Eric of Pomerania
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Eric of Pomerania, Erik af Pommern, Erik VII (Danish title), Erik av Pommern (Eirik III) (Norwegian title) or Erik av Pommern (Eric XIII) (Swedish title), was adopted by Margaret I of Denmark and became the hereditary king of Norway (1389 – 1442), elected king of Denmark (1412 – 1439), and of Sweden and the Kalmar Union (1396 – 1439).
He was born in 1382 as the son of Vratislav of Pomerania and Mary of Mecklenburg, the only surviving granddaughter of Waldemar Atterdag of Denmark and also a descendant of Magnus I of Sweden and Haakon V of Norway. Eric's maternal grandfather was Duke Henry of Mecklenburg, who had rivalled Queen Margaret in regard to Danish succession in 1375. In 1406 king Eric married Philippa, daughter of Henry IV of England and Mary de Bohun.
In 1440, Eric having been deposed in all his kingdoms, his nephew Christopher of Bavaria was chosen to succeed on the thrones. Christopher died in 1448, long before Eric himself. The next monarch (1448-81) was Eric's kinsman Christian I of Denmark, son of Eric's earlier rival count Theodoric of Oldenburg.
In years 1449-1459 he ruled the Duchy of Stolp (part of Duchy of Pomerania) as Eric I. He died in 1459.
At the time when he was deposed as the king in Sweden and Denmark, he was offered to rule as a Norwegian king only. It was the hereditary Kingdom of Norway and until 1459, successions of others in Norway could be said to have been illegal. It is said he refused the offer by saying it is better to be a pirate chieftain on Gotland (now Gotland County in Sweden) than being the king of Norway.
He is buried in Rostock, Germany.
| Preceded by: Margaret I | King of Denmark | Succeeded by: Christopher of Bavaria |
| King of Norway | ||
| King of Sweden | Karl Knutsson Bonde, Regent |
da:Erik 7. af Pommern de:Erik VII. (Dänemark) nb:Erik av Pommern nn:Erik av Pommern pl:Eryk Pomorski sv:Erik av Pommern