Valdemar Birgersson

Valdemar Birgersson (born 1243—died Dec. 26, 1302) was the king of Sweden (1250–75) who governed jointly with his father Birger Jarl (q.v.) until the latter’s death in 1266 and then reigned alone. Because of an extramarital affair with his wife’s sister, a postulant nun, by whom he had a child, Valdemar in 1274 made a pilgrimage to Rome to gain forgiveness. Pope Gregory X exacted concessions, whereby Valdemar acknowledged papal overlordship and the responsibility to send taxes to Rome; and these concessions inspired Valdemar’s brothers to rebel. By 1275, Magnus, the next in line, had made himself king (as Magnus I). Valdemar, defeated in battle, fled into exile in Norway, where he continued unsuccessfully for many years to hatch conspiracies to regain the throne.