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The Rigs 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 university of

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 at the hands of their treacherous host on this occasion, but at length escaped to

at the battle of Grathe Heath .

The same year (1158) which saw Valdemar ascend the Danish throne saw Absalon elected bishop of

Valdemar, and the promoter of that imperial policy which, for three generations, was to give Denmark the dominion of the Baltic. Briefly, it was Absalon's intention to clear the northern sea of the Wendish pirates, who inhabited that portion of the Baltic littoral which was later called Pomerania, and ravaged the Danish coasts so unmercifully that at the accession of Valdemar one-third of the realm of Denmark lay wasted and depopulated. The very existence of Denmark demanded the suppression and conversion of these stiff-necked pagan freebooters, and to this double task Absalon devoted the best part of his life.

The first expedition against the

but it was not till 1168Events December 22 Afraid that Old Cairo would be captured by the Crusaders, its Caliph orders the city set afire. The city burns for 54 days. Prince Richard of England becomes duke of Aquitaine. He later becomes King Richard I of England. Emperor Takakur that the chief Wendish fortress, at Arkona in RügenRugen ( Polish Rugia is the largest German island. It is situated off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the Baltic Sea. Its area is 935 km² and its population was 73,000 in 2001. Together with the neighboring smaller islands Rugen Hiddensee an, containing the sanctuary of their god Svantovit, was surrendered, the Wends agreeing to accept Danish suzerainty and the Christian religion at the same time. From Arkona Absalon proceeded by sea to Garz, in south Rügen, the political capital of the Wends, and an all but impregnable stronghold. But the unexpected fall of Arkona had terrified the garrison, which surrendered unconditionally at the first appearance of the Danish ships. Absalon, with only Sweyn, bishop of Aarhusrhus also spelled Aarhus is the principal port and bishop's seat of its area of Denmark, on the east coast of Jutland. It is the second largest city in the kingdom, and capital of the amt (county) of Aarhus. The municipality of Arhus has 291,258 inhabitan, and twelve "house carls," thereupon disembarked, passed between a double row of Wendish warriors, 6000 strong, along the narrow path winding among the morasses, to the gates of the fortress, and, proceeding to the temple of the seven-headed god Rugievit , caused the idol to be hewn down, dragged forth and burnt. The whole population of Garz was then baptized, and Absalon laid the foundations of twelve churches in the isle of Rügen. The destruction of this chief sally-port of the Wendish pirates enabled Absalon considerably to reduce the Danish fleet. But he continued to keep a watchful eye over the Baltic, and in 1170Events December 29: Assassination of Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, in Canterbury cathedral Eleanor of Aquitaine leaves the court of Henry II because of a string of infidelities. She establishes her own court in Poitiers City of Dublin captured destroyed another pirate stronghold, farther eastward, at Dievenow on the isle of WolinWolin or Wollin is an island located in the Baltic Sea located just off the Polish coast. It is nearly connected to the island of Usedom. Water from the Oder river Odra flows into the Szczecin Bay (in Polish Zalew Szczecinski in German Stettiner Haff , th.

Absalon's last military exploit was the annihilation, off Strela ( StralsundStralsund is a city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated at the southern coast of the Strelasund (a sound of the Baltic Sea separating the island of Rugen from the mainland). A bridge (the Rugendamm and several ferry services connect), on Whit-Sunday

vassal, Jaromir of Rügen . He was now but fifty-seven, but his strenuous life had aged him, and he was content to resign the command of fleets and armies to younger men, like Duke Valdemar, afterwards King Valdemar IIValdemar II the Conqueror or the Victorious ( 1170- 1241) was the King of Denmark from 1202 until 1241. He was the second son of King Valdemar I, in 1202 he succeeded his brother Canute VI after serving him for many years. He is counted among the greatest, and to confine himself to the administration of the empire which his genius had created.

In this sphere Absalon proved himself equally great. The aim of his policy was to free Denmark from the German yoke. It was contrary to his advice and warnings that Valdemar I rendered fealty to the emperor Frederick Barbarossa at Dole in 1162; and when, on the accession of Canute V in

the homage of the new king, Absalon resolutely withstood him. "Return to the emperor," cried he, "and tell him that the king of Denmark will in no wise show him obedience or do him homage."

As the archpastor of Denmark Absalon also rendered his country inestimable services, building churches and monasteries, introducing the religious orders, founding schools and doing his utmost to promote civilization and enlightenment. It was he who held the first Danish Synod at

unwillingly, only the threat of excommunication from the holy see finally inducing him to accept the pallium. Absalon died in 1201 at the family monastery of Sorø, which he himself had richly embellished and endowed.

Absalon remains one of the most striking and picturesque figures of the Middle Ages, and was equally great as churchman, statesman and warrior. That he enjoyed warfare there can be no doubt; and his splendid physique and early training had well fitted him for martial exercises. He was the best rider in the army and the best swimmer in the fleet. Yet he was not like the ordinary fighting bishops of the Middle Ages, whose sole concession to their sacred calling was to avoid the "shedding of blood" by using a mace in battle instead of a sword. Absalon never neglected his ecclesiastical duties, and even his wars were of the nature of Crusades. Moreover, all his martial energy notwithstanding, his personality must have been singularly winning; for it is said of him that he left behind not a single enemy, all his opponents having long since been converted by him into friends.

See Saxo, Gesta Danorum, ed. Holder (Strassburg, 1886), books xvi.; Steenstrup, Danmarks Riges Historie. Oldtiden og den ældre Middelalder, pp. 570-735 (Copenhagen, 1897-1905).

Absalon's Testamentum, in Migne, Patrologia Latina 209,18.

Absalon is also a variant form of the (otherwise unrelated) name Absalom. This variant spelling is best known from the title of the musical work Absalon fili mi .

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911 Britannica