Magnates and their honours · Kingdom of Denmark · as at first light, 1 January 1200

The Sunesens

Sune Ebbesen, Absalon's cousin, ran Scania for the crown after Absalon became archbishop and died in 1186, leaving a brood of sons who are the second generation of Hvide power.

Two are churchmen: Anders, the chancellor, Absalon's obvious successor, and Peder, bishop of Roskilde. The lay brothers hold the family's estates in north and central Zealand and in Scania: Ebbe has the manor of Knardrup in north Zealand, land at Alsønderup by Lake Arresø and at Herlev (which he gave to Esrum), and Scanian land; Jakob holds land near Roskilde and Holbæk and in north Zealand (DBL); the family's round church at Bjernede near Sorø was built by Sune and Cæcilia. Through Ebbe's daughter Benedikta the family is tied to the Swedish crown, and in 1205-08 Ebbe and Lars will lead Danish help to Sverker and die at Lena.

On 1 January 1200 none of the lay brothers is known to hold a royal office.

Who he is

Name
Ebbe Sunesen, with his brothers Jakob, Lars (Laurentius), Johannes and Torbern
Title
lord of Knardrup, head of the lay Sunesens
Since
their father Sune Ebbesen died in 1186
Born
not pinned (his brother Peder, 'one of the eldest', was born in 1161; Anders before 1170: DBL)
Family
Sons of Sune Ebbesen (died 1186) and Cæcilia; grandsons of Ebbe, son of Skjalm Hvide; cousins of Absalon and Esbern Snare. Brothers in the Church: Anders, the king's chancellor and provost of Roskilde, and Peder, bishop of Roskilde since 1191. Ebbe's children: Johannes (later marshal, died 1232), Peder (died 1256, heir of Knardrup) and four daughters, one of them Benedikta, wife of King Sverker II of Sweden (DBL). Jakob's wife Estrid and their sons Andreas, Peder and Johannes (DBL; birth dates not pinned).
Confidence
medium

Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (Sune Ebbesen, Ebbe Sunesen, Jacob Sunesen, Anders Sunesen, Peder Sunesen)

Overlord

King Canute VI

What it holds

  • Knardrup in north Zealand (Ebbe, from his father)
  • land at Alsønderup by Lake Arresø (Ebbe)
  • property at Herlev, given by Ebbe to Esrum abbey (date not pinned)
  • the family manor and round church at Bjernede, built by Sune and Cæcilia (DBL Sune Ebbesen)
  • land near Roskilde and Holbæk and in north Zealand (Jakob, DBL)
  • land in Scania (Ebbe: en.wikipedia Hvide names 'Härlövs borg'; not checked)
  • through the Church: the chancery (Anders) and the see of Roskilde (Peder, Church map)

How it was acquired

Inherited from Sune Ebbesen (died 1186) and Ebbe Skjalmsen's line.

Allies and rivals

Absalon and Esbern Snare; Sverker II of Sweden (son-in-law of Ebbe, or lately so). Enemies abroad: the Knutsson pretenders in Sweden; Margrave Otto II of Brandenburg, who captured Bishop Peder in 1198.

How things stand that morning

Rich, loyal and at the centre of power: Anders runs the chancery, Peder holds Roskilde, Ebbe and Jakob hold estates in north Zealand. Jakob's later lordship on Møn ('Jacob of Møn', DBL, uncertain) is not shown for 1200.

Wealth

Estates in north and central Zealand and Scania; gifts to Sorø, Esrum and Roskilde show great wealth. No figures.

Military

Their own followings and ships; Ebbe leads armies later (Sweden 1205-08).

Threats

  • Absalon's death (21 March 1201) will test the family's hold, though Anders succeeds him

What the year holds

What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.

  1. after this year: 1201Anders Sunesen becomes archbishop of Lund on Absalon's death; Peder succeeds him as chancellor in 1202 (DBL).Depends on: Absalon's death Stopped by: a royal veto (unlikely)
  2. after this year: 31 January 1208Ebbe and Lars fall at Lena in Sweden leading a Danish army for Sverker II (DBL).Depends on: the Knutsson rising of 1203-05 Stopped by: peace in Sweden

Places of note

  • Knardrup: Ebbe's manor in north Zealand
  • Bjernede round church: the family's church and manor near Sorø
  • Alsønderup: Ebbe's land by Lake Arresø

Where the sources disagree

  • en.wikipedia (Hvide) calls Ebbe Sunesen 'Lord High Constable' and gives him 'Härlövs borg' in Scania; DBL gives him no office and does not name Härlöv. Not used as fact here.
  • DBL (Sune Ebbesen) lists the sons Anders, Peder, Ebbe, Lars, Johannes, Torbern and Jacob and one daughter; DBL (Peder Sunesen) names only Anders, Ebbe, Jacob and Johannes.

Evidence: The family is well documented in DBL; which estate each brother held on 1 January 1200 is mostly inferred from later gifts and inheritance.

On the map: Three manors stand for scattered estates; Jakob's lands near Roskilde and Holbæk and the Scanian lands are not drawn.

Primary sources for Denmark

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

11 more in the sources library for Scandinavia.

Sources and studies

  1. Dansk Biografisk Leksikon: Sune Ebbesen
  2. Dansk Biografisk Leksikon: Ebbe Sunesen
  3. Dansk Biografisk Leksikon: Jacob Sunesen
  4. Dansk Biografisk Leksikon: Anders Sunesen
  5. Dansk Biografisk Leksikon: Peder Sunesen
  6. Wikipedia: Hvide

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.