Born in 1216. Parents: King Erik Knutsson and Rikissa of Denmark.
Elected King in 1222. Crowned in Strängnäs 31 of July 1224. He was deposed by Knut Långe in 1229, but returned in 1234. He died 2 of February 1250.
Married to Katarina (died 1252) to Katarina, daughter of Sune Folkesson and Helena (daughter of Sverker Karlsson). No children.
His later efforts to regain the throne failed, even though he controlled Götaland (the southern part of classic Sweden) 1277-1279. In 1288 he was imprisoned and died at Nyköpingshus 1290.
When he died in 1250, he was succeded by Valdemar.