may have been supervised by Ulf Jarl. The first known non-epigraphic document was issued in his time, which also contains the earliest known royal seal. Swedish relations with the Russian lands had been quite good up to the early 12th century. However, this changed into a state of intermittent hostility during the 12th century. The chronicles of Novgorod relate a sea-borne Swedish invasion in 1164. The invading forces attacked Ladoga, which however received Novgorodian relief forces after five days. The Swedes were thoroughly beaten outside Ladoga on 28 May and lost 43 out of 55 boats. The remnants withdrew. Assassination In the spring of 1167, King Charles was killed on the island of Visingsö by supporters of Knut Eriksson, head of the rival Eric dynasty. "But his son Sverker was carried to Denmark in the lap, and his journey was miserable." Knut usurped the throne. Charles was buried in Alvastra monastery. Like the other kings of the House of Sverker, he is lauded by the short chronicle in the Law of Västergötland: "He owed his dignity to his good father. He ruled Sweden with wisdom and goodness." Starting from Charles' death, his kinsmen (half-brothers or possibly nephews) Burislev and Kol together opposed Canute's kingship and were rival kings, recognized in some Gothic parts of Sweden; but the last of them was killed in about 1172–1173, after which Canute's government got recognized overall. Family Charles' wife was Christina Hvide, a Danish lady, daughter of Stig Hvitaleder, a Seelander magnate, and his wife who was sister of Valdemar I of Denmark. Their sole historically attested child was Sverker Karlsson, a young boy when Charles died, and who later was elected King Sverker II of Sweden (1195–1208/10) after the death of Charles's rival king Canute I. References Citations Sources Gillingstam, Hans, "Karl Sverkersson", Svenskt biografiskt lexikon Larsson, Mats G., Götarnas riken; Upptäcktsfärder till Sveriges enande. Stockholm: Atlantis, 2002. Sawyer, Peter, När Sverige blev Sverige. Alingsås: Viktoria Bokförlag, 1991. Sundberg, Ulf, Medeltidens svenska krig. Stockholm: Hjalmarson & Högberg, 1999. External links 1130s births 1167 deaths Year of birth uncertain 12th-century Swedish monarchs Rulers of Finland 12th-century murdered monarchs Assassinated Swedish people Kings of the Geats 12th-century Swedish people Swedish jarls Sons of kings