Valdemar IV Atterdag Christoffersen, King of Denmark

• Son of Christopher II, King of Denmark and Euphemia of Pomerania, Queen Of Denmark
• Valdemar was raised by the German Emperor Ludwig of Bavaria from 1326-38. In 1938 he to his brother-in-law, Margrave Ludwig of Brandenburg, a son of the Emperor. Valdemar IV was installed as king in 1340 by agreement with the Holstein mortgagees. With the help of tax collections, patient negotiation, armed intervention and the sale of Estonia for 19,000 marks of silver in 1346, he succeeded in reuniting Denmark
• Denmark. Valdemar 4. Atterdag arms in Gelre's arms book 1370-86. A dannebrog plume is stuck through a fan of peacock feathers on one of the helmet's ermine-covered ship's horns. It is the oldest known colored depiction of the Danish flag. Valdemar Atterdag was probably also the first Danish king to use Dannebrog. Because of his relationship with the emperor, he became aware of the red banner of the Holy Roman Empire with a white cross; it had developed shortly before 1200 from the kingdom's originally all-red flag, in which the emperor put a white cross when he went on crusade.

SDHK no: 7825

• Dating: 1360 August 10
• Place of issue: In front of Helsingborg Castle

Content

King Valdemar of Denmark announces that he and his heirs have entered into an alliance with Duke Albrekts of Mecklenburg and his heirs. In the alliance, on King Valdemar's side, his son Kristofer, Duke of Lolland, and "uncle" Duke Erik of Saxony(-Lauenburg) and on Duke Albrekt's side the sons Henrik, Albrekt and Magnus, Dukes of Mecklenburg, are admitted. Other named princes, including all the counts of Holstein, are also offered the opportunity to join. (...). It is decided that King Valdemar and Duke Kristofer shall assist Duke Albrekt and his sons in obtaining satisfactory compensation from the King and Kingdom of Sweden for alleged losses. The duke and his sons shall, for their part, help King Valdemar and his son Kristofer in their complaints against the Swedish king and the kingdom of Sweden. (...). See also DS no. 6333.

The issuer and duke Kristofer and the pledges seal.

• Source: Original: Or. perg., Mecklenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv, Schwerin, Printed: ST II, ​​no. 349 , Mekl. UB no. 8775 , DD III:5, no. 352 , DS 6333. Reg. Dan. Looks. II, No. *2377. Literature and Commentary, see DS no. 6333

Denmark. Valdemar 4. Atterdag Arms in Gelre's Arms Book 1370-86

In a Dutch book of arms (Gelre) that was created after 1370, a red banner with a white cross is seen as part of the helmet sign on Valdemar 4 's coat of arms . It is the oldest known colored reproduction of the Dannebrog. In another Dutch coat of arms (Bellenville), where the oldest coats of arms seem to date back to the years between 1330 and 1340, the Danish royal coat of arms shows a shield with a cross and the word Dannebrog; the background color of the shield is indicated by a letter as red. The oldest known Dannebrog must be linked to Valdemar 4. , who was king 1340-75.

Since the middle of the 12th century, the German emperor had used an all-red banner. When he went on crusade , a white cross was put in it. From the end of the 13th century, the imperial red-white cross flag can be considered the permanent German flag, which it still was in the 15th century. In the Middle Ages , you could meet a red weapon with a white cross in several places in the outskirts of the Holy Kingdom , and they relate in some way to the German emperor. An example is the coat of arms of Savoy and corresponding banner , reflecting a close political relationship between the Emperor and the Count of Savoy. Before Valdemar 4.became king, he was attached to the emperor and his son, the Margrave of Brandenburg . They had a decisive influence on the negotiations that in 1340 led to Valdemar being recognized as king of Denmark. He had good reason to nurture his relationship with the imperial power. By adopting the same red banner with a white cross that the emperor used, he could send a political signal to those to whom the Danish kingdom was pledged, and other German princes and the Hanseatic States .

The legend of Dannebrog

Links:

• The Peerage
• Geneall
• Wikipedia
• Kings of Denmark
• Danmarkshistorien In Danish
• King of Denmark: Reign 21 June 1340 – 24 October 1375 (35 years, 125 days)

Predecessor: Christopher II Successor: Olaf II

• http://www.danskskaanskforening.dk/art_atterdag.htm
• http://www.danmarkskonger.dk/konge29.htm

Valdemar blev opdraget hos den tyske kejser Ludwig af Bayern fra 1326-38. I 1938 han til sin svoger, markgreve Ludwig af Brandenburg, en søn af kejseren. Valdemar IV blev i 1340 indsat som konge efter aftale med de holstenske panthavere. Ved hjælp af skatteopkrævninger, tålmodig forhandlingsvilje, væbnede indgreb og salg af Estland for 19.000 mark sølv i 1346, lykkedes det ham atter at samle Danmark.

http://www.danskskaanskforening.dk/art_atterdag.htm

http://www.danmarkskonger.dk/konge29.htm

http://www.danmarkskonger.dk/konge29.htm

I en nederlandsk våbenbog (Gelre), der er blevet til efter 1370, ses en rød fane med hvidt kors som en del af hjelmtegnet på Valdemar 4.s våben. Det er den ældste farvelagte gengivelse af Dannebrog, der kendes. I en anden nederlandsk våbenbog (Bellenville), hvor de ældste våbener synes at kunne henføres til årene mellem 1330 og 1340, ses ved det danske kongevåben et skjold med et kors og ordet Dannebrog; skjoldets baggrundsfarve er med et bogstav angivet som rød. Det ældste kendte Dannebrog må knyttes til Valdemar 4., der var konge 1340-75.

Siden midten af 1100-tallet havde den tyske kejser brugt en helt rød fane. Når han drog på korstog, blev der sat et hvidt kors i den. Den kejserlige rød-hvide korsfane kan fra slutningen af 1200-tallet betragtes som permanent tysk rigsfane, hvilket den endnu var i 1400-tallet. I middelalderen kunne man møde et rødt våben med et hvidt kors flere steder i Det Hellige Riges yderområder, og de relaterer sig på en eller anden måde til den tyske kejser. Et eksempel er Savoyens våben og tilsvarende fane, der afspejler et nært politisk forhold mellem kejseren og greven af Savoyen. Inden Valdemar 4. blev konge, var han knyttet til kejseren og hans søn, markgreven af Brandenburg. De fik afgørende indflydelse på de forhandlinger, der i 1340 førte til, at Valdemar blev anerkendt som konge af Danmark. Han havde god grund til at pleje sit forhold til kejsermagten. Ved at antage samme røde fane med hvidt kors, som kejseren anvendte, kunne han sende et politisk signal til dem, det danske rige var pantsat til, og andre tyske fyrster og hansestæderne.

https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/Dannebrog

Links:

• The Peerage
• Geneall
• Wikipedia
• Kings of Denmark
• Danmarkshistorien In Danish
• King of Denmark: Reign 21 June 1340 – 24 October 1375 (35 years, 125 days)

Predecessor: Christopher II Successor: Olaf II