▁responsible ▁king ▁N iels ▁of ▁Den mark . ▁Eric ▁was ▁elected ▁Dan ish ▁Ant ik ing ▁in ▁Sc ania ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 1 3 1 , ▁which ▁prompt ed ▁K es ja ▁to ▁support ▁N iels ▁in ▁je alous y . ▁ ▁Eric ' s ▁army ▁lost ▁several ▁batt les ▁against ▁N iels ▁and ▁his ▁son ▁Magn us ▁the ▁Str ong , ▁including ▁J elling ▁in ▁J ut land ▁in ▁ 1 1 3 1 ▁and ▁V æ rb ro ▁on ▁Zealand , ▁and ▁he ▁fled ▁to ▁Sc ania . ▁His ▁retre at ▁earned ▁him ▁the ▁nick name ▁H are foot . ▁Eric ▁un success fully ▁tried ▁to ▁conv ince ▁L oth air ▁III , ▁Holy ▁Roman ▁Emperor ▁to ▁support ▁his ▁bid ▁for ▁king ship , ▁and ▁had ▁no ▁luck ▁asking ▁Magn us ▁IV ▁of ▁Norway ▁for ▁help . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Sc ania ▁in ▁ 1 1 3 4 , ▁where ▁Arch bishop ▁As ser ▁of ▁Lund ▁joined ▁his ▁cause , ▁and ▁L oth air ▁eventually ▁supported ▁him ▁as ▁well . ▁In ▁ 1 1 3 4 , ▁he ▁defeated ▁king ▁N iels ' ▁entire ▁army ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁F ote vik ▁in ▁Sc ania , ▁with ▁the ▁cru cial ▁help ▁of ▁German ▁mounted ▁mer cen aries , ▁and ▁N iels ▁died ▁within ▁the ▁year . ▁ ▁Re ign ▁Eric ▁was ▁proc laimed ▁king ▁at ▁Sc ania ' s ▁land st ing ▁assembly ▁at ▁L erb äck sh ö gen ▁in ▁ ▁K ä v ling ev ä gen ▁