Magnus the Strong
Magnus Nilsson, or
Magnus the Strong (reigned
1125–
1130 in southern parts of Sweden) was a Scandinavian ruler and
Danish prince who lived between
1106 and
1134.
His father was king
Niels I of Denmark and mother
Margaret Fredkulla, the eldest daughter of
Inge I of Sweden.
Magnus was married with
Rikissa, daughter of
Bolesław II the Bold,
King of Poland.
He claimed the throne of Sweden, when his cousin
Inge II died in 1125, as he was the eldest grandson of
Inge I. The
Geats (Götes) elected him king, but the
Swedes vetoed him (even according to the
Westrogothic law, it was the Swedes who had the right to elect and depose a king). He is not mentioned in the law of
Västergötland and ca
1130 he was ousted from Sweden, by
Sverker I of Sweden.
Later he took part in the
Danish civil wars, trying to help his father king Niels and to establish himself as heir and future king there, and he died in
1134 during the battle of Fotevik in
Scania where his father was decisively defeated. His father died later the same year.
Magnus' widow Rikissa returned to east where she was married to
Valadar of Miensk, a Rurikid ruler of Viking origins. Rikissa later returned to Sweden and married thirdly king Sverker I, Magnus' rival and defeater.
Magnus' son,
Canute V contested the Danish throne with his cousin,
Svend III.
His legitimate descent went extinct with the murder of Knud V in 1157. Knud's illegitimate son
Valdemar, archbishop of Bremen, bishop of Schleswig, died in 1236, after which there are no records of any surviving descent from king Magnus.
