Born abt 1164. Parents: King Karl Sverkersson and Kristina.
Elected King in 1195 or 1196. Deposed in 1208. He was killed in the battle of Gestilren in July 1210.
Married 1. to Benedikta, daughter of Ebbe Sunesson (from the Hvide family). Child: Helena.
Married 2. to Ingegerd, daughter of Jarl Birger brosa and Brigida (widow of Magnus Henriksson). Child: Johan.
When Sverker from the House of Sverker was elected he had no son and he promised that a son of his predessor, Knut Eriksson, would become heir to the throne. But in 1201, his son Johan was born. When Johan's grandfather Jarl Birger died in 1202, Sverker appointed his son Jarl. Since it was understood that this was an attempt to have his son made heir to the throne, he was forced to fight Knut Eriksson's sons. At Älgarås in Västergötland, three of them were killed in 1205, but one, Erik Knutsson, saved himself and returned in 1208 and defeated Sverker in 1208. Sverker had to run off to Denmark. King Valdemar Sejr of Denmark and the Pope tried to have him reinstalled, but without success. Sverker did try to win back his crown, but in July 1210 he was killed in a battle in Gestilren in Västergötland.