Ulf the Earl

Ulf Jarl (Swedish:. Ulf Torgilsson, English Ulf the Earl; Jarl is a Scandinavian nobility, † 1026) was a member of an important Danish family. He was the son of Thorgils Sprakalägg, which in turn is regarded as the son of Styrbjörn and Tyra, the daughter of the Danish king Harald Bluetooth. He was thus a close relative of both the Swedish and the Danish royal family.

Ulf joined the England campaign of King Canute on (1013 ). Around 1015 he married Knuts sister Estrid Svendsdatter. This connection meant that he was appointed during the absence Knuts for Jarl of Denmark. He was also the foster father of Canute's son Hardi Knut.

When the Swedish king Anund Jacob and the Norwegian king Olav II Haraldsson Knuts absence used to an attack on Denmark, Ulf could the Danes - who were already dissatisfied with Knut's absence - convince them to choose Hardi Knut king. Ulf was in consequence of the then Regent of the country.

As Knut in 1026 learned of the events, he returned to Denmark and suggested - with Ulf's help - the Sweden and Norway in the Battle of the Helgeå. A little later, on Christmas Day 1026, Knut had his brother in law of one of his Huscarle in the Trinity Church of Roskilde kill ( the reports are contradictory to this, however ).

Ulf and Estrid are the parents Sven Estridssons and thus the progenitors of Denmark from 1047 to 1375 the ruling royal family.