Canute, Duke of Reval

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Canute or Knud Valdemarsen (died 1260) was Duke of Revelia, Blekinge and Lolland, a bastard son of King Valdemar II of Denmark.

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Canute was the son of the king by his concubine, Helena Guttormsdotter, widow of an important Danish nobleman and daughter of the late Guttorm, Riksjarl of Sweden.

His father gave him lands in Estonia as a hereditary duchy in 1219. He was Duke of Reval 1219-23, but was dispossessed. As compensation, he was given Blekinge in 1242, which he held until his death.

Canute supported the younger rebel brothers, Abel and Christopher, against King Eric IV of Denmark in 1247. The king forced him to exchange Blekinge temporarily for Lolland, but Blekinge was soon restored to Canute's possession.

Canute's wife was presumably a Wendic lady, from the ducal House of Pomerelia.

He left two sons: Eric, Duke of Halland (died 1304) and Lord Svantepolk Knudsen (died ca. 1305).

His land of Blekinge, with Lister, was given to his great-grandson lord Knut Folkason in the 1330s by King Magnus VII of Norway. Lord Knut's heirs continued to claim the lordship.