The Cult of St Erik in Medieval Sweden: Veneration of a Royal Saint, twelfth - sixteenth centuries (Acta Scandinavica) (English and German Edition)

In this first comprehensive monograph on St Erik, the author follows the cult of the Swedish royal saint from its obscure beginnings in the twelfth century up to its climax in the time of the Kalmar Union (1397-1523). The focus of the book lies on the interaction of the cult with different groups within medieval Swedish society and these group’s attempts to utilize the prestige of the saint to further their political aims. From the middle of the thirteenth century, the cult was particularly connected to the archbishopric of Uppsala and the royal dynasty of Bjalbo. During the fifteenth century the Swedish royal saint symbolized (together with St Olaf of Norway and St Knut of Denmark) the three kingdoms of the Kalmar Union. At the same time, his prestige was successfully employed in the propaganda of King Karl Knutsson (Bonde) and the three Sture-riksförestandare to legitimate their anti-Union politics. In order to gain a broader perspective, the author uses a wide variety of sources. These include a number of texts which contain information about the cult of the saint (legend, miracle collection, offices, sermons, chronicles, charters). In addition, different sorts of depictions showing St Erik on wall paintings, altarpieces, seals, and coins are used in order to give a comprehensive account of the multifaceted veneration of this saint. Front Matter ("Contents", "List of Illustrations", "Foreword', "Abbreviations"), p. i Citation | PDF (127 KB) Free Access 1. Religion, Politics, and the Cult of Saints, p. 1 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.5.112804 Citation | PDF (229 KB) 2. The Sources, p. 15 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00003 Citation | PDF (133 KB) 3. Royal Saints and the Shift of Faith, p. 27 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00004 Citation | PDF (335 KB) 4. The Early Cult (1160-c. 1250), p. 67 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00005 Citation | PDF (306 KB) 5. The First Wave of Cult Intensification (c. 1250-1319), p. 97 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00006 Citation | PDF (536 KB) 6. Times of Stagnation versus the Rule of Magnus Eriksson (1319-89), p. 147 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00007 Citation | PDF (394 KB) 7. St Erik and the Kalmar Union (1389-1520), p. 177 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00008 Citation | PDF (1461 KB) 8. St Erik among the Canon of Saints, p. 263 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00009 Citation | PDF (111 KB) Conclusion, p. 271 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00010 Citation | PDF (104 KB) Zusammenfassung, p. 277 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00011 Citation | PDF (112 KB) Appendix 1. The Legend of St Erik, p. 285 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00012 Citation | PDF (89 KB) Appendix 2. The Miracles of St Erik and St Olaf, p. 289 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00013 Citation | PDF (138 KB) Appendix 3. Charters using St Erik’s Feast Day for Dating, p. 299 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00014 Citation | PDF (185 KB) Appendix 4. Depictions of St Erik, p. 317 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00015 Citation | PDF (147 KB) Appendix 5. Pictures showing all Three Scandinavian Royal Saints, p. 329 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00016 Citation | PDF (101 KB) Appendix 6. Genealogical Tables, p. 331 https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.4.00017 Citation | PDF (1246 KB) Back Matter ("Bibliography", "Index"), p. 339 Citation | PDF (404 KB) Free Access List of illustrations Foreword Abbreviations Chapter 1. Religion, politics, and the Cult of Saints Chapter 2. The Sources Chapter 3. Royal Saints and the Shift of Faith Chapter 4. The Early Cult (1160-c. 1250) Chapter 5. The First Wave of Cult Intensification (c. 1250-1319) Chapter 6. Times of Stagnation versus the Rule of Magnus Eriksson (1319-89) Chapter 7. St Erik and th Kalmar Union (1389-1520) Chapter 8. St Erik among the Canon of Saints Conclusion Zusammenfassung.