Prologue I
Prologue I: Introduction
The coat of arms of the Estridsen dynasty. Itself a maternal branch of the Jelling Dynasty.
One of the most important and influential European houses, best known for supplying a long series of Danish Kings. It rose to prominence in around the 12th-13th century.
Its founder is Sweyn II of Denmark, the son of Estrid Svendsdatter, the daughter of Sweyn I of Denmark and sister to Canute the Great, and whom the dynasty is named after
Although Northern Europe today comprises a single sovereign state, this area of Europe once contained several people with some of these united by inherited ties of culture, political experience, and social sympathy. Nonetheless, today the state of the Grand Kingdom of Dania is in generally considered an ethnically homogenous nation. Moreover, their way of life is conditioned by the distinctive region which they inhabit, at the north-western part of the great Euro Asian land-mass.
Much of the land that this Danish Kingdom encompasses is often considered infertile, which truthfully have created some limitations to the population. Nonetheless, the image of the infertile north that some people paints, are as a matter of fact untrue.
The cradle of this nation, the region known as Denmark and in ancient times the Kingdom of Denmark is fertile and especially the islands boast excellent soil. That does not change the fact that the northern reaches of the Grand Kingdom have poor soil, deep forests and are overall, compared to the rest of Europe and the Grand Kingdom sparsely inhabited.
Comparing these northern lying areas in the Grand Kingdom to areas at the same latitude elsewhere, paints another picture, as such areas can be described as desolate and not necessarily suitable for human habitation.
People like to describe the Danes and as such, the population of the Grand Kingdom, as pioneers that through generations of hard work and toil have managed to conquer this northern part of the world. There is a certain truth to such a statement.
During its long history, the core territory of the Grand Kingdom, that of the old Kingdom of Denmark. Retained a generous surplus of food, resulting in a surplus of population. The effect of this was not a policy per say, but more of a tradition.
It became very common, if not sometimes expected that younger sons would leave, and travel to the less developed areas of the Kingdom, to create a life for themselves. This exodus of people from the more well developed and populated areas of the Grand Kingdom is an important building block that explains the modern state today.
Another of these building blocks is of course what was known as, in English, the Baltic Sea. In Danish, it is simply known as Vorhav which roughly translates to Our Sea. This is not the original name of the Baltic Sea, in Danish when it was still the Kingdom of Denmark, the Baltic was known as Østersøen, The Eastern Sea.
The current Danish name is obviously tied to the fact that the Baltic Sea no longer lays to the east of the Kingdom but lays in its center and is an integral part of the Grand Kingdom. Few people would deny such a statement.
This short introduction to the Grand Kingdom of Dania and its territory are a mere quick glance. To the south of the Baltic Sea are where the majority of the population lives, and the rugged isles in the North Atlantic are another place where the Danes have resolved to eke out a living. This book will take a closer look at it all, including its old colonies, the ones in the New World which managed to gain independence decades and centuries ago, and the colonies elsewhere in the world which only in recent time have managed to get independence. – An introduction to Danish Studies. Kenneth Hughes.
An image of Holger Danske [Ogier the Dane], a legendary figure and knight of Charlemagne. in Danish legends he has taken a position of "king in the mountain", a sacred protector that in times of need will rise from his sleep and save the country
An often-debated question is who the founder of the Grand Kingdom of Dania was, something that to this day remain a discussed topic, equally among the experts and the less educated but interested groups.
Other nations have great kings which deeds and rulership often are seen as the foundation that the realm is built upon. Such as Alfred the Great and Charlemagne to mention just a few prominent examples.
Some nations have of course not had these legendary figures, or their founders are just less commonly known compared to the above examples. Dania has had its share of great kings, no less than three of their kings have been bestowed the style The Great, Respectively Knut II, King of England, Denmark and Norway (995-1035). Valdemar I, King of Denmark (1131-1182) and Valdemar II, King of Denmark (1170-1241) also often known as Sejr, “The Victorious” to differentiate him from his father.
But these are not the only options, how about the king that is seen as the founder of precursor kingdom of Dania; Gorm the Old (913-958), the first King of Denmark which we know actually existed, or Harald Bluetooth (936-987), the son of Gorm, and which proved instrumental in converting the pagan Danish population to Christianity, which have influenced the country so much.
Then there is the first Grand King of Dania Valdemar VI (1356-1433) besides being the first Grand King, during Valdemar VI’s reign the realm withdrew from the Catholic church and the first few steps of the Nordic schism happened during his reign, which eventually resulted in the religious institution that remains dominant to this day in Dania, which goes under several names in English, such as The Danish Church, The Nordic Church, and the Runic Church.
But Valdemar VI was not the architect of the Grand Kingdom, he merely inherited it, his own father, the last King of Denmark Erik V (1332-1389), was the man that stood behind the dream and the, now known, forged documents that Valdemar VI used to justify his coronation as Grand King of Dania, and not King of Denmark.
My argument is that Valdemar II, known either as The Great or The Victorious should be considered as one of the more vital if not the most vital King in Danish history and in the founding of the Grand Kingdom of Dania. As such he should take the placement in Danish history that Alfred the Great does in English history.
But to explain the success of Valdemar II’s reign, one needs to understand the foundation that he built it upon, which he inherited from his older brother Knud VI and his Father Valdemar I.
The coat of arms of the Estridsen dynasty. Itself a maternal branch of the Jelling Dynasty.
One of the most important and influential European houses, best known for supplying a long series of Danish Kings. It rose to prominence in around the 12th-13th century.
Its founder is Sweyn II of Denmark, the son of Estrid Svendsdatter, the daughter of Sweyn I of Denmark and sister to Canute the Great, and whom the dynasty is named after
Although Northern Europe today comprises a single sovereign state, this area of Europe once contained several people with some of these united by inherited ties of culture, political experience, and social sympathy. Nonetheless, today the state of the Grand Kingdom of Dania is in generally considered an ethnically homogenous nation. Moreover, their way of life is conditioned by the distinctive region which they inhabit, at the north-western part of the great Euro Asian land-mass.
Much of the land that this Danish Kingdom encompasses is often considered infertile, which truthfully have created some limitations to the population. Nonetheless, the image of the infertile north that some people paints, are as a matter of fact untrue.
The cradle of this nation, the region known as Denmark and in ancient times the Kingdom of Denmark is fertile and especially the islands boast excellent soil. That does not change the fact that the northern reaches of the Grand Kingdom have poor soil, deep forests and are overall, compared to the rest of Europe and the Grand Kingdom sparsely inhabited.
Comparing these northern lying areas in the Grand Kingdom to areas at the same latitude elsewhere, paints another picture, as such areas can be described as desolate and not necessarily suitable for human habitation.
People like to describe the Danes and as such, the population of the Grand Kingdom, as pioneers that through generations of hard work and toil have managed to conquer this northern part of the world. There is a certain truth to such a statement.
During its long history, the core territory of the Grand Kingdom, that of the old Kingdom of Denmark. Retained a generous surplus of food, resulting in a surplus of population. The effect of this was not a policy per say, but more of a tradition.
It became very common, if not sometimes expected that younger sons would leave, and travel to the less developed areas of the Kingdom, to create a life for themselves. This exodus of people from the more well developed and populated areas of the Grand Kingdom is an important building block that explains the modern state today.
Another of these building blocks is of course what was known as, in English, the Baltic Sea. In Danish, it is simply known as Vorhav which roughly translates to Our Sea. This is not the original name of the Baltic Sea, in Danish when it was still the Kingdom of Denmark, the Baltic was known as Østersøen, The Eastern Sea.
The current Danish name is obviously tied to the fact that the Baltic Sea no longer lays to the east of the Kingdom but lays in its center and is an integral part of the Grand Kingdom. Few people would deny such a statement.
This short introduction to the Grand Kingdom of Dania and its territory are a mere quick glance. To the south of the Baltic Sea are where the majority of the population lives, and the rugged isles in the North Atlantic are another place where the Danes have resolved to eke out a living. This book will take a closer look at it all, including its old colonies, the ones in the New World which managed to gain independence decades and centuries ago, and the colonies elsewhere in the world which only in recent time have managed to get independence. – An introduction to Danish Studies. Kenneth Hughes.
An image of Holger Danske [Ogier the Dane], a legendary figure and knight of Charlemagne. in Danish legends he has taken a position of "king in the mountain", a sacred protector that in times of need will rise from his sleep and save the country
An often-debated question is who the founder of the Grand Kingdom of Dania was, something that to this day remain a discussed topic, equally among the experts and the less educated but interested groups.
Other nations have great kings which deeds and rulership often are seen as the foundation that the realm is built upon. Such as Alfred the Great and Charlemagne to mention just a few prominent examples.
Some nations have of course not had these legendary figures, or their founders are just less commonly known compared to the above examples. Dania has had its share of great kings, no less than three of their kings have been bestowed the style The Great, Respectively Knut II, King of England, Denmark and Norway (995-1035). Valdemar I, King of Denmark (1131-1182) and Valdemar II, King of Denmark (1170-1241) also often known as Sejr, “The Victorious” to differentiate him from his father.
But these are not the only options, how about the king that is seen as the founder of precursor kingdom of Dania; Gorm the Old (913-958), the first King of Denmark which we know actually existed, or Harald Bluetooth (936-987), the son of Gorm, and which proved instrumental in converting the pagan Danish population to Christianity, which have influenced the country so much.
Then there is the first Grand King of Dania Valdemar VI (1356-1433) besides being the first Grand King, during Valdemar VI’s reign the realm withdrew from the Catholic church and the first few steps of the Nordic schism happened during his reign, which eventually resulted in the religious institution that remains dominant to this day in Dania, which goes under several names in English, such as The Danish Church, The Nordic Church, and the Runic Church.
But Valdemar VI was not the architect of the Grand Kingdom, he merely inherited it, his own father, the last King of Denmark Erik V (1332-1389), was the man that stood behind the dream and the, now known, forged documents that Valdemar VI used to justify his coronation as Grand King of Dania, and not King of Denmark.
My argument is that Valdemar II, known either as The Great or The Victorious should be considered as one of the more vital if not the most vital King in Danish history and in the founding of the Grand Kingdom of Dania. As such he should take the placement in Danish history that Alfred the Great does in English history.
But to explain the success of Valdemar II’s reign, one needs to understand the foundation that he built it upon, which he inherited from his older brother Knud VI and his Father Valdemar I.
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