Hildegard of Viken (The Kalmar Union)

An illegitimate child of Cnut III Hildegard had been married off to the Danish vassal, Jaromar, Prince of Rugia, to help secure an alliance with the recently Christianised island.

On the death of her half-brother Niels II Hildegard was the last surviving child of Cnut III. Viken had spent much of the previous decade in dire straits, suffering civil war and invasion from Hordaland. Faced with another potential utterly crippling crisis the nobles needed decisive action. In a bid therefore to nip any trouble in the bud they quickly offered Hildegard the throne.

Her reign did not last long however. The nobles quickly tired of Jaromar's occasional interference and demands for taxes to help him meet his feudal duties to Denmark, and old fault lines were opening up. In 1188 under pressure Hildegard was coerced into relinquishing the throne in favour of her eldest son, the 8 year old Wizlaw. Hildegard returned to Rugia leaving Wizlaw in the hands of regents who could negotiate the minefield of Vikene politics with more ease.

Hildegard would live for another twenty years, seeing her sons Wizlaw I and Barnuta confidently take the reigns of their respective realms.