Birger's seal shows on a running horse, seated warrior with sword in hand. He was svears och götars jarl from 1174 to 1202 and wore a lily as a weapon. He was of its time the most powerful man in Östergötland, and had, in addition to the manor (sätesgården) Bjälbo, several farms in Östergötland, Närke and Värmland. It is also probable that he had estates in Södermanland, when he had right of proprietorship (patronatsrätt) to Saint Eskil's Church in Sörmland. Birger was a major donor to Riseberga monastery. He apparently was a person with access to significant resources of power, who managed to keep the peace for a long time in Sweden. After his death the power feuds broke out almost immediately. ------------------------

Birger Brosa, jarl av Sverige 1174-1202. Birger till Bjälbo Född 1161, Död 1202 på Visingsö.

Son till Bengt Snivil. Gift med Brigida (Birgitta Haraldsdotter Gille av Norge.) Vapen: en lilja

Brosa betyder den leende, men detta tillnamn är bara känt från isländska källor från 1300-talet. Birger till Bjälbo är Sveriges till namnet förste kände jarl. Han var sin tids mäktigaste man i Östergötland, och ägde förutom Bjälboättens stamgård Bjälbo gårdar i Östergötland, Närke, Värmland och eftersom han haft patronatsrätt? till [Sankt Eskils kyrka]? i Sörmland, tros han även haft jord där. Birger Brosa var en stor donator till Riseberga kloster. Birger Brosa synes ha varit en stark och envis ledargestalt som lyckades hålla fred under en lång period i Sverige. Efter hans död bröt maktfejd?er nästan omdelbart ut. När Birger Brosa dog år 1202, ärvdes titeln jarl till hans dotterson Johan Sverkersson. -------------------- Birger Brosa (Old Norse: Birgir Brósa where Brósa means "smiling"), jarl of Sweden 1174-1202, d. 9 January 1202 on Visingsö, was a son of Bengt Snivil and a member of the powerful House of Bjälbo. In the medieval texts he is either called the jarl of the Swedes or the jarl of the Swedes and the Geats. Birger was appointed to the position of jarl during the reign of Knut Eriksson. He maintained the position during Knut's successor Sverker II until his death in 1202. Before 1170, Birger was married to Brigida Haraldsdotter, the daughter of the Norwegian king Harald Gille. She had formerly been married to the Danish pretender Magnus Henriksson, who had briefly ruled in Uppsala 1160-1161.[1] Birger appears to have maintained peace in Sweden during the civil wars that ravaged Denmark and Norway. Many of the pretenders in these kingdoms sought refuge with Birger. Among them were the Birkebeiner chieftains Eystein Meyla and Sverre Sigurdsson who were kinsmen of Brigida Haraldsdotter. Birger's son Philippus was in the service of King Sverre and died as his Earl in 1200. Birger owned estates in Östergötland, Närke, Värmland and Södermanland. He was a great donor to the convent of Riseberga in Närke, where Birgitta spent her last years after Birger's death. As soon as he was dead, a civil war broke out.[2] [edit]Children

Philippus Birgersson (d. 1200), Jarl of Norway in the service of King Sverre of Norway and one of his most staunch supporters. Knut Birgersson, Riksjarl of Sweden, jarl of Sweden. According to one source, Knut was married to king Knut Eriksson's daughter, named Sigrid in that source. He was killed in 1208 at the battle of Lena (??Battle of Gestilren 1210???). Folke Birgersson, aka Folke jarl, jarl of Sweden, killed 1210 at battle of Gestilren Ingegerd Birgersdotter, married to king Sverker II and became the mother of king John I of Sweden. Kristina Birgersdotter Margareta Birgersdotter [edit]Portrayal in popular culture

Birger Brosa was portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård in the Swedish 2007 film Arn – The Knight Templar and 2008 sequel Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End. [edit]References

^ Brigida Haraldsdatter (Store norske leksikon) ^ Sverre Sigurdsson (Store norske leksikon)