Benedict, Duke of Finland

Benedict
Benedict
Duke of Finland; Bishop of Linköping
Born	1254
Died	25 May 1291 (aged 36–37)
Father	Birger Jarl
Mother	Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Bishop Benedict, Duke of Finland (Swedish: Bengt Birgersson; Finnish: Bengt Birgerinpoika; 1254 – 25 May 1291) was a Swedish prelate bishop and duke.^[1]

Early life[edit]

Bengt Birgersson was a member of the House of Bjelbo (Folkungaätten).^[2] He was the youngest son of Birger Magnusson (Birger Jarl), de facto ruler of Sweden from 1250 to 1266. His mother was Princess Ingeborg of Sweden, daughter of Eric X of Sweden and sister of King Eric XI of Sweden.^[3] ^[4]^[5]^[6] Two of his brothers, Valdemar and Magnus III, later became kings of Sweden. ^[7]^[8]

Career[edit]

He pursued an ecclesiastical career. While he was Archdeacon of Linköping Cathedral, he became chancellor to his brother, King Magnus. In 1284, some time after the death of his next-elder brother Eric of Småland, and during the reign of Magnus, he was made Duke of Finland. He was the first known holder of that title and appanage. In 1286 he was elected Bishop of Linköping. Linköping's chronicle of bishops from 1523 tells of him: "Scriptores rerum suecicarum medii ævi". There exist at least two of his wills, from 1287 and 1289. He died from the plague.

Ancestry[edit]

Ancestors of Benedict, Duke of Finland

16. Folke the fat

8. Bengt Snivil

17. Ingegerd Knudsdotter of Denmark

4. Magnus Minniskiöld

2. Birger Jarl

20. Sverker I of Sweden

10. Sune Sik

21. Richeza of Poland

5. Ingrid Ylva

1. Benedict, Duke of Finland

24. Eric IX of Sweden

12. Canute I of Sweden

25. Christina Björnsdotter

6. Eric X of Sweden

13. Cecilia Johansdotter of Sweden

3. Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden

28. Canute Lavard

14. Valdemar I of Denmark

29. Ingeborg of Kiev

7. Richeza of Denmark

30. Volodar, Prince of Minsk and Hrodno

15. Sofia of Minsk

31. Richeza of Poland (= 21)

Preceded by Birger Jarl *(Regent of Sweden, conqueror of much of Finland)*	Duke of Osterlandia (Bishop of Linköping) 1284 - 1291	Succeeded by Valdemar, Duke of Finland (Duke of Oland)

References[edit]

^ "Bengt, biskop i Linköping 1286–91". Nordisk familjebok. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
^ "Folkungaätten". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
^ Lagerqvist & Åberg in Kings and Rulers of Sweden ISBN 91-87064-35-9 p. 19
^ Sten Engström. "Birger Magnusson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ Sture Bolin. "Erik Knutsson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ Sture Bolin. "Erik Eriksson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ "Valdemar Birgersson, kung av Sverige". KulturNav. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ Ulf Sundberg (1999). "Magnus Birgersson "Ladulås"". pennanochsvardet.se. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[1] "Bengt, biskop i Linköping 1286–91". Nordisk familjebok. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

[2] "Folkungaätten". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

[3] Lagerqvist & Åberg in Kings and Rulers of Sweden ISBN 91-87064-35-9 p. 19

[4] Sten Engström. "Birger Magnusson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[5] Sture Bolin. "Erik Knutsson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[6] Sture Bolin. "Erik Eriksson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[7] "Valdemar Birgersson, kung av Sverige". KulturNav. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[8] Ulf Sundberg (1999). "Magnus Birgersson "Ladulås"". pennanochsvardet.se. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

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