Meet the Middle Ages
BackValdemar Atterdag
Valdemar Atterdag(1321-1375) was one of the most influential kings in Denmark during the Middle Ages. He re-created Denmark as a major power, making it into a powerful country. He was also the father of the famous Queen Margareta who ruled the Union.
Vardemar Atterdag was born in 1321. He was the son of the Danish King Christoffer II. In the beginning of the 14th century, the Danish court was poverty-stricken. Valdemar had to sell the provinces of Skåne and Blekinge, as well as other parts of his country to the German counts.
In 1340, when Valdemar was 19, he was elected King of Denmark. He wanted to make the small kingdom of Denmark into a powerful nation. He needed money in order to re-possess parts of his country. Therefore, he sold Estonia, which at the time belonged to Denmark, to the German military order, the Teutonic Knights.
Little by little, Valdemar bought his kingdom back. At the same time, he summoned a strong army. Magnus Eriksson, who had bought Skåne and Blekinge from the Germans, did not want to sell these provinces, so Valdemar declared war. In 1360, he invaded and conquered first Skåne, then Blekinge. Valdemar also wanted to control the important trade-routes in the southern Baltic Sea. In order to achieve this, he attacked Öland and the castle of Borgholm and went on to Gotland. There was a battle outside the town-wall of Visby which the Danes won.
Valdemar was now at the peak of his career. Denmark had become such a powerful nation, that even the Hanseatic League felt threatened. In 1362, the Hanseatic towns declared war against Denmark. It was a drawn-out, tedious war, which in the end was won by the League. When peace was declared in 1370, the Hanseatic League gained the rights to control the important herring-fishery on the Skåne coast. The League controlled the fishing-trade for 15 years and made huge profits from it.
Valdemar Atterdag was married to Helvig. They had one son, Christoffer, who died young, and two daughters, Ingeborg and Margareta. Margareta became even more powerful than her father. She would later play an important role in the founding of the Kalmar Union. In 1375, Valdemar died , and Margareta´s son Olaf became King of Denmark.