Richardis of Schwerin, Duchess of Schleswig

Richardis of Schwerin, also called Richardis of Lauenburg or Rixa, (year unknown – before 1386), was a Duchess consort of Schleswig and possibly a Danish queen consort, married to Valdemar III of Denmark (Valdemar V, Duke of Schleswig). She was the daughter of Gunzelin VI, Count of Schwerin-Wittenburg and Richardis of Tecklenburg. She was the aunt of Richardis of Schwerin, Queen of Sweden.

Richardis of Schwerin
Duchess consort of Schleswig
Tenure	13??–1364
Died	before 1386
Spouse	Valdemar III of Denmark
Issue	Valdemar, Hereditary Prince of Schleswig Henry, Duke of Schleswig
House	Hagen
Father	Gunzelin VI, Count of Schwerin-Wittenburg
Mother	Richardis of Tecklenburg
Religion	Roman Catholicism

The year of her marriage is unknown; her spouse was king of Denmark in 1326–29, and if she married him before 1329, she would have been queen of Denmark. They had two sons, Valdemar (1338–1360) and Henry (1342–1375), the latter, Henry, succeeded in Schleswig upon Valdemar's death. Richardis is mainly known for an incident in 1358, during the war between her spouse and king Valdemar Atterdag of Denmark. Atterdag made a siege on Sønderborg castle on Als, which was at the time the residence of Richardis. She defended the castle successfully for a long time, but when it was no longer possible, she opened the gates and walked out to the king with her daughters and all the women of the castle "in an attempt to beg the victorious master for mercy". This succeeded, and Atterdag agreed to leave her in control of the castle, on condition that she stay out of the war. In 1364, her son made peace with Atterdag. In 1373, Richardis made Atterdag the protector of her widow fiefs, including Als. This is the last time she is mentioned; in 1386, her nephew Otto VI, Count of Tecklenburg gave permission to her nephew Eric of Saxony to claim Otto's inheritance after Richardis in his name.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Richardis of Schwerin, Duchess of Schleswig

16. Henry I, Count of Schwerin 8. Gunzelin III, Count of Schwerin 17. Margaret of Schlawe 4. Niklot I, Count of Schwerin-Wittenburg 18. Henry Borwin II, Lord of Mecklenburg 9. Margaret of Mecklenburg 19. Christina of Sweden 2. Gunzelin VI, Count of Schwerin-Wittenburg 20. Adolf IV, Count of Holstein 10. John I, Count of Holstein-Kiel 21. Heilwig of Lippe 5. Elisabeth of Holstein-Kiel 22. Albert I, Duke of Saxony 11. Elisabeth of Saxony 23. Helene of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1. Richardis of Schwerin 24. Otto II, Count of Tecklenburg 12. Otto III, Count of Tecklenburg 25. Hedwig of Tecklenburg 6. Otto IV, Count of Tecklenburg 26. Engelbert II, Lord of the Mark 13. Richardis of the Mark 27. Kunigunde of Bliescastel 3. Richardis of Tecklenburg 28. Conrad I, Count of Rietberg 14. Frederick I, Count of Rietberg 29. Oda of Lippe 7. Beatrice of Rietberg 30. Otto I, Lord of Horstmar 15. Beatrice of Horstmar 31. Adelheid von Ahaus

References

• Dansk biografisk Lexikon / XIV. Bind. Resen - Saxtrup