Biography
When his grandfather Valdemar IV of Denmark died, Olaf was just five years old. He was proclaimed King of Denmark by a Danehof in Slagelse the following year. His mother, Queen Margaret, was to serve as regent due to his young age. His proclamation included the title "true heir of Sweden" added at his mother's insistence since his grandfather had been king of Sweden until forced to abdicate. Olaf was hailed as king in Scania, including the towns controlled by the Hanseatic league since the Treaty of Stralsund in 1370. Queen Margaret signed a coronation charter on behalf of Olaf who was too young to rule until he came of age at fifteen. In the charter Olaf agreed to meet with the Danehof at least once a year and return properties his grandfather Valdemar IV had confiscated during his reign.
Olaf became King of Norway on his father's death in 1380. Even when Olaf reached his majority in 1385, his mother ruled through him. With his ascent to the Norwegian throne, Denmark and Norway were thus united in a personal union ruled from Denmark. Denmark and Norway would have the same king, with the exception of short interregnums, until Norway's independence in 1814.
Despite all the hope Margaret and the peoples of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had for Olaf's future, they were never realized. He died unexpectedly in August, 1387 at age 16. He was buried at Sorø Abbey on the Danish island of Zealand where also his grandfather and, later, mother was buried. Rumors immediately arose that Olaf had been poisoned which gave rise to many years later to the story of "false Olaf" (see below).
Following his death at Falsterbohus, Olaf's mother was proclaimed "all powerful lady and mistress and the Kingdom of Denmark's Regent". Denmark had at the time no provision that enabled a woman to rule in her own right. The next year Norway proclaimed her Norway's "reigning queen". After the defeat and overthrow of King Albert in 1389 she was proclaimed "all powerful lady of Sweden". On 13 June 1397, she was able to unite the three Scandinavian kingdoms in a personal union under one crown for her successor Eric of Pomerania by the Kalmar Union.
After Olaf, no Norwegian king was to be born on Norwegian soil for more than 550 years, until prince Harald was born in 1937. Olaf's death was also the end of the male line of the Bjelbo dynasty in Sweden.
Read more about this topic: Olaf II Of Denmark
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