Bengt Algotsson
(ca. 1330 - ca. 1360) Sweden
Duke
Bengt Algotsson (known also as Benedict Duke of Halland and Finland)was born to a family who descended from Svantepolk of Skarsholm and his wife Benedikta Sunadotter. Svantepolk had been the younger son of Canute, Duke of Reval, Laland and Belinge (possibly also Halland), a bastard of Valdemar II of Denmark with Helena Guttormsdatter, daughter of a Swedish earl. Benedikta was the sister-in-law of King Eric XI and daughter of earl Sune Folkason, justiciar of Västergötland, with his wife Helena Sverkersdotter, herself the daughter of Sverker II of Sweden and his first wife Benedikte Ebbesdotter of the Galen. This made Benedict as one of the noblest blood of Sweden of his time.
His Coat of Arms was a standing lion, wherefore the family has in some later reconstructions called Lejon. This may also mean they were kin with the Folkunge, his line's ancestress belonged to those siblings of Boberg family who were nephews and nieces of Birger jarl.
His fortune and success was due to him being favorite and lover of king Magnus IV of Sweden and Norway. From 1352 he is known to had a seat in the kingdom's Privy Council. In 1353 King Magnus appointed Bengt Algotsson duke of Finland and Halland.
Duke Benedict was married with Ingeborg Ulvsdotter of Tofta (sparre), much senior to him, possibly already a widow. The duke however repudiated his wife sometime in c 1356, which was one of reasons his noble relatives did not protect him and wife's relatives became his enemies. In 1356 a revolt started, nominally against duke Benedict, but really to weaken the king and his centralizing grip. In 1357, Benedict was exiled and Skane as well as several other Swedish and Finnish provinces were given to young king Eric.
Benedict probably lived in Denmark. In 1360, Benedict returned towards Sweden, but in Rönneholm castle in Skane he was besieged and eventually killed, according to tradition by his brother-in-law Lord Karl Ulvsson and a Magnus Nilsson Röde. Duke Benedict died without any children.
Excerpts from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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