Valdemar IV Atterdag
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Who was Valdemar IV Atterdag?
Valdemar IV Atterdag was the king of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He was born around 1320 and died on October 24, 1375. After a period of foreign domination, he reunified Denmark under his rule. His aggressive foreign policy brought him into conflict with Sweden, North German principalities, and the Hanseatic League.
Valdemar began to regain control of alienated Danish lands through his marriage to Helvig, and by increasing taxes after selling Estonia in 1346. In 1360, he regained SkƄne from Sweden, completing the reunification of his father's kingdom. The following year, he conquered Gotland, gaining control of Baltic trade, which aroused the opposition of the Hanseatic League, Sweden, Mecklenburg, Holstein, and Jutland nobles.
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When did Valdemar IV Atterdag rule Denmark?
Valdemar IV Atterdag was the king of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. After 1328, Valdemar lived at the court of Louis IV the Bavarian, Holy Roman emperor. In 1338, with the aid of the emperor and Louis, margrave of Brandenburg, he started a diplomatic campaign to wrest sovereignty in Denmark from Gerhard and John the Mild, counts of Holstein.
After Gerhard's assassination in April 1340, Valdemar reached an agreement with John and was recognized as king of Denmark. He regained SkĆ„ne from Sweden in 1360, completing his fatherās kingdom reunification. The following year, he conquered Gotland, including Visby, gaining a stronghold in the Baltic trade and arousing opposition from the Hanseatic League, Sweden, Mecklenburg, Holstein, and Jutland nobles. After being defeated in 1368, Valdemar accepted the Treaty of Stralsund (1370), which granted commercial privileges to Hanseatic towns while keeping the Danish kingdom intact.
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What problems did Denmark face during his reign?
During Valdemar IV's reign (1340-1375), Denmark faced several challenges. After the Black Death pandemic in 1350, Valdemar addressed economic issues by confiscating ownerless estates and regaining royal estates. His strengthening of royal power led to revolts by leading magnates, which he quelled.
Valdemar's war on Gotland triggered conflict with Sweden and the Hanseatic League. This led to attacks on Denmark by the league, princes of Mecklenburg and Holstein, and Jutland magnates. The resulting Treaty of Stralsund in 1370 granted the Hanseatic League trading rights in Denmark and pawned parts of SkƄne to the league for 15 years.
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How did Valdemar IV Atterdag help restore Denmarkās power?
Valdemar IV Atterdag, king of Denmark from 1340 to 1375, played a crucial role in restoring the country's power. He began by prioritizing the reunion of Denmark, which he achieved through strategic actions such as selling Estonia in 1346 and collecting extra taxes to reclaim pawned areas. He also used negotiations and military force when necessary.
Valdemar strengthened royal power by quelling revolts and establishing a "great national peace" in 1360. He addressed economic issues by confiscating ownerless estates and regaining royal estates lost during the interregnum, as well as reorganizing the army. Although his war on Gotland led to conflict with the Hanseatic League, he ultimately stabilized the crown's hold on Denmark.
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What impact did Valdemar IV Atterdag have on Denmarkās future after his reign?
Valdemar IV Atterdag reunified Denmark through strategic marriages, selling territories like Estonia, and levying taxes to reclaim pawned lands. By 1360, he had regained SkƄne from Sweden and Gotland, strengthening royal power and reorganizing the army.
After quelling revolts, Valdemar established a "great national peace" in 1360, replacing the hof with the RigsrƄd and establishing the king's Retterting as the supreme court. Although his actions caused conflict with the Hanseatic League, he stabilized the crown until his death in 1375. His daughter Margaret's marriage to the Norwegian king led to the unification of Denmark and Norway from 1380 to 1814.
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Valdemar IV Atterdag (born c. 1320, Denmarkādied October 24, 1375, Zealand) was the king of Denmark (1340ā75) who united his country under his own rule after a brief period of alien domination. His aggressive foreign policy led to conflict with Sweden, North German principalities, and the North German trading centres of the Hanseatic League.
A son of King Christopher II, Valdemar lived after 1328 at the court of Louis IV the Bavarian, Holy Roman emperor. In 1338 he left the imperial court, and, with the aid of the emperor and of Louis, margrave of Brandenburg, he began a diplomatic offensive to wrest sovereignty in Denmark from Gerhard and John the Mild, counts of Holstein. After the assassination of Gerhard in April 1340, Valdemar reached an agreement with John and was recognized as king of Denmark.
Through his marriage to Helvig, sister of Valdemar, duke of Slesvig (Schleswig), Valdemar Atterdag obtained northern Jutland and extended his control to the remainder of the alienated Danish lands. Using money raised by increasing taxes and by his sale (1346) of Estonia, he had by 1349 established control of Zealand and large areas of Funen and Jutland. Also in 1349 he intervened in North German politics, opposing the attempt of the German king Charles IV (Holy Roman emperor after 1355) to remove Valdemarās ally Louis of Brandenburg and to take RĆ¼gen and Rostock from Danish control. After liberating Louisās lands as far as Berlin, Valdemar reconciled Charles with Louis (1350) and reaffirmed Danish sovereignty in RĆ¼gen and Rostock.
On returning to Denmark, Valdemar faced a revolt (1350) by leading Jutland magnates, aided by the counts of Holstein; it was the first of a series of uprisings challenging the formidable personal rule that he had established. After all the outbreaks had been quelled, a parliament met at Kalundborg (1360) to consolidate the peace and to define the reciprocal rights and obligations of the ruler and his subjects.
Valdemar completed his reunification of his fatherās kingdom in 1360 by regaining SkĆ„ne from Sweden. The following year he conquered Gotland, including its wealthy town of Visby. He thus gained a strong foothold in the Baltic trade and aroused the opposition of a powerful coalition of the Hanseatic League, Sweden, Mecklenburg, Holstein, and the dissident Jutland nobles. After the coalitionās forces severely defeated him in 1368, Valdemar was forced to accept the Treaty of Stralsund (1370), by which the Hanseatic towns were granted commercial privileges but the Danish kingdom remained intact. The marriage of his daughter Margaret to the Norwegian king Haakon VI in 1363 made possible the unification of Denmark and Norway, which lasted from 1380 until 1814. Valdemar died in 1375 at Gurre Castle, near HelsingĆør, on Zealand.