Nyköping Banquet

In this time Sweden was governed by a council of regents, led by Birger's guardian, marshal Torgils Knutsson.

[2] Even after Birger reached majority and married Martha of Denmark, king Erik Menved's daughter, Torgils remained the real ruler of the realm.

The two brothers fled to Norway, where Eric gained control of the county of Kungahälla and northern Halland due to his betrothal to the Norwegian king's daughter Ingeborg.

During a journey to Kalmar in the autumn of 1317 duke Valdemar was invited to celebrate Christmas with king Birger and queen Martha at Nyköping Castle, together with the royal court.

[4] After the dukes had retired to bed, the king's drots Brunke (Johan von Brunkow) arrived with a company of crossbowmen and handcuffed them.

The Eric Chronicle states that now that Birger's plan had come to fruition, he clapped his hands together delightedly, laughed loudly, and behaved like a madman.

These documents, dated 18 January 1318 and which survive to this day, grant money to churches, monasteries, and hospitals, for the salvation of their souls.

Following a year of regency by his mother Duchess Ingeborg, the three-year-old son of Duke Eric, Magnus, was elected King in 1319 at the Stones of Mora in Uppland.

King Birger's son Magnus resisted forces that tried to take Nyköping Castle but was defeated and fled with the senechal Brunke.

[citation needed] Brunke was executed on a sandy ridge which has since been known as the Brunkeberg Esker; the heir apparent was decapitated on the Isle of the Holy Spirit where the Riksdag Building is today.

Thus, of the royal family, there remained only the old queen mother Helvig of Holstein, (widow of Magnus Ladulås), the exiled Queen Martha, the young king Magnus Eriksson, his sister Euphemia, their mother Ingeborg and her cousin Duchess Ingeborg of Öland (widow of Duke Valdemar).