Queen Dagmar (Markéta of Bohemia), the mythic “Good Queen” of folklore
Queen Dagmar was married to King Valdemar II of Denmark for about a decade in the early 13th century before she died. Nothing is really known about her actual person, but in folklore she became famous for her kindness.
According to folklore, she encouraged less severe punishments for crimes and the freeing of prisoners. When she died in childbirth, she is said to have pleaded her husband to let outlaws be lawful again and prisoners go free, as well as asking him not to marry Bengerd (Berengária of Portugal) and to make sure their son, Valdemar the Young, became the successor to the throne.
Valdemar II did marry the wildly unpopular Bengerd and, as Valdemar the Young died as a teenager, her sons ended up tearing the country apart in civil war. In this way the legend of Dagmar relies on the idea that she tried to prevent the bad shit that happened after she died.
Memorial plague from 1916:
Da: Din solskinssjæl steg did, hvorfra den kom, og her hos os din grav blev brudt og plyndret, Guds engel Dagmar, bed vor frelser om at hele, hvad i Danmarks land er søndret.
En: Your sunshine-soul went back up where it came from and your grave was broken and plundered, God’s angel Dagmar, ask our savior heal, what in the land of Denmark has been torn apart.
Memorial plaque from 1928 (paid for by the Czechoslovakian-Danish Society:
Da: Fra tjekkisk Land kom Dronning Dagmar, bragte Fred til alle Fredløse, Frihed til dem i Lænker, og med sejrende Kærlighed vandt hun danske Hjærter. Fred, frihed og Kærlighed skal hendes Minde altid forkynde til begge Nationer
En: From Czech land came Queen Dagmar, brought peace to all outlaws, freedom to those in chains and Danish hearts with victorious love won. Peace, freedom and love shall her memory always mean to both nations.