Portal:Denmark/Selected biography/2006/46



Absalon (c. 1128–March 21, 1201) was a Danish archbishop and statesman. He was the son of Asser Rig (Asser the Rich) of Fjenneslev on Zealand, at whose castle he and his brother Esbjørn were brought up along with the young prince Valdemar, the later King Valdemar I.

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 by their treacherous host, but managed to escape to Jutland. They were followed by Sweyn, who was defeated and slain at the battle of Grathe Heath.

In 1158, Valdemar ascended the Danish throne and Absalon was 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.

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