Sverker II of Sweden (1164-17 July 1210) was King of Sweden from 1195 to 31 January 1208, succeeding Canute I of Sweden and preceding Eric X of Sweden.
Biography[]
Sverker Karlsson was born in 1164, the son of King Charles VII of Sweden. His father was murdered in 1167, and he was raised in Denmark by his mother. When Canute I of Sweden died in 1195, Sverker was chosen as the new King of Sweden, surprisingly without quarrel. He enlarged privileges for the Catholic Church and warred with Novgorod, the Baltic peoples of Estonia, and the Ingrians, and, in 1203, he exiled Canute's sons to Norway when they attempted to overthrow him. This led to civil war, with Sverker and his Danish allies killing three of the Birkebeiner-backed sons at the Battle of Algaras in 1205. However, Erik Knutsson seized power in 1208, and Sverker fled to Denmark. He was killed in battle with Erik at the Battle of Gestilren on 17 July 1210.