Abel of Denmark (1218 – June 29, 1252) was Duke of Schleswig from 1232 to 1252 and King of Denmark from 1250 until his death in 1252. Abel's reign was the shortest of any Danish monarch. He was the son of Valdemar II by his wife, Princess Berengária of Portugal, and brother to Eric IV and Christopher I. ^[1] // Events Damietta is besieged by the knights of the Fifth Crusade. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... The region of Schleswig (former English name: Sleswick, Danish: Sønderjylland or Slesvig, Low German: Sleswig, North Frisian: Slaswik or Sleesweg) covers the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark. ... // Canonization of Saint Anthony of Padua, patron of lost items Pope Gregory IX driven from Rome by a revolt, taking refuge at Anagni First edition of Tripitaka Koreana destroyed by Mongol invaders Battle of Agridi 15 June 1232 Arnolfo di Cambio, Florentine architect (died 1310) Manfred of Sicily (approximate date... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... // April 30 - King Louis IX of France released by his Egyptian captors after paying a ransom of one million dinars and turning over the city of Damietta. ... Valdemar II (1170–1241), called Valdemar the Conqueror or Valdemar the Victorious, was the King of Denmark from 1202 until 1241. ... Infanta Berengária of Portugal (pron. ... Eric IV (1216-August 9, 1250), also known as Plovpenning, was king of Denmark from 1241 until his death. ... Christopher I (1219-May 29, 1259) was king of Denmark between 1252 and 1259. ...

Duke Abel fought against his brother, King Erik Ploughpenny, trying to gain independence for the Duchy of Southern Jutland. He raided north as far as Randers ravaging Erik's supporters and then moved into Funen. Erik struck back a year later surprising Abel's garrison at Schleswig, forcing Abel's young daughter to flee "without so much as a pair of shoes for her feet." Abel's sister Sofie brokered a truce between Duke Abel and King Erik that held until 1252 when Erik was murdered while a guest at Duke Abel's residence at Schleswig. The murder was blamed on Abel's chamberlain and a fierce enemy of King Erik, Lave Gudmundsen, but everyone believed that the murder was instigated by Abel.

Abel was proclaimed King of Denmark at the Viborg Assembly (Danish:landsting) on November 1, 1250, after the death of his brother Eric IV. Eric IV was slain by Abel's chamberlain and Lave Gudmundsen and others after a long conflict between the two brothers. The king's headless body dumped into the Schlien. Even though Abel and twenty-four noblemen swore an official oath ("dual dozen's oath", in (Danish "dobbelt tylvter-ed") that the Duke had no part in the killing, it was widely believed that King Eric was murdered at his brother's bidding. "Abel by name, Cain by his deeds" (Danish, "Abel af navn, Kain af gavn"), or so people said. is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // April 30 - King Louis IX of France released by his Egyptian captors after paying a ransom of one million dinars and turning over the city of Damietta. ... In the Book of Genesis, Abel (Hebrew הֶבֶל / הָבֶל, Standard Hebrew Hével / Hável, Tiberian Hebrew Héḇel / Hāḇel; Arabic هابيل Hābīl) was the second son of Adam. ... In stories common to the Abrahamic religions, Cain or Káyin (קַיִן / קָיִן spear Standard Hebrew Qáyin, Tiberian Hebrew Qáyin / Qāyin; Arabic قايين Qāyīn in the Arabic Bible; قابيل Qābīl in Islam) is the eldest son of Adam and Eve, and the first man born in creation...

Abel and Queen Mechtildis of Holstein only ruled for a year and a half, however. King Abel received word that the peasants in Frisia led by Sicko Sjaerdema, refused to pay the tax levy. Abel raised an army to punish them. He was killed by a wheelwright named Henner on Husum Bridge near Ejdersted on 29 June 1252. Most people at the time viewed Abel's sudden death as God's judgment on him for the murder of his brother. As the Abel's body lay in Schleswig Cathedral, the monks heard strange sounds in the church at night. They said they were too afraid to go into the church after that. They believed that Abel's unholy ghost walked abroad at night. Consequently, the kings body was taken outside the church and stuffed into a soggy grave near Gottorp Castle outside Schleswig. Someone rammed a wooden stake through Abel's chest to make sure he remained in his grave. It was said long after that the king's ghost found no peace and from time time reports of "Abel's wild hunt" where a black faced man on a white horse and glowing hounds hunted across the moors and forest of Schleswig.^[2]

Abel's half-grown son Valdemar was held for ransom by the Archbishop of Cologne at the time, and so Abel's youngest brother Christopher I, was crowned King on Christmas Day 1252 in Lund Cathedral. Christopher I (1219-May 29, 1259) was king of Denmark between 1252 and 1259. ...

Queen Dowager Mechthildis married in 1261 Birger Jarl of Sweden. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Abel's descendants - the "Abel Family" - ruled South Jutland until 1375, often in co-operation with their relatives in Holstein, and they created a permanent problem for the Danish government. Their rule meant the eventual separation of Frisia, Holstein, and most of Schleswig from the rest of Denmark. Events October 24 - Valdemar IV of Denmark dies and is succeeded by his grandson Olaf III of Denmark. ... Holstein (Hol-shtayn) (Low German: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) is the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, between the rivers Elbe and Eider. ...

References

1. ^ Hartley, Mick. The Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. 27 Sep. 2007. 14 Feb. 2008 http://mickhartley.typepad.com/blog/2007/09/the-duke-of-sch.html.
2. ^ Hvitfeldt, Arild. Danmarks Riges Krønike