Eric the Victorious

• 1. Origins And Succession

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  Eric the Victorious ruled Sweden from around 970 until his death near 995. He stands as the first Swedish king in a consecutive regnal succession attested by independent sources. Earlier rulers existed, but their lines do not connect to later kings with the same clarity. Adam of Bremen mentions a predecessor named Emund Eriksson, yet historians cannot confirm if he was Eric's father. The Norse sagas name a brother Björn Eriksson and claim Eric co-ruled with another brother Olaf. These saga accounts remain unreliable compared to other records. His original territory lay within Uppland and neighboring provinces along the Mälaren Valley. Some scholars speculate he belonged to a Geatic clan that established power there before founding Sigtuna around 980. This region became the heartland of his kingdom, extending potentially down the Baltic coast to Blekinge.

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• 2. Battle Of Fýrisvellir

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  The epithet Segersäll meaning victorious or blessed with victory came after defeating an invasion force at Fýrisvellir near Uppsala. Styrbjörn the Strong led this attack against Eric, allegedly being the son of Eric's brother Olof. Two skaldic verses by Thorvaldr Hjaltason describe how Eric utterly defeated an enemy host at a fortification. The Vikings were superior in numbers yet handily captured when they attacked Sweden. Only those who fled survived the battle. Runestones from Hällestad and Sjörup in Scania mention a battle at Uppsala characterized by the defeat and flight of attackers. These stones present chronological problems and may date from the next century. Eric won the battle after making sacrifice to Odin and promising to give himself to Odin in ten years if victorious. Archaeological findings suggest the influence of the earl-class nobility diminished during the last part of the tenth century. Eric probably introduced a system of universal conscription known as ledung in provinces around Mälaren.

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• 3. Danish Conquest And Reign

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  Adam of Bremen reports that Eric became King of Denmark after defeating Sweyn Forkbeard. Saxo Grammaticus also states he ruled over Denmark for seven years following an invasion. The direct reason for the attack remains unclear but involved an alliance with Bolesław the Powerful of Poland. This princess has been identified as Gunhild of Wenden or possibly Sigrid the Haughty. Several battles were fought at sea where Danish forces were annihilated while attacked from the east by Slavs. After his victory, Eric kept Denmark for a time while Sweyn fled first to Norway then England and finally Scotland. A fleet of Swedish and Danish ships sailed up the Elbe and landed at Stade in Saxony. A Saxon army confronted the invaders but was badly defeated. Prominent Saxons were captured and brought to ships before Vikings ravaged the province with no resistance. One prisoner named Margrave Siegfried escaped at night with help from a fisherman. The infuriated Vikings maimed remaining prisoners and threw them ashore. Another Viking detachment was tricked deep into the desolate marsh of Glindesmoor by a captured Saxon knight and annihilated by pursuing Germans.

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• 4. Religious Conversion And Policy

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  Adam characterizes Eric as a heathen initially very hostile to the Christian religion. Missionaries worked during his reign including Odinkar the Elder who preached in Funen Zealand Scania and Sweden. Eventually Eric agreed to baptism presumably while staying in Denmark making him potentially the first Swedish king to do so. Due to that significant event missionaries were allowed to sail over from Denmark to Sweden where they worked valiantly in the name of the Lord. After some time Eric is said to have forgotten the Christian faith and reverted to the religion of his ancestors. When Eric died Sveyn Forkbeard returned from exile and regained Denmark. He also married Eric's widow creating an alliance between the Swedish and Danish royal houses. Adam refers to several informants stating that Eric after accepting Christianity again reverted to paganism. However he fought against Otto III and was defeated according to hearsay heard from others. The Stone of Eric believed raised around 995 C.E. bears an inscription describing an attack on Hedeby by Sweyn against Swedish defenders.

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• 5. Saga Narratives Versus History

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  Eric appears in various sagas described as son of Björn Eriksson ruling together with brother Olaf. One saga describes his marriage to Queen Sigrid the Haughty daughter of Skagul Toste. In their divorce he gave her all of Gothenland as a fief. According to Eymund's saga he then took a new queen Aud daughter of Haakon Sigurdsson ruler of Norway. Before that Eric's brother Olaf died and Swedes refused to accept rowdy nephew Styrbjörn as co-ruler. Eric granted Styrbjörn sixty longships allowing him to sail away for seafaring existence as a Viking. He became ruler of Jomsborg and ally of Danish King Harold Bluetooth whose daughter Tyra he married. Styrbjörn returned to Sweden with army though Harold and Danish troops seem to have turned back. A Swedish chief named Åke desired Eric's beautiful daughter but Eric forbade the proposal knowing a king in Russia wanted her. Åke traveled to Russia killing the king and taking Eric's daughter before allying with eight powerful jarls. Eric spared his daughter and child Emund bringing them home while raising Emund as grandson later appropriating properties.

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• 6. Archaeological Evidence And Legacy

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  Swedish historians suggest smaller tumuli at Old Uppsala probably include King Eric's grave. The Stone of Eric bears an inscription identified by Ludvig Wimmer as possible description of attack on Hedeby. Eric likely founded town of Sigtuna where first Swedish coins were minted for son Olof Skötkonung. Coin expert Elias Brenner published designs allegedly used by King Eric in 1691 but modern scientists consider these attributions inaccurate since minting by Eric is unknown. Historian Sture Bolin considers it likely that Swedish conquest of Denmark occurred supported by two partly independent sources. Adam places Eric's reign after Emund Eriksson without clarifying relationship between them. Discrepancies between accounts led to variety of interpretations especially about marriages. Eric died in Uppsala according to Snorre Sturlasson. His death dates between 992 when Boleslaw I accession took place in Poland and 995 when Olof's coinage began in Sigtuna. Various sources list wives Sigrid Świętosława Gunhild and Aud though two or three may be same person depicted differently. Four known children include Olof Skötkonung d. 1022 who was only historically attested child.

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