1 _FA1
2 PLAC Grandee (Høvding) of Krieger
1 MISC Commander (Hærfører)
Esbern Snare (1127-1204) was a Chief and Commander (Høvding og Hærfører). A descendant of Skjalm Hvide (supporter pf EsbernValdemarerne), whose nickname comes of his courage and decisiveness inbattle while on the "vendertogterne" (Vend expedition). He built Kalundborg Castle (circa 1150) and Church. The church dates from circa1170, and is arctitecturally unique with its four corner-towers and onelarge central-tower, built in the shape of a cruciform. There is notanother like it in northern Europe.Gave to his wife Sorø Abbey two other church-towns, Munke-Bjergby and Bromme. Esbern is the first known squire (herremand) for Sæbygård (nearTissø), in Sæby parish, Holbæk county, Sjælland. Tradition states thathe died there, after falling down some stairs. (Source: Dahl &Engelstoft: Danish Biografisk Håndleksikon. 1920-26. From SteenThomsen's database Dec. 1997.)
Esbern Snare was married three times, it is uncertain which of his wives was mother to any of his five children. His first marriage was toHolmfred, she was buried in Sorø Abbey. Second marriage to Ingeborg,also buried in Sorø Abbey. Third marriage to Helena from Sweden,daughter of Earl (Jarl) Guttorm. Esbern died in 1204 and was buried in Sorø Abbey. Helena out lived Esbern, and later became the consort of King Valdemar II Sejr (1170-1241), she is known to have been alive in 1211. Valdemar was married in February of 1205 to Dragomir/Dagmar (laterre-named Margareta/Margrethe by the Danes), she died in Ribe in 1212.
(Sources: "Dansk Adelsårbog", 1898 p. 225, Bircka; Biogr. Lex., and "Danmarks konger og droninger", by Kay Nielsen)
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.