Sweyn III of Denmark

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Sven III Grathe (app. 1125 - 1157) was the king of Denmark between 1146 and 1157. He served as a co-regent with Canute V of Denmark from 1152 until 1154 and again 1157.

Sweyn was the illegitimate son of Erik II Emune and a mistress. At the abdication of Eric III in 1146 Sweyn was elected a king on Zealand but for the next years he had to fight against his rival Canute V who ruled in Jutland. Sweyn participated in the Wendish Crusade of 1147. An Imperial German intervention made Sweyn “first king” with Canute as a co-ruler but Sweyn's position was undermined by his alleged tyrant manners and pro-German behaviour. 1154 he was overthrown by a co-operation between Canute and Valdemar I of Denmark, the latter having until then been his supporter. After some years of exile Sweyn was 1157 by German military help able to force through a tripartition of the kingdom making himself the ruler of Scania.

At a banquet (the so-called Bloodfeast at Roskilde) 1157 Sweyn is said to have tried to put his two co-rulers out of the way. Canute was killed, Valdemar escaped to Jutland and on 23 October Sweyn was defeated at the Battle of Grathe Heath (hence his nickname) and was killed during his escape.

Regnal titles
Sweyn Grathe Born: c. 1125 Died: 1157
Preceded by Eric Lamb	King of Denmark 1146-1157 with Canute V & Valdemar the Great	Succeeded by Valdemar the Great

v • d • e Monarchs of Denmark

Early Danish monarchs	(Harthacnut) · Gorm the Old · Harald Bluetooth · Sweyn Forkbeard^†* · Harald II · Canute the Great^†* · Harthacanute* · Magnus the Good^† · Sweyn II · Harald III · Canute the Saint · Olaf I · Eric Evergood · Niels · Eric the Memorable · Eric Lamb · Sweyn Grathe & Canute V & Valdemar the Great · Canute VI · Valdemar the Victorious · Eric Plough-tax · Abel · Christopher I · Eric Klipping · Eric Menved · Christopher II · Valdemar III · Christopher II · Valdemar Atterdag · Olaf II^† · Margaret I^†^‡

House of Palatinate-Neumarkt	Eric of Pomerania^†^‡ · Christopher of Bavaria^†^‡

House of Oldenburg	Christian I^†^‡ · Hans^†^‡ · Christian II^†^‡ · Frederick I^† · Christian III^† · Frederick II^† · Christian IV^† · Frederick III^† · Christian V^† · Frederick IV^† · Christian VI^† · Frederick V^† · Christian VII^† · Frederick VI^† · Christian VIII^† · Frederick VII

House of Schleswig- Holstein-Sonderburg- Glücksburg	Christian IX · Frederick VIII · Christian X^§ · Frederick IX · Margrethe II

^† also Monarch of Norway · ^‡ also Monarch of Sweden · * also Monarch of England · ^§ also Monarch of Iceland