Kol of Svealand (The Kalmar Union)

The last King of Svealand from the Sverker Dynasty, Kol is completely overshadowed in the annuls by his great rival, and brother-in-law, Cnut I Eriksson.

Travelling to Svealand alongside his elder brother Burislev† in around 1160 Kol is generally ignored in the sources until his brother was killed by the pretender Cnut Eriksson, son of Eric VI. Assuming the throne with support from various parties Kol drove Cnut out of the kingdom, securing his own rule.

Not much else is known about the king. There is no mention of a wife or children or his deeds, but it seems likely he continued his brother's policies of strengthening the coastline against attack.

Cnut returned from exile in Denmark however in 1173 and traditionally the two contenders are said to have met in battle at Bjälbo where Kol was killed. Cnut would henceforth be accepted as King of Svealand by the majority of the Svealandic nobility.

† Danish sources say that Burislev and Kol were Karl I's nephews, possibly the sons of his deceased elder brother John. However both kings were referred to as Sverkersson in the Upplandlagen so it is assumed they were Sverker's direct sons, probably with his Polish queen, Richeza.