Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IV. The Romanized Church under the Union Sovereigns (1389—1520 A.D.)
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
150 IV. THE ROMANIZED CHURCH (A.D. 13891520).
attempts to get hold of the German provinces of Pomerania
and Slesvig, to which he had some claim, and he governed,
or tried to govern, Sweden with German bailiffs, who
treated the free Swedish peasantry with the contempt and
roughness which German barons used towards their own
folk.
We are, of course, specially concerned with Eric s inter
ference in the Church, for which opportunity was given by
the uncertainty as to who was the true pope. Already, in
1409, before Margaret s death, he offended the clergy by
forcing his Danish chancellor, Johannes Jerechini,
2
into the
Archbishopric of Upsala, and obliging the Chapter of
Strengnas to accept Andreas, the archbishop-elect, who
was thus displaced, instead of their own dean, Georgius,
whom they had elected. One rival pope, Gregory XII.,
confirmed Andreas; the other, Alexander V., confirmed
Georgius. The latter, being opposed by the king, had to
give way, and thus both the bishopric and the papacy were
turned into the tools of a secular intrigue.
The chancellor-archbishop was so hated that he had at
length to leave the kingdom. He became Bishop of Skal-
holt, in Iceland, where he also became unpopular, and was,
in consequence, drowned by the people. After his removal
King Eric was on better terms with the Chapter of Upsala,
who submitted to him three names, from which he chose
one, that of his own confessor, Brother Johannes Haquini
of Vadstena. But, on the death of Haquini in 1432, a
bitter conflict again arose. The king asserted that the
archbishop could not be chosen without his consent, since
he was the first councillor of the sovereign and of the realm,
and the chief man in the kingdom when he himself was
absent.3
He, therefore, refused to accept Olaus Laurentii,
2
It appears to be the Swedish custom to distinguish clerical
persons by Latin names, even to a much later date, while lay
men are described in Swedish. Although the custom is not
universal, it is convenient, and so I have written Birger Persson
for the layman, and Birgerus Gregorii for the archbishop, etc.,
etc. I have, however, not always been consistent.
3
See Reuterdahl :
III., 2, p. 16 ; cp. Celsii : Bullariumt
1801.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
