November 11 in Swedish History
1276: Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel at Kalmar Castle on November 11 in 1276, as King Magnus Ladulås (1240-1290) marries Helvig of Holstein (1260-1324).
Magnus Ladulås, who also sometimes goes under the name Magnus Birgersson, was the son of Birger jarl and Ingeborg Eriksdotter. He got his name ”ladulås” (barn lock) either from a 1279 decree freeing the yeomanry from the duty to provide sustenance for travelling nobles and bishops (”Peasants! Lock your barns!”), but it may also have been a corruption of the name Ladislaus, which might have been Magnus’ middle name, referring to his Slavic heritage. He was said to be ”somewhat black and thin”.
Magnus Ladulås was crowned in Gamla Uppsala church. He reigned for 15 years and 149 days (July 22, 1275 to December 18, 1290). Helvig, his wife, was the daughter of Count Gerhard I of Holstein and Elisabet of Mecklenburg. By marrying Magnus, she became queen of Sweden. In 1281 she was crowned queen in Söderköping, the first royal spouse to be crowned in Sweden. Though she outlived her husband, the two female bodies in Magnus’ burial chamber in Stockholm's Riddarholmen Church are thought to be that of Helvig and her and Magnus’ daughter Rikissa.