11 Facts About Margaret Sambiria

Margaret Sambiria was Queen of Denmark by marriage to King Christopher I, and regent during the minority of her son, King Eric V from 1259 until 1264.

Margaret Sambiria is the first woman confirmed to have formally ruled as regent of Denmark.

Margaret Sambiria had a Danish connection from her maternal grandparents Henry Borwin II, Lord of Mecklenburg and Lady Kristina from Scania, who was reportedly a daughter of the Danish magnate Galen clan from Eastern Denmark, and related to the Hvide clan of Zealand.

Margaret Sambiria received her first name, then yet relatively rare in North Germany and Poland, in honor of her maternal Scandinavian relations, where the name Margaret Sambiria came in the late 11th century with the family of Inge I of Sweden, presumably of her aunt, the countess of Schwerin, and her great-aunt, the Princess of Rugia.

Regent Margaret Sambiria was faced with the unresolved conflict between the crown and the archbishop Jakob Erlandsen.

Margaret Sambiria was forced to release the archbishop to consolidate her position as regent, but resolved the conflict of power between the church and the crown by banishing the archbishop from the kingdom: the question of the church's autonomy from the Danish crown was not settled until some years after her son's maturity, but Margaret continued to negotiate with the Pope until she solved the matter, even after her mandate as regent was terminated.

Margaret Sambiria was faced with having to protect her son's right to the throne against the claims of the sons of her brother-in-law Abel of Denmark, whose claims to the throne was raised by Abel's widow Matilda of Holstein, as well as given the responsibility of the four daughters of her other brother-in-law Eric IV of Denmark, Sophia, Ingeborg, Jutta and Agnes.

Margaret Sambiria was not able to prevent the marriage alliances between Abel's widow Matilda of Holstein and Birger Jarl, or Eric IV's daughters Sophia and Ingeborg to the kings of Norway and Sweden, but she was able to prevent Eric IV's remaining daughters Jutta and Agnes from similar marriage alliances by placing them in the convent St Agnes' Priory, Roskilde.

In 1263, Margaret Sambiria successfully wrote to Pope Urban IV, asking him to allow women to inherit the Danish throne, in a final effort to prevent the claims of the Abel-fraction on the Danish throne.

Margaret Sambiria continued to play a role in Danish politics and kept an interest and certain influence over Danish state affairs.

Margaret Sambiria actively settled the affairs of Estonia from her residence in Denmark until her death.