Benedict, Duke of Finland

Bishop Benedict, Duke of Finland (Swedish: Bengt Birgersson; Finnish: Bengt Birgerinpoika; 1254 – 25 May 1291) was a Swedish prelate bishop and duke.[1]

For the 14th century Duke of Finland, see Benedict, Duke of Halland.
For the 62nd Pope also known as Pope Benedict I, see Pope Benedict I.
Benedict
Duke of Finland
Bishop of Linköping
Born1254
Died25 May 1291 (aged 36–37)
FatherBirger Jarl
MotherIngeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Early life

Bengt Birgersson was a member of the House of Bjelbo (Folkungaätten).[2] He was the youngest son of Birger Magnusson (Birger Jarl), de facto ruler of Sweden from 1250 to 1266. His mother was Princess Ingeborg of Sweden, daughter of Eric X of Sweden and sister of King Eric XI of Sweden.[3] [4][5][6] Two of his brothers, Valdemar and Magnus III, later became kings of Sweden. [7][8]

Career

He pursued an ecclesiastical career. While he was Archdeacon of Linköping Cathedral, he became chancellor to his brother, King Magnus. In 1284, some time after the death of his next-elder brother Eric of Småland, and during the reign of Magnus, he was made Duke of Finland. He was the first known holder of that title and appanage. In 1286 he was elected Bishop of Linköping. Linköping's chronicle of bishops from 1523 tells of him: "Scriptores rerum suecicarum medii ævi". There exist at least two of his wills, from 1287 and 1289. He died from the plague.

Ancestry
Preceded by
Birger Jarl
(Regent of Sweden, conqueror of much of Finland)		 Duke of Osterlandia
(Bishop of Linköping)
1284 - 1291 		Succeeded by
Valdemar, Duke of Finland
(Duke of Oland)

References
  1. "Bengt, biskop i Linköping 1286–91". Nordisk familjebok. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  2. "Folkungaätten". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  3. Lagerqvist & Åberg in Kings and Rulers of Sweden ISBN 91-87064-35-9 p. 19
  4. Sten Engström. "Birger Magnusson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  5. Sture Bolin. "Erik Knutsson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  6. Sture Bolin. "Erik Eriksson". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  7. "Valdemar Birgersson, kung av Sverige". KulturNav. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  8. Ulf Sundberg (1999). "Magnus Birgersson "Ladulås"". pennanochsvardet.se. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
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