23. October 1157: When a danish "Game of Thrones" had its spectacular finale.

Part I - Prelude

In 1146, after a reign of 9 years, Erik III. abdicated as King of Denmark and entered the St. Knuds monastery at Odense, where he eventually died, later the same year. He is remembered until today as the only Danish monarch who abdicated voluntarily. Since Erik III. had no legit son and heir, these events created a power vacuum and a struggle for succession. After the resignation of Erik III. Svend 3. "Grathe", the son of King Eric II. and Knud V., son of the danish duke and co-king Magnus I. "the Strong", declared themself as kings for different parts of denmark in 1146. Sved became King of Zealand and Scania, wile Knud claimed the crown of Jutland. But the splitting the danish kingdom did not lead to piece but eventually erupted a civil war, which lasted several years. 

Part II - A war of succession

In 1152 the two contenders met with the german King Friedrich I. Barbarossa at Merseburg, where Barbarosse refused Knuds appeal and confirmed Svends rightful claim to the throne, who swore allegiance to the German king. Due to these developments several danish noblemen began to worry about an increase of German influence in the country.

During the conflict Knud and Svend fought several bloody battles, for example at Slangerup (1146 or 1147), Tåstrup (1149) and near Viborg (1151) or Gedebæk (1152), but never could achieve a decisive victory, which could end the struggle. In 1154, Knud V. joined forces with Valdemar, another contender to the throne, who became his co-king and later King Valdemar 1. "the Great". Previously, Waldemar had joined and supported his cousin Svend, who made him duke of Schleswig in 1151. Valdemars political changeover was tightened through an arranged engagement with Knuds half-sister. 

In 1155 Knud and Valdemars forces were able to drive Svend out of denmark. But eventually Svend returned to reconquer denmark, with fresh reinforcements from Germany, in 1156.

But by the spring of 1157 factions agreed to conduct peace negotiations instead. As a result of this proceedings Knud, Valdemar and Svend agreed to share power and divide denmark into three kingdoms. To celebrate the agreements, Svend hosted a big feast for his former opponents at Roskilde, which became famous as the "The Blood Feast of Roskilde" (danish: "Blodgildet"). The meeting at the 9th of August 1157 was barely a feast, but a trap and ambush for Svends opponents, who ordered his men to kill Knut and Valdemar during the festivities, to become sole monarch of a reunited denmark. As planned by king Svend, armed men entered the hall and began to attack the surprise guests, thereby murdering King Knud and several of his men. 

Part III - The battle of Grathe Hede

Valdemar who was wounded during the "The Blood Feast of Roskilde", could manage to fled to Viborg, where henassembled Canute's former followers to prepare for the now inescapable fight against Svend, who anded a large army in eastern Jutland. About two month after the violent events of Roskilde, King Valdemar felt that his forces were powerful enough to face his enemy. The two rivals met on a field within the triangle of the towns Viborg, Herning and Silkeborg, named "Grate Hede". Trusted details, for example about the exact location of the battlefield or the strength of the armies are quite uncertain and controversial discussed among experts. But it is certain that Valdemar and Svend fought a short but decisive battle on 23rd of October 1157. It is estimated that could assemble about 2.000 men under his banner, who fought against an army twice as strong, with an estimated strenth between 4.000 and 5.000 men.

By the End of the day, Valdemars army mourned only minor casualties and losses, while Svends entire forces were killed, captured or scattered. The legend tells, that the defeated king Svend who had lost his armour and weapons during his  withdrawal, was captured and killed by a group of angry peasants. After his defeat, he was given the byname "Grathe", in remembrance of the place where he lost his crown and his life. In the end Valdemar, who had outlived all his contenders to the throne, became the undisputed and sole king of Denmark.

Archaeological excavations had been carried out there since 1860 and continued until recent years. These excavations discovered a the foundations of the former church as well as a cemetary with a vast number of graves, surrounded by a ditch. Some sources say, that King Svend was buried here after the Battle. 

Part IV - Grathe Stenen

In 1892 a memorial stone was erected on site, that was shaped like a sword that was stuck into the earth. Today the north face of the stone shows some damage. Local rumors tell the story that this damage was caused by german soldiers, who used the stone as a target for practice shooting during the occupation of denmark in WW2.

Since the exact spot of the battle became lost during the centuries, the battle memorial was erected near the ruin of Grathe Kapel. Although the name is kind of irritating because it wasn't a chapel at all but a small medieval parish church instead. 

Today the site is arranged as a recreational area with historical information provided by multi visuell ino points. The outlines of the church and the former cemetery and church are indicated on the ground with steel markers. 

external image sources:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Grathe_Hede_-_Froelich.jpg

http://www5.kb.dk/images/billed/2010/okt/billeder/object536872/da/