of kings, and canonizing Canute would support his claim on the throne. Canute was finally canonized in 1170. Eric was known as a harsh ruler to his enemies. In the summer of 1136, Eric undertook a crusade against the pagan population on the Baltic island of Rügen and its capital Arkona. He ordered his men to dig a canal between the city and the rest of the island. The canal had the effect of drying up the spring which supplied Arkona with drinking water. Arkona was forced to surrender. But in 1135, before this success in Arkona, Eric defeated in a naval battle near Denmark's coast the lechitic (west-slavic) troops under pomeranian Duke Ratibor who had sacked Roskilde, and a year later, after the battle of Konungahela, (now Kungälv in Sweden), sacked this city as well. He joined Magnus for an unsuccessful campaign in Norway, where he managed to burn down Oslo. When he learned that Eskil had raised the nobles of Zealand against him, Eric raced north to put down the rebellion which spread rapidly across Funen and Jutland, and fined Eskil heavily. Death Eric was killed on 18 September 1137. The death of Eric, as told by Arild Huitfeldt: A harsh and unpopular ruler, Eric died at Urnehoved landsting in 1137. King Eric was struck down by a local nobleman, Sorte Plov. According to legend, Sorte Plov asked permission to approach the king, carrying a spear in his hand with a block of wood protecting the tip. Having deemed that King Eric wore no mail underneath his tunic, Sorte Plov kicked off the protection, and drove his spear right through the king. King Eric's nephew Erik Håkonssøn stepped forward with sword in hand, but the nobleman told him to calm down, seeing as how he – Erik – was next in line for the throne, being the only adult male in the royal family: "Put away thy mace, young Erik. A juicy piece of meat hath fallen in thy bowl!" According to legend, Sorte Plov escaped with his life. Eric was buried at Ribe Cathedral. Erik Håkonssøn was then crowned Eric III of Denmark. Issue Sometime before 1130, Eric married Malmfred of Kiev, the daughter of Grand Duke Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden. Malmfrid was the former wife of King Sigurd I of Norway. With his concubine Thunna, Eric had the illegitimate son Sweyn,