scandinavian and serve the best interests of Sweden rather than Germany. The Swedish Privy Council is also in favour of finding a new king, with the exception of some German magnates. Despite Denmark conquering Swedish land, both ’ are in principle willing to cooperate, yet a large portion of the peasantry and Council are skeptical of Denmark and their end goals. Still, the Swedish nobility knows that they will likely have to align themselves with the Danish in order to take back their independence, as

31 Ibid., 39. 32 Vivian Etting, Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union (Leiden: Brill, 2004), 52. 33 Ibid., 55.

10

well as the and ore-trade away from the Hansa while maintaining the strong anti-League stance.34

The Hanseatic League

The Hanseatic League was founded as an organization of northern German towns and merchants that was designed to protect mutual trading interests abroad. The League came to dominate trade within the Baltic and developed a trading hub on the Swedish island of Gotland. In 1241, Lübeck and concluded a treaty of mutual protection, and soon other cities joined and a strong league blossomed from the main base of Lübeck, creating a common legislation for the defense of merchants and goods.35 From , Gotland, the Hansa established strong economic towns on the Baltic including , Reval, Danzig and Dorpat.36 In short, the Germans had a practical monopoly on long-distance trade in the Baltic and were a very significant mercantile power in Sweden and Norway.

The principal trade of the League consisted of copper and iron ore as well as herring. The protectionist League was very opposed to any free-market style trade within the Baltic and would frequently clash with foreign merchants. The League usually gave gifts and loans to foreign leaders to protect commercial privileges, and also threatened to withdraw trade and impose embargoes in more serious cases where political leaders would not grant full access.37 After the Danish conquered Gotland, the Hansa declared war on Denmark in the and Valdemar IV was forced to give in to the league’s economic control in the Baltic and to most parts of Denmark in 1368. After this, the Hansa were almost in full control of Visby again. As of 1387, the Germans have a very strong presence in Sweden through the Hansa and King Albert of Mecklenburg, although the Swedish nobility is focused on getting rid of these Germans and promoting a more Scandinavian monarchy and trade practice.

Stockholm is a stronghold of the Hansa and along with Visby, a main trading point around Northern Europe. Pirates, some of which are suspected of being closely tied to the Danish throne, have continually attacked the Hansa. The tensions between Denmark and the

34 John Danstrup, A History of Denmark (Copenhagen: Wivel, 1949), 38. 35 P. Dollinger, “Hanseatic League”, infoplease.com, updated October, 2015, http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/hanseatic-league.html. 36 “Hanseatic League”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, last updated November 27, 2014, http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanseatic-League. 37 Ibid.

11

Hansa have been high. In light of the League’s success, Henning Podebusk has sabotaged the profits and chances of the League in many ways by taking goods, placing extra taxes and not helping merchants that were in trouble at sea.38

Military Information and Situation

In the , warfare was commonplace, although it was very small scale and usually took place between the Kingdoms and the Hanseatic League. These wars were an extra expense and poorly funded by the royal finances. In the individual Kingdoms were outmatched by northern German power an resources. An example of this is the naval power of the Kingdoms, where “Hanseatic wealth and naval power rendered the old Scandinavian naval levies obsolete.”39 This was mainly due to the unimpressive shipbuilding capacities of the poor and rural towns that were no match to the contemporary shipbuilding facilities in the northern German towns where the Hansa had their bases.40 Inter-Kingdom warfare was also prominent: even after the debilitating Plague, Sweden went to war with Denmark and annexed Skåne in 1356, which prompted a retaliating Denmark to take back Skåne in 1360 and an additional attack on Gotland in 1361.41 Denmark later found itself in more trouble after the Hanseatic League declared war on the kingdom over control in the straits of Denmark from 1368-1370, which the Danish lost and had were forced to lease Skåne to the Hansa for 15 years, a major economic drawback. The Danish control the , or what was left of it, and both forces are used in tandem if needed. Together they still make a powerful and plentiful army. Sweden, with lack of support from its own people has a smaller and weaker army, but can call on the aid of northern Germans and even the Hanseatic League in the case of a large-scale conflict.

Delegates of Denmark

38 Ibid., 28. 39 Clifford J. Rogers, The Oxford encyclopedia of and military technology, (New City: , 2010), 233. 40 Ibid. 41 Ibid.

12

Margaret I Former Regent of Denmark Margaret I is the surviving child of Valdemar IV of Denmark, and the widow of Haakon VI of Norway. When her son Olaf III was still alive, Margaret ruled Denmark and Norway in his name as regent and had plans for him to succeed the throne of Sweden since her husband had been King of Sweden between 1362 and 1364. This gave Olaf III the eligibility to succeed the throne. Margaret is a woman of great influence and power who is highly respected in the Danish Privy Danish Council, so much that the most important member, councilor Henning Podebusk, is very fond of her and is willing to help Margaret in almost any way. One of Margaret’s many goals was to have her son take of all three Kingdoms, although his sudden death has paused this project and has placed Denmark in an awkward position. The Council must now elect a new King to succeed Olaf III, as there is no one else in the family next in the line of succession except for Margaret. Either way, Margaret plans to re-establish herself through her great leverage as the Regent of Denmark by pushing her distant great-nephew, Erik of Pomerania, to the throne.

Peder Jensen Lodehat Bishop of , Councillor Margaret was keen on creating a good relationship with the church and effectively did so, as evidence by the loyalty of Peder Lodehat. Aside from Henning Podebusk, Peder Jensen Lodehat, the Bishop of Aarhus, is Margaret’s closest adviser and promoted cooperation between the Kingdom and the Church, which would extend over to the peasantry. As a trusted adviser, Lodehat took the position of the first chancellor, who dispatches official documents from the sovereign and became responsible for the royal seals, a great honour.42 He is a main artery when it comes to state negotiations and council meetings. As the Church owned large portions of land and was very rich from obtaining the yearly church (church ), Lodehat was able to use these large funds to finance the policies of the Kingdom, particularly those supported by Margaret.

Kort Moltke Danish Noble, Councillor Kurt Moltke is a very successful and powerful magnate who is on the Danish Council of the Realm and has been invited by Margaret I due to his vast resources and highly

42 Vivian Etting, Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union (Leiden: Brill, 2004), 18, 23.

13

appreciated advice. Moltke has aided Margaret in quelling down the Hanseatic League and their pleas for protection in the Baltic. It is also suspected that Moltke has great influence over pirates in the Sea43, which may be one reason for his enormous wealth. Despite their past cooperation, Moltke is not always the strongest support of Margaret, and may break with her on some issues. Surprisingly, he is not wholly in favour of the economic war against Hanseatic League, which in turn has resulted in reduced Danish trade and a tarnished Danish reputation in Germany.

Henning Podebusk Danish Drost, Danish Noble Henning Podebusk is the drost of Denmark - a substitute for the Monarch and a supreme state official. He is a very prominent member and councilor of the Danish Riksråd and was an important ally of Valdemar IV. Podebusk, a high noble, was set on ending the war between the Hanseatic League and Denmark by achieving the Treaty of Stralsund in Germany, a peace treaty that ended the war between the league and Denmark and regrettably gave the Hansa more trading access throughout Denmark and the Danish conquered Gotland. After the death of Valdemar, it is Podebusk who had Olaf III, Margaret’s son, ascend the throne when he was five years old despite the opposition from the and some Danish magnates. Nevertheless, Olaf III succeeded his grandfather and Podebusk has helped Margaret in countless other ways as he believes that she is the best candidate to govern Denmark.44

Niels Svarteskåning Danish Noble, Knight, Councillor Niels Svarteskåning is a high-ranking knight and also a close adviser to the ruler of the throne. He keeps the King updated on military advancements, territorial changes and the trade in the Baltic Sea. Svarteskåning is also suspected of being a pirate, one of those responsible for the recent attacks against Hanseatic trade routes.45 The fact that the Hansa are the dominant players within the Baltic trade annoys the nobility of the three Scandinavian Kingdoms, especially the Danish. Separate from this, Svarteskåning runs a very successful and organized group of knights, reputed to be very useful and resourceful, which he has placed at the disposal of the Monarch.

43 Ibid., 31. 44 Vivian Etting, Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union (Leiden: Brill, 2004), 57. 45 Ibid., 32.

14

Jorgen Podebusk Danish Noble, Son of Henning Podebusk Jorgen Podebusk is the young degenerate son of Henning Podebusk, the most prominent ally of Margaret I. Although he is the son of the elder Podebusk, he is not particularly interested or mindful of the relations between the other Scandinavian Kingdoms. Generally, the young Podebusk cares mostly for himself and is only at the meeting because he is a prominent member of the nobility. Despite his selfishness, Jorgen is experienced for his age of 19 as he has accompanied his father on many trips abroad and within the Kingdom. Podebusk has always wanted to be on the throne since he was a small child, but had not actively voiced any opposition to Olaf or Margaret’s rule. With the chaos surrounding Olaf’s death, however, he finds himself with a better and better opportunity to gain strength and influence in Denmark, perhaps even win the crown.

Delegates of Norway

Theodor Aasen Norwegian Noble, Councillor Aasen is a Norwegian noble that is completely against the Danish takeover of Norway and sees this as a complete insult to Norway’s sovereignty and respect. Aasen repeatedly tried to persuade the Norwegian nobles and populace to rise up against Haakon, but he did not succeed before that King’s death. His anger intensified when Margaret simply claimed the throne for Olaf. Since Olaf has also died, Aasen is again taking this chance to voice his opposition of a Danish monarch on the Norwegian throne as he sees the two Kingdoms as very different. *Note: Research Erik Gjems-Onstad as a similar nationalistic character.

Mathias Årdal Norwegian Noble, Councillor Årdal is one of the very few remaining Norwegian magnates on the Council. He is content with Denmark’s control of Norway, especially since Norway’s population and economy is in the worst situation since centuries. He mainly sees the Danish reign as a period in which Norway can reconstruct itself and be watched over by the same ruler while not risking getting attacked or electing an unsuitable monarch. Årdal hopes to create close ties with the Danish monarchy and Council. He is strictly against the Hanseatic League’s monopoly on the Baltic Sea trade as he is a shipping magnate who

15

depends on revenue from sea trade. *Note: Research Hilmar August Reksten as a similar character in terms of position.

Philip Krogh Danish Magnate, Councillor

Philip Krogh is a Danish Magnate who has recently moved onto the Norwegian Privy Council following the takeover of Norway by Denmark. Krogh is very wealthy and focuses on the fishing industry around Norway, and although he is not a Norwegian noble, he is the richest man in the entirety of the Norwegian Kingdom aside from the monarch; this grants him a great amount of respect around the Kingdoms and puts him on par with the most prominent Scandinavian magnates. *Note: Research John Fredriksen as a similar character.

Herman Myrvang Bishop, Councillor Herman Myrvang is one of the very few surviving bishops in Oslo that did not pass away from the Plague. Myrvang believes that the Hanseatic League is not a major problem for Norway and the Baltic region; in fact, he believes that the Germans are doing a lot of good for the people of Norway by providing goods at decent prices, and allowing businesses to grow. Myrvang is nervous for what the Danish will do to the Hanseatic League and what their plans are for Norway. He fears that all Norway’s in services and essential transportation of goods will be stomped out by its rich counterpart and leave the Norwegian citizens worse off than before. Note: Research Hoskuld Koskuldsson, Bishop of as a similar character in terms of position. Jon Hallvardson Smør , Knight, Councillor Jon Hallvardson is part of the Norwegian Council of the Realm and a successful knight and ombudsman. He is in charge of representing the interests of the public through the investigation of compliments and complaints that are aimed toward both administrative processes or the violation of rights. He is well-known as a voice of the people and sees Norway as a poor country in need of safety and security.

Thorvald Backe Norwegian Merchant Thorvald Backe is one of the few remaining successful merchants in Norway. He does not have a

16

significant political opinion and remains neutral as to who becomes King and rules over Norway. However, he is very concerned with the Hanseatic League and their practical monopoly and wide success in the Baltic market. Backe is not in favour of the policy of a monopoly, he is instead open to competition so that other merchants and workers can make profit and continue operating. Backe is known throughout the Baltics as a key merchant who is generally on good terms with both of the Scandinavian and German merchants, councils and populations. As he is against German monopoly in Norway, he believes that a solution can be found regardless of who takes the throne of the Kingdom and is confident that a fair solution can be found.

Delegates of Sweden

Albert of Mecklenburg King of Sweden King Magnus of Sweden became increasingly unpopular among the peasantry and the nobility of Sweden, so much so that after the nobles began a revolt against Magnus, he banished them from Sweden. This forced the nobility to resort to visiting Albert of Mecklenburg and asking for his help in dethroning Magnus, in exchange for crowning Albert as King. Albert accepted the plea, and along with many German and , and the support of several Hanseatic cities in northern Germany, as well as most of the Hanse populations of Stockholm and Kalmar, he invaded Sweden and deposed Magnus in 1364. Albert was officially crowned and following this, 8 years of civil war between Albert’s supporters and Magnus’ forces occurred. Albert became increasingly unpopular in parts outside of Stockholm, as the greater Swedish population became upset with the appointment of Germans as officials of Swedish province. He became so unpopular that Magnus’ supporters, the Danish and Norwegians declared war on King Albert. King Albert and his forces ultimately won the war and he ruled for an additional 19 years. However, throughout his extended reign he was never able to retain the support of the nobles because he attempted to reduce the Swedish nobility’s large estates. Eventually, the Swedish nobility forced him to sign two Royal Charters stripping him of his power. At the moment, Albert of Mecklenburg hopes to regain full power as King of Sweden and has his eyes set on a separate powerful Sweden as the ultimate power in the Baltic ruled by him, and eventually his son.

Eric I Duke of Mecklenburg

17

Erik I is the son of King Albert of Mecklenburg. Erik I is next in line to take King Albert’s on the Swedish throne. Not only this, but Eric I’s aunt in-law’s father is Valdemar IV of Denmark, the mother of Margaret, making him a legitimate claimant to the Danish crown. With the news of Olaf II’s death, Eric I seems to be the next best clear candidate for the throne as Margaret has no further children, and he is the only remaining grandchild of Valdemar IV. With the Danish crown comes the Norwegian crown, and with that Erik I could eventually rule all three Kingdoms under one German crown. Erik’s father is a strong supporter of his son’s possible ascension to the Danish and Norwegian thrones and will not be afraid to use his son to his advantage in quelling the Swedish nobility and collecting the thrones with ease.

Henrik Karlsson Archbishop of , Councillor Henrik Karlsson is the . He is a man of the church and thus has very close connections with the Swedish people, who in his experience are deeply opposed to the current German government. Karlsson is wealthy, a clever economist and deeply cares for the Swedish people. He is keen on getting rid of the Hanse problem and voicing the desire of the Swedish to live in their own sovereign Kingdom controlled by a king they can trust. Karlsson believes that the Germans must leave, but he does not want a Danish monarch to rule Sweden and does not want Sweden to be a puppet of the .

Jöns Bengtsson Swedish Noble, Knight, Councillor Jöns Bengtsson is one of the most active nobles in Sweden. He is actively against German influence in the Kingdom and is determined to find a replacement for Albert of Mecklenburg who is not a German and is at least Scandinavian in beliefs and culture. He is willing to obtain help from the Danish in getting rid of Albert and would do go to great lengths in order to protect the Kingdom from the growing German presence in Stockholm and the growing monopolistic presence of the Hanseatic League. Jöns Bengtsson is a leading knight within the Kingdom and has vast experience on the battlefield and protecting the Swedish population from German abuse. He hopes that with a new King, Sweden will find itself back on track and will not only get rid of the so- called German problem, but also prosper economically and regain a close allied connection with Sweden and Norway.

Erengisle Sunesson

18

Swedish Noble, of , Knight, Councillor Erengisle Sunesson is a very important Swedish magnate and was initially one of the magnates that helped in bringing down Magnus VII and crowning Albert of Mecklenburg as King of Sweden. Sunesson’s connections expand into Norway, so much that his business there had earned him the title “.”46 He is also a high councilor on the Council of the Realm in Sweden and a knight. Sunesson is extremely wealthy and possesses land and resources in many of Sweden’s provinces. He is powerful, so much so that his attendance at the Council Meeting in Kalmar is necessary but a risky move on Margaret’s part.

Ole Kranz German Magnate

Ole Krantz is a rich German magnate who works and resides in Sweden. Kranz makes his profits from the Baltic Sea trade industry as well as internal trade transportation within Sweden. He is one of the many men that arrived from Germany to Sweden to take advantage of the rich opportunities upon learning of Albert’s coronation as King and has since grown his business into a large oligopolistic empire that operates out of Gotland and Stockholm. He is part of the “Hanseatic problem” and sees Denmark as a threat to his fortune and domain. Kranz wants to keep the lands as pro-Hanse so that he can successfully continue his operations without much interference.

46 Randi Bjøorshol Wærdahl, The and Integration of the King’s Tributary Lands into the Norwegian Realm c. 1195-1397 (Leiden: Brill, 2011), 231.

19

Map of Scandinavia circa 138747

47 “Baltics Map - 1380-1560”, globalhistories.org, last accessed October 15, 2015, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/baltic-sea-maps-history.htm.

20

Danish House of Estridsen Family Tree

Further Research

When researching further information on the circumstances of each Kingdom, the Hanseatic League, particular details and statistics, which is highly recommended, note that you will probably have trouble finding any information from the 14th century online, with the exception of the sources that are provided in the bibliography. We recommend visiting your school library on campus or library system and researching further relevant information on the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish Kingdoms from there.

21

Bibliography

“Baltics Map - 1380-1560.” globalsecutity.org. Last accessed October 15, 2015. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/baltic-sea-maps-history.htm.

Bjørshol Wærdahl, Randi. The Incorporation and Integration of the King’s Tributary Lands into the Norwegian Realm c. 1195-1397. Leiden: Brill, 2011.

Danstrup, John. A History of Denmark. Copenhagen: Wivel, 1949.

“Denmark.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Last updated August 18, 2015. http://www.britannica.com/place/Denmark.

Derry, T.K. A Short History of Norway. London: G. Allen & Unwin, 1957.

Etting, Vivian. Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the founding of the Nordic Union. Leiden: Brill, 2004.

“Hanseatic League.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Last updated November 27, 2014. http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanseatic-League.

Lambert, Tim. “A brief history of Sweden.” localhistories.org. Last revised 2015. http://www.localhistories.org/sweden.html.

Lauring, Palle. A History of the Kingdom of Denmark. Translated by David Hohnen. Copenhagen: Høst, 1960.

“Norway.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Last updated May 26, 2015. http://www.britannica.com/place/Norway.

Palmstierna, Carl Frederik and Svanstrøm, Ragnar. A Short History of Sweden. Translated by Joan Bulman. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934.

Ravn Rasmussen, Peter. “A brief history of Denmark : Part 2 (800-1536)”. scholiast.org. Last updated August 18, 2005. http://scholiast.org/history/denmark/danhist2.html.

Rogers, Clifford J.. The Oxford encyclopedia of medieval warfare and military technology. City: Oxford University Press, 2010.

22

“Scandinavian kingdoms: 9th-14th century.” historyworld.net. Accessed October 9, 2015. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=557&HistoryID=aa59> rack=pthc.

“Sweden.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Last updated February 3, 2015. http://www.britannica.com/place/Sweden.

Tim Lambert, “A brief history of Sweden”, localhistories.org, last revised 2015, http://www.localhistories.org/sweden.html.

23