Background
Rikissa Birgersdotter was born as one of the eldest children in the marriage of lord Birger Magnusson of Bjelbo, later riksjarl and regent of Sweden, and Princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden, eldest sibling of king Eric XI of Sweden.
Rikissa Birgersdotter was born as one of the eldest children in the marriage of lord Birger Magnusson of Bjelbo, later riksjarl and regent of Sweden, and Princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden, eldest sibling of king Eric XI of Sweden.
Rikissa"s parentage is historically well attested, contrary to that of her supposed younger sisters. Jarl Birger"s policy included efforts to keep the peace between Scandinavia"s three kingdoms and to strengthen his own already powerful family"s in fluence. In 1251, Rikissa was married to the heir of Norway, Haakon Haakonson (1232–1257), titular king of Norway and co-ruler along his father king Haakon IV of Norway.
Haakon and Rikissa had one son, Sverre, who died young (1252–1261).
In 1262, the Dowager Queen of Norway was married to Henry of Mecklenburg, Prince of Werle, (d 1291). Henry II of Werle (died 1308)
Nicholas of Werle-Güstrow (died 1298)
Rixa of Werle (died 1312) married Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Göttingen
Chronica principum Saxonie mentions Rikissa as Daughter of King of Sweden (filia regis Suecie), which title has caused consternation among later researchers.
This has been explained by suggesting that:
during king Valdemar"s minority, the all-powerful regent looked like a king to the writer of that chronicle
Rikissa was the granddaughter of a king Eric X of Sweden
the term in the chronicle just refers to "Royal Family of Sweden".