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[[http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Danmarks_geografi_og_historie/Danmarks_historie/Danmark_f%C3%B8r_Reformationen/Erik_3._Lam Erik 3. Lam] at Gyldendals Åbne Encyklopædi]
| place of birth =
| date of death = August 27, 1146
| place of death = Odense
| place of burial= St. Canute's Abbey, Odense
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Eric III Lamb () ( – August 27, 1146) was the King of Denmark from 1137 until 1146. He was the grandson of Eric I of Denmark and the nephew of Eric II of Denmark, whom he succeeded on the throne. He abdicated in 1146, as the first and only Danish monarch to do so. His succession led to a period of civil war between Sweyn III, Canute V, and Valdemar I.
BiographyEric was born on Funen. His mother was princess Ragnhild of Denmark, the daughter of late Eric I of Denmark.[Stefan Pajung, [http://www.danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/erik-lam-ca-1100-1147/ Erik Lam ca. 1100-1147], Aarhus University, January 20, 2010] and succeeded Eric II to the throne when he was murdered in 1137. Not much is known of Eric's kingship.
Eric had to fight for his kingship against his cousin Oluf Haraldsen, sometimes called Oluf II. Oluf established a base of power in Scania in 1139 and tried to conquer the throne from there, until Eric defeated and killed him in 1141 near Helsingborg. During the civil wars, the Wends raided the Danish coasts and sounds without much Danish resistance. Eric supported Magnus the Blind and Sigurd Slembe in the Norwegian civil war.
In 1146, Eric abdicated, as the only Danish king in history,
LegacyHis nickname “Lam” means "lamb". This is taken to either reference the Lamb of God as he was seen as a pious man,[Carl Frederik Bricka, Dansk Biografisk Lexikon, vol. IV [Clemens - Eynden], 1890, [http://runeberg.org/dbl/4/0543.html pp.541-542].] He married Lutgard of Salzwedel in 1144, which indicated an increasing German influence on Denmark. He and Lutgard did not have any children, though Eric had the son Magnus out of wedlock. After Eric died, Lutgard married Rudolf of Salzwedels.
References
Category:Danish monarchs
Category:House of Estridsen
Category:Year of birth uncertain
Category:1100s births
Category:1146 deaths
Category:Year of birth unknown
af:Erik III van Denemarke
ca:Erik III de Dinamarca
da:Erik Lam
de:Erik III. (Dänemark)
es:Erico III de Dinamarca
fr:Éric III de Danemark
hu:III. Erik dán király
is:Eiríkur lamb
it:Eric III di Danimarca
nl:Erik III van Denemarken
no:Erik Lam
pl:Eryk III Jagnię
pt:Érico III da Dinamarca
ru:Эрик III (король Дании)
sv:Erik Lamm
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