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King Abel

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	King Abel 1218 - 1252 King 1250 - 1252 .
Danish Kings, from Gorm the Old to the present Queen Margrethe 2nd
.. . . .. Map of Denmark . .

Already before the rumour that Abel had taken part in the murder of king Erik Plovpenning, he had come into possession of the crown.
He imprisoned some of Eriks faithful men, and hastened to Viborg Landsting (court) and was there elected king. And later that year (1^st November) he and Mechtilde was crowned in Lunds Cathedral.
Abel disclaimed all responsibility in Eriks death, but Eriks murderer were not punished, but kept their heigh positions in Abels castle.
As king, Abel turned out to be a forceful and skilful ruler, and of all the brothers the one, who had inherited the most of their fathers talents.
Abel tryed to drag the kingdom into the rising trading by promoting the German tradesmens connections to Denmark. Lybæk had confirmed their old rights, and also Hamborg and the new towns Rostok and Vismar got trading rights, just like trading agreements were concluded with the Dutch towns.
In the summer of 1252 king Abel left for the Friser together with his army. What the conflict was about is not known, but probably it has been about the taxes. He was unlucky, and on Husum Bridge he was killed.
Queen Mechtilde.
In Ryd Årbogen she is called Daughter of the Devil and in Jutlands History Book about 1300 tells, that the connection between Abel and Mechtilde caused much misery in Denmark.
King Abel was son of Valdemar Sejr and queen Berengaria.
In 1237 married to Mechtilde of Holsten, daughter of Adolf 4^th of Holdten and Helvig of Lippe.
Abel and Mechtilde had the children:
Valdemar, 1238-57, duke of South Jutland.
Erik, 1240-72, married to Margrete, daughter of prince Jaromar of Rügen
Abel, 1252-79.