Editing Birger Jarl (section)

=== Career ===
[[File:COA family sv Birger jarl.svg|thumb|150px|left|[[Coat of arms]] of Birger jarl]]
[[File:Statue_of_Birger_jarl_Riddarholmstorget_september_2011.jpg|thumb|200px|Statue of Birger Jarl (1854) by [[Bengt Erland Fogelberg]] in Stockholm]]
[[File:Suecia 1-012 ; Birger Jarl.jpg|thumb|200px|The 17th-century engraving of Birger Jarl by [[Erik Dahlberg]] is based on a fresco from [[Häme Castle]], depicting Christ with a [[scourge]] and a [[Birching|birch rod]].<ref name="f994">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/suomenhistorianp0000unse/page/58/mode/2up |title=Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen |date=1987 |publisher=Söderström |isbn=978-951-0-14253-0 |editor-last=Zetterberg |editor-first=Seppo |publication-place=Porvoo |page=58 |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Aspelin-Haapkylä |first=Eliel |year=1895 |title=Ett föregifvet porträtt af Birger Jarl från Tavastehus slott |url=http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2016082923096 |journal=Finskt Museum |language=Swedish |location=Helsingfors |publisher=Finska Fornminnesföreningen |volume=3–4 |pages=17{{endash}}21 |editor=}}</ref>]]
When the papal diplomat [[William of Modena]] visited present Sweden around 1248, he urged the Swedish kings to fulfill the rules of the Catholic Church, an exhortation which Birger seems to have taken as a chance to strengthen his position by simply taking the side of the church against other members of his family (alternatively it's possible to interpret this as a manifestation of his pious side). This was a choice of historical importance as it was to make Birger a jarl powerful enough to ultimately wind up the office, thus making him the last Swedish jarl ever, even called as the "first true king of Sweden" by historians.{{by whom|date=January 2025}} As this happened during an era when the inherited concept [[Folkung]] became more of a political party, it also meant Swedish magnates lost most of their influence which paved the way for a consolidated Swedish kingdom supported by the Pope.<ref name="Lindstrom-195">{{harvnb|Lindström|Lindström|2006|pages=195–198}}</ref>

In 1247, royal troops led by Birger at the [[Battle of Sparrsätra]] fought with [[Folkung]] forces led by pretender [[Holmger Knutsson]], son of King [[Knut Långe]]. The Folkungs lost the battle and were unable to resist the central government and its taxes. Holmger Knutsson fled to [[Gästrikland]] and was captured there by Birger in the following year. Quickly brought to trial, he was beheaded.

In 1249, Birger succeeded in ending a decades-long period of hostilities with Norway. As a part of the [[Treaty of Lödöse]], he also managed to marry off his daughter [[Rikissa Birgersdotter|Rikissa]], then only 11 years old, to [[Haakon Haakonsson the Young]], the eldest son of King [[Haakon IV of Norway]]. On King Erik's death in 1250, Birger's son [[Valdemar, King of Sweden|Valdemar]] was elected as the new king while Birger acted as regent, holding the true power in Sweden until his death.<ref>Kari, p. 149.</ref>

In 1252, a year after another victory over the folkungs at the {{Ill|Battle of Herrevadsbro|sv|Slaget vid Herrevadsbro}}, Birger wrote two carefully dated letters, the first mention of [[Stockholm]] interpreted as the foundation of the city or at least some sort of special interest in the location.  Neither of the letters give a description of the location, however, and while archaeological traces of older defensive structures have been found there, what did exist on the premises before the mid-13th century remains debated.  It has been suggested Birger chose the location for several reasons: Partly to curb domestic magnates by isolating them with a "lock of [[Lake Mälaren]]", offering a defense to the lands around Mälaren from invading enemies in the process; and to create a commercial bridgehead to attract German merchants. While Birger's direct involvement in the foundation of the city remains speculative, it probably was no accident it was founded on the location at this time.<ref name="Lindstrom-2001">{{harvnb|Lindström|Lindström|2006|pages=201–206}}</ref>

[[Image:Birger of Sweden (1236), Matilda of Denmark & Eric of Sweden (1251) effigies 2009.jpg|thumb|200px|Grave of Birger Jarl, his second wife Mechtilde and Birger's son Duke Erik.]]
[[File:Birger jarl cenotaph, Stockholm City Hall.jpg|thumb|Cenotaph of Birger Jarl at the Stockholm City Hall]]