ERICK, in Swedish, is synonymous with the German Heinrich, and the English Henry, and is the name of many kings of Sweden and of Denmark. Of the earlier kings of this name little is known, for the history of the Scandinavian nations previous to the 9th or 10th centuries of our era is very confused, and much of it is semi-fabulous. In the earlier centuries of our era the country now called Sweden was divided into several kingdoms or states, of which Sweden Proper and Gothia were the two principal. Sweden Proper comprised the central part of the present Sweden, and included the provinces of Upland, Sudermsnland, "Westmanland, Nerike, and part of Dalecarlia. The kingdom of Gothia comprised the southern part bf the great Scandi navian peninsula, including the provinces of Ostrogothia and Westro gothia, divided by the Wetter Lake, Smiiland, Bohusland, Skane, and Elekiogen, with the isles of Gothland and Oeland. But the most southern provinces, especially Skane, were for a long time a subject of contention with the Danes, who frequently occupied them.
There was also the kingdom of Wiirmeland, north and west of the great Wener Lake, extending to the borders of Norway, and the kingdom of Halsingland, north of Sweden Proper, which included the provinces of Angermanland, Jamteland, East and West Bothnia, up to the wilderness of Lapland. Most of these provinces had each its separate chief or king, something like the earlier Saxon kiugdome in England; but the king of Sweden Proper, or of Upaal, as he was also called, was considered in ordinary times as the head of the whole, like the Itretwalda of the Saxon Heptarchy. Odin or Wodin, the conqueror of Scandinavia in the century previous to our era, is said to have kept Sweden for himself, allowing his relatives or companions to settle in the rest of Scandinavia as his vassals; and this superiority of Sweden was acknowledged for several centuries after, so that at the great general meetings of the Scandinavian nations the king of Den mark used to hold the bridle and the king of Norway the stirrup of the king of Sweden's horse. (Puffendorf.)
Among the earlier kings of Sweden, in the 5th and 6th centuries, we fled several Ericks, of whom little or nothing is known. One of these reigned together with his brother Alrick as kings of Upsal from about 465 to 485. Another Erick and his brother Jorund, beiug the sons of Yngue Alrickson, were following the then common profession of sea-kings, or pirates, when a vacancy on the throne of Sweden, to which they had some family claim, recalled them home, about 525. They were opposed by the usurper Haco, when Erick was killed, and Jorund was obliged to escape. In the 9th century we find Erick Biornaon reigning together with his father Morn about 864. Bjorn died in 870, and Erick reigned alone till 874, when he died abroad in some expedition. He was succeeded by his son Blom and his nephew Erick, the son of Refil, the Sea King, who reigned together for a time. The two kings went with a host to join their Norman friends at the siege of Paris in 886, when Charles the Fat was obliged to conclude a dishonourable peace. Blom appears to have died at the siege, and Erick Refilson returned home and died some years after. He was succeeded by Erick, son of the late Blom, who reigned together with his brother Morn, called of Mig,a, from the place of his residence.
After his death Erick Emundsou, a grandson of Erick Refilson, was proclaimed king about 910, under the guardianship of his great uncle Biorn of Hap. Biorn died iu 925, and Erick remained sole king of Upsal. He sustained a war against Harald Harfager, king of Norway, and at his death was succeeded by his son, Bjorn 1V.
Erick Segersall, 'or the Victorious, reigned from 970 to 994. He retook Skane and Halland from the Dane; and at last drove away their king, Sweno, from Denmark itself. He also defeated the Nor wegians and Finlanders, and conquered Livonia, Esthonia, and Courland. Erick was succeeded by his son Olaf, or Olaus, who is mentioned as the first Christian king of Sweden.