Christopher, Duke of Lolland

Christopher
Duke of Lolland
Effigy of Christopher from the remains of his tomb in Roskilde Cathedral
Born	c. 1341/1344
Died	11 June 1363 Copenhagen
Burial	Roskilde Cathedral
Names Christopher Valdemarsen
House	House of Estridsen
Father	Valdemar IV of Denmark
Mother	Helvig of Schleswig
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Christopher, Duke of Lolland (Template:Lang-da; c. 1341/1344 – 11 June 1363) was the son of King Valdemar IV of Denmark and his wife Helvig of Schleswig. Christopher was appointed in 1359 as Duke of Lolland and also was selected to succeed as king.

He was first mentioned in 1354-55, and in 1358 was sent by his father to Nyborg to negotiate with representatives of the rebellious Jutes. He became involved in government decisions, and was appointed Duke of Lolland. He also entitled himself as the True Heir of Danes and Slavs. Christopher actively participated in the war for reconquest of Scania which his father had initiated. Christopher was injured during the Battle of Helsingborg in 1362. German chronicles are not clear about what weapon inflicted the prince's mortal wound, but according to Swedish Henrik Smith's chronicle from the early 16th century Christopher was hit by a rock while fighting at sea. According to Nordisk familjebok, Christopher was shot in the head with a rock and subsequently suffered from a mental disorder.

Christopher died from an illness the following year in Copenhagen. Although his death is often attributed to his war wounds it is unknown to what extent his injuries actually contributed to the illness.

Instead being buried at Sorø Abbey with his father and mother, he was buried in Roskilde Cathedral with his sister Margaret I of Denmark. His tomb was originally commissioned in Central Europe, and depicts the alabaster effigy of a young knight in full armor studded with jewels and surrounded by the heraldic shields of Denmark, Halland and Lolland. The tomb is empty as the prince is probably buried beneath the church floor. The alabaster tomb visible today was restored in 1879 by sculptor Vilhelm Bissen from fragmentary pieces after being destroyed during the Reformation.

Ancestry

Family of Christopher, Duke of Lolland

16. Christopher I of Denmark 8. Eric V of Denmark 17. Margaret Sambiria 4. Christopher II of Denmark 18. John I, Margrave of Brandenburg 9. Agnes of Brandenburg 19. Jutta of Saxony 2. Valdemar IV of Denmark 20. Barnim I, Duke of Pomerania 10. Bogislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania 21. Marianna of Sweden? 5. Euphemia of Pomerania 22. Wizlaw II, Prince of Rügen 11. Margaret of Rügen (d. 1320) 23. Agnes of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1. Christopher, Duke of Lolland 24. Eric I, Duke of Schleswig 12. Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig 25. Margaret of Rügen (d. 1272) 6. Eric II, Duke of Schleswig 26. John I, Duke of Saxony 13. Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg 27. Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Bjelbo 3. Helvig of Schleswig 28. Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe 14. Henry I, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 29. Elisabeth of Mecklenburg 7. Adelheid of Holstein 30. William, Count of Bronkhorst-Reckheim 15. Heilwig von Bronckhorst 31. Ermengarde of Randerode

Other sources

• Jörgensen Ellen: Valdemar Atterdag. Utvalg af kilder. Copenhagen 1911.
• Gottfrid Carlsson (1945). Medeltidens nordiska unionstanke. Stockholm: Gebers. pp. 33–34.
• Nordisk familjebok (1911), band 14, s. 1453–1454 (länk)