House of Bjelbo

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  Swedish Royalty
  House of Bjelbo
COA family sv Magnus Ladulås.svg

   Birger Jarl, Ingeborg
   Prince Eric, Princess Ingeborg, Prince Eric, Princess Marina, Princess Rikissa, Princess Catherine, Princess Margaret
Magnus III
   Princess Ingeborg, Birger, Prince Eric, Prince Valdemar, Princess Rikissa
   Prince Magnus, Prince Eric, Princess Agnes, Princess Catherine
Magnus IV
   Eric XII, Haakon VI
Eric XII
Haakon VI
   King Olav IV

The House of Bjelbo (Swedish: Bjälboätten), also known as the House of Folkung (Folkungaätten), was an Ostrogothian Swedish family that provided for several medieval Swedish bishops, jarls and kings.[1] It also provided three kings of Norway, and one king of Denmark in the 14th century.

Name and origin[edit]

The house has been known as the "House of Folkung" since the 17th century, and this name is still the most commonly used in Swedish works of reference. This name is probably derived from the oldest known member of the family who is certain to have existed, i.e. Folke who lived about the year 1100, or their legendary forefather Folke Filbyter who lived in pagan times.[2] In an effort to avoid confusion with the Folkunge Party some modern historians have argued that "House of Bjälbo" would be a better name because Birger Jarl lived there and it is the family's oldest known manor. Bjälbo is located in Östergötland, outside of Skänninge in the present-day commune of Mjölby. In any way the members of this dynasty never used a name to refer to themselves since family names were not widely adopted in Sweden until the 16th century, thus there is no "correct name" of the dynasty which would have precedence over the other. [3]

Jarls and bishops[edit]

The House of Bjelbo produced most of the jarls in Sweden in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries until the title was abolished in 1266. Different branches of the family were often rivals for the office of jarl. Most of the kings during that time were also from Östergötland.

Around 1100, Folke the Fat became the first known Bjelbo jarl, and probably the first jarl of all Sweden, under king Inge I of Sweden. He was married to a daughter of king Canute IV of Denmark. According to legends, he was the first of his family so elevated. Nothing is known of any of Folke's collateral relatives, though it is well-established that several of his sons' descendants were important lords.

Other notable jarls from the family were Birger Brosa, Charles the Deaf, Ulf Fase, and Birger jarl. In the early 13th century, some members of the family moved to Norway, and held the office of jarl there. Noteworthy is that regardless of the ruling royal family, Bjelbos continued to hold the position of the jarl in the kingdom.

Several members of the family were also Bishops of Linköping at least in the 13th century. Diocese covered the area of Östergötland. Bishop of Linköping was often involved in the eastern activities.

Rise to royalty[edit]

Valdemar, a son of Birger jarl, was elected as the King of Sweden in 1250. House of Bjelbo had gradually married to all rival royal dynasties in Sweden eventually producing an heir related to them all. When the previous king Eric had died without an heir apparent, his sister's son, and also Birger's son, was the most suitable option to hold the royal office.

Members of the house reigned as kings Sweden until 1364. From 1319 to 1387, they were also kings of Norway. Almost all subsequent monarchs of Sweden, Norway and Denmark trace cognatic descent from the House of Bjelbo.

Unclarities in genealogy[edit]

Particularly, several persons conventionally assigned as sons and grandsons to Benedict Snivel, son of Folke the Fat, may actually be related to him in a different way. Conventional assignations stretch two generations to cover a hundred years, which is probably not realistic, and three generations over 150 years.

See also[edit]


This article is fully or partially based on material from Nordisk familjebok (1908).

Other sources[edit]

  • Lindkvist, Thomas with Maria Sjöberg (2006) Det svenska samhället 800-1720. Klerkernas och adelns tid, Andra upplagan (Lund: Studentlitteratur) ISBN 91-44-01181-4
  • Starbäck, Georg; P.O. Bäckström (1885–1886) Berättelser ur svenska historien (Stockholm: F. & G. Beijers Förlag)


House of Bjelbo
Preceded by
House of Eric
Ruling House of the Kingdom of Sweden
Succeeded by
House of Mecklenburg
Preceded by
Sverre dynasty
Ruling House of the Kingdom of Norway
Succeeded by
House of Estridsen
Preceded by
House of Estridsen
Ruling House of the Kingdom of Denmark