Eskil of Lund

Eskil of Lund (* 1100, † 1181 ) was a Danish clergyman and Archbishop of Lund, which at that time belonged to Denmark.

Life

At a young age Eskil spent many years abroad, mostly in Hildesheim and in Clairvaux. Here he made ​​contact to Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, the then most important man of the Church. 1131 was provost Eskil of Lund, 1134 bishop in Roskilde 1137 and finally Archbishop of Lund succeeding his uncle Ascer. As a bishop, he was drawn into an argument with Erik Emune, as archbishop, he fought against his nephew Olof, who tried to become king. Even before his appointment as Archbishop Eskil founded monasteries, so among other things, 1135 the monastery of St. Peter in Roskilde, 1144 Herrevad monastery in Skåne and 1145 Esrom Monastery ( Esrum ) on Zealand. In the same year, the Lund Cathedral from him in the presence of bishops from all over Scandinavia could be inaugurated.

Should be as a new archbishopric in Nidaros set, the Norway, Iceland and the other pins should belong in the West, the Archbishop of Bremen made ​​a last attempt to keep the ecclesiastical power over Scandinavia. With the support of the Emperor Barbarossa, he tried to stop Eskil it, but succeeded in this, to prevail over its adversaries with papal support. For this purpose he went to Clairvaux and from there in 1156 to Rome. For a time, Eskil prisoner of the emperor. 1164, he was the papal legate commissioned to create a third archbishopric in Scandinavia. The choice fell on Old Uppsala and became the first Archbishop of Uppsala was Stefan.

A long dispute with Waldemar I. Eskil was forced to live from 1161 to 1168 abroad. He spent most of his time at Clairvaux. It was only through the mediation of Absalon of Lund he could return. Later he took part in the 1169 campaign against the Wends and the War of 1171. Previously, he had son Waldemar Knut crowned in the abbey church of Ringsted to the king of Denmark. The Pope allowed Eskil finally in 1177 to resign. His successor was Absalon of Lund and Eskil entered as a monk in the monastery at Clairvaux.