This study is a valuable addition to scholarly Scandinavian studies, addressing not only the growth of the cult of St. Erik but also its context in hagiographic development, Christian and secular history, area politics, and the evolving adoption of the cult, primarily in Sweden. Its waxing and waning is seen as reflective of the changing notions of rulership, regional development, and details of popular culture. In eight chapters, Christian Oertel addresses the underpinnings and evolution of the veneration in interdisciplinary analysis that reflects examination of ecclesiastical and secular documents, such as charters, court records, liturgical papers (calendars, sermons, offices), and vitae, as well as artistic evidence in seals, coins, carvings, and paintings.

The correlation of findings from diverse disciplines facilitates a more comprehensive view of Erik's veneration in the complex context in which it emerged and evolved. The author notes the state of the research in the several avenues of investigation. The diversity of development among the extant resources, and his admittedly uneven (albeit wide-ranging) scrutiny of them, varies with his own expertise and level of facility in the several disciplines involved. The establishment of the legend of King Erik, who died in 1160, was apparent in the thirteenth century and is related to devotional application by the regional clergy and the Dominican preachers. Governmental legitimation appeared from various factions over time, notably in the aristocratic and royal circles and then among the increasingly more populist groups such as miners and farmers who emerged in leadership in the later centuries.

A rather cursory history of Christianization lays a foundation by delineating the rise of Scandinavian rulership, with some emphasis on regional matters of shifting borders, population centers, and “national” identities. The ideological basis of enculturated ancient notions of divinely connected kingship, as adapted by emergent Christian societies was wed to concepts of the cult of significant saints. These have been discussed in relationship to the missionizing of northern lands and development of their governance. There is some sense of the parallels in other European history, although this could and should be developed further using this newly compiled data to better incorporate the information about Scandinavian history into the larger corpus of documentation and other scholarship of the larger European arena.

The early supporters of St. Erik's cult were aristocratic/royal, so his legend was developed in support of their goals, eventually establishing this saint as a model king and knightly Christian ruler. In later phases, the veneration expanded to include other strata of society among the body of devotees. Erik's cult is also considered in the contexts of those of Henrik, Birgitta, Olaf, and Knut, furthering our understanding of the ways these all became embedded and reflective of changing conditions in the region and the Church there. While Erik was locally recognized as a native saint, there was never an official Roman sanction of his canonization as a universal saint, although certain evidence of the grant of indulgence shows a degree of papal acknowledgement. Oertel's analysis of cult development for all these holy figures includes a good measure of assessment of existing scholarship and counters what he considers to be ill-founded impressions with his own more specific historical findings. The appearance of Erik's image in various art forms serves to pinpoint moments of cult development and its embodiment in visible expression. Analysis of these figurations will further the understanding of cultic sentiment and practice and should be profitably enhanced by comparison to related imagery in other regions. An example would be the appearance of Erik on fourteenth-century coins (174) that evoke the ruler images of thirteenth-century seals and coins (suggesting that these may have been models from French and German sources). Such investigation might lend further insight into transmission of regal and saintly notions across these regions.

The appendices of legend and tabular data increase the amount of information to establish the details of cult development and other aspects of historical importance. Particularly useful among them is appendix 6, with its numerous genealogical tables that provide a graphic frame that helps to elucidate the often confusing use and reuse of names popular for Scandinavian royalty as well as to relate them to the dynastic successions involved. Other tables include graphic reports of documented miracles, feast days, and dated charters. An extensive bibliography gives further direction.

In all, Christian Oertel has provided a broad resource of data and a great stimulus to further scholarship in these and related areas. The study is quite readable, although sometimes dry with its necessary emphasis on hard data, but other scholars will surely use this material to create the more nuanced studies it invites. One thing that would have benefitted the offering is a glossary or list of terms to inform the reader of the specifically regional ideas, especially since so many non-English characterizations can be confounding to those not really familiar with the language-specific ideas. While it is clearly directed to those investigating Scandinavian matters, and greatly details the framework for those, the work would thus be more beneficial in the broader arena of European disciplinary studies.