Eric the Victorious Old Norse: Eiríkr inn sigrsæli, Modern Swedish: Erik Segersäll, (945? – c. 995), was the first Swedish king (970–995) about whom anything definite is known.
Referring to Eric the Victorious as Eric VI (or with any other numeral) is a later invention. The Swedish kings Erik XIV (1560–68) and Charles IX (1604–11) took their numbers after studying a highly fictitious History of Sweden.
His original territory lay in Uppland and ne...
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Eric the Victorious Old Norse: Eiríkr inn sigrsæli, Modern Swedish: Erik Segersäll, (945? – c. 995), was the first Swedish king (970–995) about whom anything definite is known.
Referring to Eric the Victorious as Eric VI (or with any other numeral) is a later invention. The Swedish kings Erik XIV (1560–68) and Charles IX (1604–11) took their numbers after studying a highly fictitious History of Sweden.
His original territory lay in Uppland and neighbouring provinces. He was victorious over an invasion from the south in the Battle of the Fýrisvellir close to Uppsala. Reports that Eric's brother Olof was the father of Styrbjörn the Strong belong to the realm of myth.
The extent of his kingdom is unknown. In addition to the Swedish heartland round lake Mälaren it may have extended down the Baltic Sea coast as far south as Blekinge.
According to the Flateyjarbok, his success was due to the fact that he allied with the peasants against the nobility, and it is obvious from archeological...
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