The Birkebeiner leader Jarl Håkon Galen married their cousin in January 1205 and promoted their claim.

By the fall of 1205 the brothers were staying at the estate of Älgarås when the Sverker clan attacked.

[2] Eric managed to slip away, according to much later tradition carried from the place of the battle by the legendary Fale Bure.

An oral tradition says that it was "2000 paces from the church of Älgarås in the direction where the sun rises in September".

He came back from his exile in 1207-08 and became king of Sweden after he defeated Sverker in the Battle of Lena.