Erik Valdemarsson the Elder (born 1271/1272; died 1330) was a Swedish prince and ''

riksråd Riksrådet (in Norwegian and Swedish) or Rigsrådet (in Danish or English: the Council of the Realm and the Council of the State – sometimes translated as the "Privy Council") is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ...

'' for Norway and Sweden. He was the son of King Valdemar of Sweden and Queen

Sophia of Denmark Sophia of Denmark ( Danish: ''Sofie Eriksdatter'' and Swedish: ''Sofia Eriksdotter''; 1241–1286) was Queen of Sweden as the consort of King Valdemar. Background Sophia was the eldest daughter of Eric IV of Denmark and Jutta of Saxony. She ...

. He is the progenitor of the ''Valdemarsgren'' branch of the

House of Bjälbo The House of Bjälbo, also known as the House of Folkung ( or ), was a Swedish family that produced several medieval bishops, jarls and kings of Sweden. It also provided three kings of Norway and one king of Denmark in the 14th century. Na ...

. He married Ingeborg Knutsdotter (Aspenäsätten). When his father was deposed in 1275 the three year old Erik was temporarily protected by the Norwegian earl

Alv Erlingsson Alv Erlingsson (''Alv Erlingsson den yngre'', died 1290) was a Norwegian nobleman, earl of Sarpsborg and governor of Borgarsyssel. Alv Erlingsson was born at Tanberg in Norderhov, Buskerud. Alv Erlingsson was the son of Erling Alvsson of Tanb ...

. Because he was a potential claimant to the throne he was held prisoner in the 1290s along with his father. In 1302 when there was a Swedish-Norwegian alliance and he was released from prison but he had to follow his cousin Eric Magnusson to Norway where he remained during the unrest in Sweden, he was appointed to the Norwegian government. He participated as a negotiator for

Eric VI of Denmark Eric VI Menved (1274 – 13 November 1319) was King of Denmark (1286–1319). A son of King Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg, he became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered on 22 November by unknown assailants. On account of his ...

and

Haakon V of Norway Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) (; ) was King of Norway from 1299 until 1319. Biography Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, King of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Through his mother, ...

against the Swedish dukes and Eric VI promised him Danish estates. He was mentioned as a knight and Norwegian Riksrad in 1308. When Haakon reconciled with Duke Eric Magnusson in 1310 it was agreed that he would receive estates in Sweden in compensation for the claims, but this never happened. During the union of Sweden and Norway through King

Magnus Eriksson Magnus Eriksson (April or May 1316 – 1 December 1374) was King of Sweden from 1319 to 1364, King of Norway as Magnus VII from 1319 to 1355, and ruler of Scania from 1332 to 1360. By adversaries he has been called ''Magnus Smek'' (). Medi ...

, Erik's fortunes seemed to have improved and in 1319 he married the daughter of the Drost Knut Jonsson. In the summer of 1322 he was mentioned as a Swedish Riksrad second after the Drost. He tried again during the unrest in Denmark in 1327–1328 to assert his right of inheritance, but in vain.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erik Valdemarsson the Elder Swedish princes 1270s births 1330 deaths Year of birth uncertain