Statue of Absalon in Copenhagen

Absalon (c. 1128–March 21, 1201) was a Danish archbishop and statesman. He was the son of Asser Rig (Asser the Rich) of Fjenneslev (Zealand), at whose castle he and his brother Esbjørn (Esbern) were brought up along with the young prince Valdemar, afterwards King Valdemar I. Image File history File links Copenhagen_statue_of_Absalon. ... Image File history File links Copenhagen_statue_of_Absalon. ... Events Pope Honorius II recognizes and confirms the Order of the Knights Templar. ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... // Events The town of Riga was chartered as a city. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... Zealand (Danish: Sjælland ) is the largest island of Denmark. ... Valdemar I the Great (1131-1182) was King of Denmark from 1157 until 1182. ...

The family were as pious and enlightened as they were rich. They founded the monastery of Sorø as a civilizing centre, and after giving Absalon the rudiments of a sound education at home, which included not only book-lore but every manly and martial exercise, they sent him to the schools of Paris. Absalon first appears in Saxo's Chronicle as a fellow-guest at Roskilde, at the banquet given, in 1157, by King Sweyn to his rivals Canute and Valdemar. Both Absalon and Valdemar narrowly escaped assassination at the hands of their treacherous host on this occasion, but at length escaped to Jutland, whither Sweyn followed them, but was defeated and slain at the battle of Grathe Heath. Sorø is a city in east Denmark, located in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... Saxo, etching by the Danish-Norwegian illustrator Louis Moe (1857 – 1945) Saxo Grammaticus (estimated. ... Location West face of the Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. ... Events Births September 8 - King Richard I of England (died 1199) Leopold V of Austria (died 1194) Hojo Masako, wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo (died 1225) Deaths August 21 - King Alfonso VII of Castile (born 1105) Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Leopold III of Austria Sweyn III of Denmark Yury... Jutland Peninsula Jutland (Danish: Jylland; German: Jütland; Frisian Jutlân; Low German Jötlann) is a peninsula in northern Europe that forms the only non-insular part of Denmark and also the northernmost part of Germany, dividing the North Sea from the Baltic Sea. ... Combatants forces of Valdemar I forces of Sweyn III Commanders Valdemar I Sweyn III Strength Casualties Sweyn III {{{notes}}} The Battle of Grathe Heath was fought in 1157 between the Danish armies of Valdemar I and his rival Sweyn III. Valdemars forces won the battle, and Sweyn III was...

Absalon's gravestone in the monestary church in Sorø

The same year (1158) which saw Valdemar ascend the Danish throne saw Absalon elected bishop of Roskilde. Henceforth Absalon was the chief counsellor of Valdemar, and the promoter of that imperial policy which, for three generations, was to give Denmark the dominion of the Baltic. Briefly, it was Absalon's intention to clear the northern sea of the Wendish pirates, who inhabited that portion of the Baltic littoral which was later called Pomerania, and ravaged the Danish coasts so unmercifully that at the accession of Valdemar one-third of the realm of Denmark lay wasted and depopulated. The very existence of Denmark demanded the suppression and conversion of these stiff-necked pagan freebooters, and to this double task Absalon devoted the best part of his life. Image File history File linksMetadata Absalons_ligsten. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Absalons_ligsten. ... Sorø is a city in east Denmark, located in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand. ... Location West face of the Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ... Coat of arms of the Duchy of Pommerania Historic Pomerania (outlined in yellow) on the background of modern country borders. ...

The first expedition against the Wends, conducted by Absalon in person, set out in 1160, but it was not till 1168 that the chief Wendish fortress, at Arkona in Rügen, containing the sanctuary of their god Svantovit, was surrendered, the Wends agreeing to accept Danish suzerainty and the Christian religion at the same time. From Arkona Absalon proceeded by sea to Garz, in south Rügen, the political capital of the Wends, and an all but impregnable stronghold. But the unexpected fall of Arkona had terrified the garrison, which surrendered unconditionally at the first appearance of the Danish ships. Absalon, with only Sweyn, bishop of Aarhus, and twelve "house carls," thereupon disembarked, passed between a double row of Wendish warriors, 6000 strong, along the narrow path winding among the morasses, to the gates of the fortress, and, proceeding to the temple of the seven-headed god Rugievit, caused the idol to be hewn down, dragged forth and burnt. The whole population of Garz was then baptized, and Absalon laid the foundations of twelve churches in the isle of Rügen. The destruction of this chief sally-port of the Wendish pirates enabled Absalon considerably to reduce the Danish fleet. But he continued to keep a watchful eye over the Baltic, and in 1170 destroyed another pirate stronghold, farther eastward, at Dievenow on the isle of Wolin. Wends (German: Wenden, Latin: Venedi) is the English name for some Slavic people from north-central Europe particularly the Sorbs living in modern-day Germany. ... Events Eric IX of Sweden is succeeded by Karl Sverkersson. ... // Events December 22 - Afraid that Old Cairo would be captured by the Crusaders, its Caliph orders the city set afire. ... Cape Arkona is a cape on the island of Rügen in Germany. ... Map of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania highlighting the district Rügen Rügen (Polish: Rugia) is an island located off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the Baltic Sea. ... Świętowit (also Swantewit and, incorrectly, Światowit) is the Polabian deity of war, fertility and abundance. ... Aarhus ( ) also commonly known by its contemporary Danish spelling Ã…rhus, is the second largest city and the principal port of Denmark situated on the peninsula of Jutland on the northern shore of Germany. ... Rugiewit is a Slavic deity, a local personification of an all-Slavic god of war Perun worshipped in all areas where the Slavic mythology was present. ... Events December 29: Assassination of Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, in Canterbury cathedral City of Dublin captured by the Normans According to folklore, the Welsh prince Madoc sailed to North America and founded a colony. ... Wolin is the name shared by an island located in the Baltic Sea located just off the Polish coast, and a town located on the island. ...

Absalon's last military exploit was the annihilation, off Strela (Stralsund), on Whit-Sunday 1184, of a Pomeranian fleet which had attacked Denmark's vassal, Jaromir of Rügen. He was now but fifty-seven, but his strenuous life had aged him, and he was content to resign the command of fleets and armies to younger men, like Duke Valdemar, afterwards King Valdemar II, and to confine himself to the administration of the empire which his genius had created. Stralsund is a city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. ... // Events Abbeville receives its commercial charter. ... Valdemar II (1170–1241), called Valdemar the Conqueror or Valdemar the Victorious, was the King of Denmark from 1202 until 1241. ...

In this sphere Absalon proved himself equally great. The aim of his policy was to free Denmark from the German yoke. It was contrary to his advice and warnings that Valdemar I rendered fealty to the emperor Frederick Barbarossa at Dole in 1162; and when, on the accession of Canute V in 1182, an imperial ambassador arrived at Roskilde to receive the homage of the new king, Absalon resolutely withstood him. "Return to the emperor," cried he, "and tell him that the king of Denmark will in no wise show him obedience or do him homage." Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century Chronicle. ... Events June 3 - Thomas Becket consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Canute V of Denmark (Knud V Magnusson) 11XX - August 9, 1157, Danish king, co-regent with Sweyn III and Valdemar I between 1146 and 1157. ... Events Canute VI crowned king of Denmark. ... Location West face of the Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. ...

As the archpastor of Denmark Absalon also rendered his country inestimable services, building churches and monasteries, supporting international religious orders like the Cistercians and Augustinians, founding schools and doing his utmost to promote civilization and enlightenment. It was he who held the first Danish Synod at Lund in 1167. In 1178 he became archbishop of Lund, but very unwillingly, only the threat of excommunication from the holy see finally inducing him to accept the pallium. Absalon died in 1201 at the family monastery of Sorø, which he himself had richly embellished and endowed. Cistercians coat of arms The Order of Cistercians (OCist) (Latin Cistercenses), otherwise Gimey or White Monks (from the colour of the habit, over which is worn a black scapular or apron) are a Catholic order of monks. ... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ...   IPA: is a city in SkÃ¥ne in southern Sweden. ... Events Taira no Kiyomori becomes the first samurai to be appointed Daijo Daijin, chief minister of the government of Japan Peter of Blois becomes the tutor of William II of Sicily Absalon, archbishop of Denmark, leads the first Danish synod at Lund Absalon fortifies Copenhagen William Marshal, the greatest knight... Events June 18 - Five Canterbury monks see what was possibly the Giordano Bruno crater being formed The Sung Document written detailing the discovery of Mu-Lan-Pi (suggested by some to be California) by Muslim sailors The Chronicle of Gervase of Canterbury written The Leaning Tower of Pisa begins to...   IPA: is a city in SkÃ¥ne in southern Sweden. ... // Events The town of Riga was chartered as a city. ...

Absalon remains one of the most striking and picturesque figures of the Middle Ages, and was equally great as churchman, statesman and warrior. That he enjoyed warfare there can be no doubt; and his splendid physique and early training had well fitted him for martial exercises. He was the best rider in the army and the best swimmer in the fleet. Yet he was not like the ordinary fighting bishops of the Middle Ages, whose sole concession to their sacred calling was to avoid the "shedding of blood" by using a mace in battle instead of a sword. Absalon never neglected his ecclesiastical duties, and even his wars were of the nature of Crusades. Moreover, all his martial energy notwithstanding, his personality must have been singularly winning; for it is said of him that he left behind not a single enemy, all his opponents having long since been converted by him into friends. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

See Saxo, Gesta Danorum, ed. Holder (Strassburg, 1886), books xvi.; Steenstrup, Danmarks Riges Historie. Oldtiden og den ældre Middelalder, pp. 570-735 (Copenhagen, 1897-1905). Bishop Asgar, etching by the Danish-Norwegian illustrator Louis Moe (1857—1945) Gesta Danorum (Deeds of the Danes) is a work of Danish history, by 12th century author Saxo Grammaticus (Saxo the Grammarian). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark. ...

Absalon's Testamentum, in Migne, Patrologia Latina 209,18. Jacques Paul Migne (25 October 1800 - 25 October 1875) was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers. ... The Patrologia Latina is an enormous work published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865. ...

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

oitjeopiuj Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...