Everything about The Battle Of Grathe Heath totally explained
The
Battle of Grathe Heath was fought in 1157 between the Danish armies of Valdemar I and his rival Sweyn III. Valdemar's forces won the battle, and Sweyn III was slain while attempting to flee.
Background to the battle
The battle of Grathe (Grey) Heath on
23 October 1157 marked the end of a civil war between Sweyn III,
Canute V and Valdemar I the Great, all contenders for the Danish throne.
After
Eric III of Denmark had abdicated in
1146, Sweyn III, son of Eric Emune, was declared king of
Zealand and
Scania, while Canute, son of king Magnus, became king of
Jutland.
Canute made several attempts to conquer Zealand (
1147 and
1150), but was driven off and fled to
Germany, where he managed to raise an army.
In
1152 a battle was fought at Gedebæk, close to
Viborg. Canute lost and appealed to the German king (later emperor),
Frederic I Barbarossa, who commanded both kings to meet him at Merseburg. Here, Frederic confirmed Sweyn's rights of kingship, and Sweyn swore fealty to him.
The nobles of Denmark were getting worried about the growing German influence. Valdemar, having at first joined Sweyn, who had made him duke of
Schleswig, changed sides and was betrothed to Canute's half-sister Sophie.
Both Canute and Sweyn were hailed as kings at the
Landsting in Viborg in
1154.
Treachery
The three contenders agreed to share power, so that Valdemar would rule Jutland, Canute would rule the islands of Zealand and
Funen, and Sweyn would rule Scania. Then a reconciling feast was agreed upon, and it was held in
Roskilde 9 august 1157. But, according to
Saxo Grammaticus, Sweyn ordered his men to kill the two other kings. Canute was slain, but Valdemar, though wounded, managed to turn over some great candlesticks and escape in the following fire and confusion. He fled out in the darkness and managed to return to Jutland.
The Battle
People flocked to Valdemar's banner when Sweyn's treachery was revealed, and he gathered a great host. Sweyn landed at
Grenå (at the mouth of the
Djurså stream), but his fleet was destroyed by a combination of force and guile. Sweyn marched upon
Randers and Valdemar retreated to the other side of the
Gudenå river and tore down the bridge.
At the end of September Valdemar felt that he was powerful enough to face Sweyn's army, and on 23. October the two armies met at Grathe Heath. The battle was short, but vicious. Sweyn failed to locate Valdemar's main force, and was suddently attacked with such force that he fled his army. He blundered into the swampy areas at one end of the Hauge Lake, and lost his arms and armour. Shortly afterwards he was captured and killed with an
axe, according to tradition by angry peasants.
After his death, Sweyn was nicknamed Grathe, after the place where he lost both his crown and his life.
Aftermath
Valdemar, having outlived all his rival pretenders, became the sole King of Denmark. He reorganized and rebuilt war-torn Denmark.
Thor Lange has put up a stone cross at the site of the battle.
Further Information
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