Absalon

For other uses, seeAbsalon (disambiguation).

Absalon
Bishop of Roskilde Archbishop of Lund
Absalon's grave effigy
Diocese	Diocese of Roskilde(1158–1192) Archdiocese of Lund(1178–1201)
Predecessor	Asser of Roskilde Eskil of Lund
Successor	Peder Sunesen(Roskilde) Anders Sunesen(Lund)
Personal details
Born	c. 1128 nearSorø
Died	21 March 1201(1201-03-21)(aged 72–73) Sorø
Buried	Sorø Abbey

Absalon(c. 1128– 21 March 1201) was a Danish statesman and prelate of theCatholic Churchwho served as thebishop of Roskildefrom 1158 to 1192 andarchbishop of Lundfrom 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician andchurch fatherofDenmarkin the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of KingValdemar I of Denmark.He was a key figure in the Danish policies of territorial expansion in theBaltic Sea,Europeanizationin close relationship with theHoly See,and reform in the relation between the Church and the public. He combined the ideals ofGregorian Reformwith loyal support of a strong monarchical power.

Absalon was born into the powerfulHvideclan, and owned great land possessions. He endowed several church institutions, most prominently his family'sSorø Abbey.He was granted lands by the crown, and built the first fortification of the city that evolved into modern-dayCopenhagen.His titles were passed on to his nephewsAnders SunesenandPeder Sunesen.He died in 1201, and was interred at Sorø Abbey.

Early life

Absalon was born around 1128 nearSorø,Zealand.Due to his name being unusual in Denmark, it is speculated that he was baptized on the Danish "Absalon"name day,30 October.He was the son ofAsser Rig,amagnateof theHvideclan from Fjenneslev onZealand,andInger Eriksdotter.He was also a kinsman ofArchbishop Eskil of Lund.He grew up at the castle of his father, and was brought up alongside his older brotherEsbern Snareand the young prince Valdemar, who later became KingValdemar I of Denmark.During the civil war following the death ofEric III of Denmarkin 1146, Absalon travelled abroad to studytheologyinParis,while Esbern fought for Valdemar's ascension to the throne. In Paris, he was influenced by theGregorian Reformideals of churchly independence from monarchical rule.He also befriended the canonWilliam of Æbelholtat theAbbey of St Genevieve,whom he later made abbot ofEskilsø Abbey.

Absalon first appears inSaxo Grammaticus's contemporary chronicleGesta Danorumat the end of the civil war, in the brokering of the peace agreement betweenSweyn IIIand Valdemar at St. Alban's Priory inOdense.He was a guest at the subsequentRoskildebanquet given in 1157 by Sweyn for his rivalsCanute Vand Valdemar. Both Absalon and Valdemar narrowly escaped assassination by Sweyn on this occasion, and escaped toJutland,whither Sweyn followed them.Absalon probably did not take part in the followingbattle of Grathe Heathin 1157, where Sweyn was defeated and slain. This led to Valdemar ascending to the Danish throne. OnGood Friday1158, bishopAsser of Roskildedied, and Absalon was eventually electedbishop of Roskildeon Zealand with the help of Valdemar,as the king's reward forHvidefamily support.

Bishop and advisor

Absalon was a close counsellor of Valdemar, and chief promoter of the Danishcrusadesagainst theWends.During the Danish civil war, Denmark had been open to coastal raids by the Wends.It was Absalon's intention to clear theBaltic Seaof the Wendish pirates who inhabited its southernlittoral zone,which was later calledPomerania.The pirates had raided the Danish coasts during the civil war of Sweyn III, Canute V, and Valdemar, to the point where at the accession of Valdemar one-third of Denmark lay wasted and depopulated.Absalon formed a guardian fleet, built coastal defenses, and led several campaigns against the Wends.He even advocated forgiving the earlier enemies of Valdemar, which helped stabilize Denmark internally.

Wendish campaigns

Bishop Absalon topples the god Svantevit at Arkona, as imagined byLaurits Tuxen

The first expedition against theWendsconducted by Absalon in person, set out in 1160.These expeditions were successful, but brought no lasting victories.What started out as mere retribution, eventually evolved into full-fledged campaigns of expansion with religious motives.In 1164 began twenty years of crusades against the Wends, sometimes with the help of German dukeHenry the Lion,sometimes in opposition to him.

In 1168 the chief Wendish fortress atArkonainRügen,containing the sanctuary of their godSvantevit,was conquered.The Wends agreed to accept Danish suzerainty and theChristian religionat the same time. From Arkona, Absalon proceeded by sea toCharenza,in the midst of Rügen, the political capital of the Wends and an all but impregnable stronghold. But the unexpected fall of Arkona had terrified the garrison, which surrendered unconditionally at the first appearance of the Danish ships. Absalon, with onlyBishop Sweyn of Aarhusand twelve "housecarls",thereupon disembarked, passed between a double row of Wendish warriors, 6000 strong, along the narrow path winding among the morasses, to the gates of the fortress, and, proceeding to the temple of the seven-headed godRugievit,caused the idol to be hewn down, dragged forth and burnt. The whole population ofGarzwas then baptized, and Absalon laid the foundations of twelve churches in the isle of Rügen.Rügen was then subjected to Absalon's Bishopric of Roskilde.

One of Absalon's biggest victories, atJulin

The destruction of this chief sally-port of the Wendish pirates enabled Absalon to considerably reduce the Danish fleet. But he continued to keep a watchful eye over the Baltic, and in 1170 destroyed another pirate stronghold, farther eastward, atDziwnówon the isle ofWolin.Absalon's last military exploit came in 1184, offStralsundatWhitsun,when he soundly defeated a Pomeranian fleet that had attacked Denmark's vassal,Jaromar of Rügen.

Policies

Absalon's main political goal was to free Denmark from entanglements with theHoly Roman Empire.Absalon reformed the Danish church organisation to closer matchHoly Seepraxis,and worked to keep Denmark a close ally of the Holy See.However, during theschismbetweenPope Alexander IIIandAntipope Victor IV,Absalon stayed loyal to Valdemar even as he joined the Holy Roman EmperorFrederick Barbarossain supporting Victor IV.This caused a split within the Danish church, as it possibly forcedEskil of Lundinto exile around 1161,despite Abaslon's attempts to keep the Danish church united.It was contrary to Absalon's advice and warnings that Valdemar I renderedfealtyto the emperor Frederick Barbarossa atDolein 1162.When Valdemar returned to Denmark, he was convinced to strengthen theDanevirkefortifications at the German border, with the support of Absalon.

Absalon built churches and monasteries, supporting international religious orders like theCisterciansandAugustinians,founding schools and doing his utmost to promote civilization and enlightenment.In 1162, Absalon transformed theSorø Abbeyof his family fromBenedictineto Cistercian, granting it lands from his personal holdings. In 1167, Absalon was granted the land around the city of Havn (English: "Harbour" ), and built there a castle for coastal defense against the Wends.Havn quickly expanded into one ofScandinavia's most important centers of trade, and eventually evolved into modern-dayCopenhagen.It was also Absalon who held the first DanishSynodatLundin 1167.He was interested in history and culture, and commissionedSaxo Grammaticusto writeGesta Danorum,a comprehensive chronicle of the history of the Danes.In 1171, Absalon issued the "Zealand church law" (Danish:Sjællandske Kirkelov), which reduced the number ofCanonical Lawoffenses for which the church could fine the public, while instituting thetithepayment system. Violation of the law was specified as subject to a secular legal process.

Archbishop of Lund

Archbishop Eskil returned from exile in 1167. Eskil agreed oncanonizingValdemar's fatherKnud Lavardin 1170, with Absalon assisting him at the feast. When Eskil stepped down as Archbishop of Lund in 1177, he chose Absalon as his successor.Absalon initially resisted the new position, as he did not want to lose his power position on Zealand, but complied with Papal orders to do so in 1178.By a unique Papal dispensation, Absalon was allowed to simultaneously maintain his post as Bishop of Roskilde.As the Archbishop of Lund, Absalon utilizedombudsmenfrom Zealand, demandedunfree labourfrom thepeasantry,and instituted tithes.He was a harsh and effective ruler, who cleared allOrthodox Christianliturgicalremnants in favour of Papal standards.A rebellion in theScanianpeasantry forced him to flee to Zealand in 1180, but he returned and subdued the Scanians with the help of Valdemar.

Valdemar died in 1182 and was succeeded by his son,Canute VI,whom Absalon also served as counsellor.Under Canute VI, Absalon was the chief policymaker in Danish politics.Absalon kept his hostile attitude to the Holy Roman Empire. On the accession of Canute VI in 1182, an imperial ambassador arrived at Roskilde to get the new king to swear fealty to Frederick Barbarossa, but Absalon resolutely withstood him.

Death

When Absalon retired from military service in 1184 at the age of fifty-seven, he resigned the command of fleets and armies to younger men, like Duke Valdemar, the later kingValdemar II.He instead confined himself to the administration of the Danish empire.In 1192, Absalon made his nephewPeder Sunesenhis successor as Bishop of Roskilde, while his other nephewAnders Sunesenwas named thechancellorof Canute VI.Absalon died at Sorø Abbey on 21 March 1201, 73 years old, with his last will granting his personal holdings to the Abbey, apart from Fjenneslev which went to Esbern Snarre. He had already given Copenhagen to the Bishopric of Roskilde.Absalon was interred atSorø Abbey,and was succeeded as Archbishop of Lund by Anders Sunesen.

Legacy

Equestrian statue from 1902commemorating Absalon onHøjbro Plads,Copenhagen

Saxo Grammaticus'Gesta Danorumwas not finished until after the death of Absalon,but Absalon was one of the chief heroic figures of the chronicle, which was to be the main source of knowledge about early Danish history.Absalon left a legacy as the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the 12th century.Absalon was equally great as churchman, statesman, and warrior. His policy of expansion was to give Denmark the dominion of the Baltic for three generations. That he enjoyed warfare there can be no doubt; yet he was not like the ordinary fighting bishops of theMiddle Ages,whose sole indication of their religious role was to avoid theshedding of bloodby using amacein battle instead of a sword. Absalon never neglected his ecclesiastical duties.

In the 2000s, "Absalon" was adopted as the name for a class ofRoyal Danish Navyvessels, and the lead vessel of the class.HDMS Absalon (L16)andEsbern Snare(L17) were launched and commissioned byDenmarkin 2004 and 2005.

Further reading

• Saxo,Gesta Danorum,ed. Holder (Strassburg, 1886), books xvi.
• Steenstrup,Danmarks Riges Historie. Oldtiden og den ældre Middelalder,pp. 570–735 (Copenhagen, 1897–1905).
• Absalon'sTestamentum,inMigne,Patrologia Latina209,18.

External links

• "Axel".New International Encyclopedia.1905.
• "Absalon".The American Cyclopædia.1879.