NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Sverre of Norway

Sverre Sigurdsson (Old Norse Sverrir Sigurðarson) (c. 1145/1151 – 9 March 1202) was a king of Norway from 1184 to 1202. He married Margareta Eriksdotter, the daughter of the Swedish king Eric the Saint, by whom he had the daughter Kristina Sverresdotter. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1194x789, 38 KB)King Sverrir SigurÃ°ssons trek across the Voss mountains. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1194x789, 38 KB)King Sverrir SigurÃ°ssons trek across the Voss mountains. ... Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831â€“1892) was a Norwegian painter, who specialized in painting historical motifs and images from Norse mythology. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... // Events August 1 - Arthur of Brittany captured in Mirebeau, north of Poitiers Beginning of the Fourth Crusade. ... This article is a list of rulers of Norway up until the present, including: The Norwegian kingdom (with the Faroe Islands) The Union with Iceland and Greenland (1262-1814) The Norwegian kingdom (with Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands 1262-1814) The Union of Sweden and Norway (1319-1343) The... // Events Abbeville receives its commercial charter. ... // Events August 1 - Arthur of Brittany captured in Mirebeau, north of Poitiers Beginning of the Fourth Crusade. ... Margareta Eriksdotter (d. ... Categories: Stub | Assassinated people | Saints | Swedish monarchs ... Kristina Sverresdotter was the daughter of King Sverre Sigurdsson (d. ...

Many consider him one of the most important rulers in Norwegian history. He assumed power as the leader of the rebel group, the Birkebeiners, during their struggle against King Magnus Erlingsson. After Magnus fell at the Battle of Fimreite in 1184, Sverre ruled as sole king of Norway. Differences with the Church, however, led to his excommunication in 1194. Another civil war began against the church-supported Baglers, which lasted beyond Sverre's death in 1202. // Etymology According to traditional Icelandic sagas, the Nor in Norway is from king Nor Thorrasson (See Orkneyinga saga. ... The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was a contemporary pejorative name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 by Eystein Meyla. ... Magnus Erlingsson (1156-1184) was a king of Norway, from Etne in Hordaland. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Bagler faction which was made up of aristocracy, clergy and merchants contested with the Birkebeiners, essentially a faction of peasants, led by the pretender King Sverre, for control in a Norwegian civil war during the late 12th century. ...

The most important historical sources on Sverre’s life are his biography, Sverris saga, in part written while Sverre was alive, and the Bagler sagas. This saga is likely biased, since the foreword states that part was written under Sverre’s direct sponsorship. Correspondence between the Pope and the Norwegian bishops can be used as a counter balance when it comes to church affairs. The saga and the letters mostly agree about the hard facts. Sir Thomas Malory wrote the most famous fictional biography of the Middle Ages with Le Morte dArthur about the life of King Arthur. ... Sverris saga (Sverissaga) is a saga about King Sverre Sigurdsson (r. ... The Bagler Sagas (BÃ¸glunga sÃ¸gur) are Norse sagas relating to the civil wars in Norway in the early 13th century. ... Look up saga in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For Wikipedias policy on avoiding bias, see Wikipedia:Neutral point of view. ...

Supposedly, King Sverre was short, so he usually directed his troops from horseback during battles. The contrast is great to the traditional Norse warrior ideals where the king was expected to lead his men from the front of the battle line. Sverre was a talented improviser, both in political and military life. His innovative tactics often helped the Birkebeiners against more tradition-bound opponents. During battle he had his men operate in smaller groups, while previously tactics similar to the shield wall had been preferred. This made the Birkebeiners more mobile and adaptable. Norse is related to Scandinavia, and may mean: Ancient Norse mythology Medieval Norsemen, i. ... Tactics is the collective name for methods of winning a small-scale conflict, performing an optimization, etc. ... The formation of Shield walls is a military tactic common to many cultures. ...

Early life

According to the saga, Sverre was born in 1151 to Gunnhild and her husband Unås, a comb maker from the Faroes. When Sverre was five, the family moved to the Faroes where Sverre was raised in the household of Unås’ brother Roe, bishop of the Faroes on Kirkjubøargarður in Kirkjubøur. It was here that Sverre studied for the priesthood and was ordained. The priest school of Kirkjubøur must have been of a high standard, for Sverre was later described as very well educated. The legend says, that he was hidden in a cave a bit outside of the village. This cave actually exists and gave the mountain Sverrihola (303 m, "Sverre's hollow") on the south tip of Streymoy its name. Events Ghazni is burned by the princes of Ghur Geoffrey of Anjou dies, and succeeded by his son Henry, aged 18. ... The Faroe Islands (Faroese: Føroyar, meaning Sheep Islands) are a group of islands in the north Atlantic Ocean between Scotland and Iceland. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... The entrance of roykstovan was destroyed in 1833. ... KirkjubÃ¸ur is the southernmost village on Streymoy, Faroe Islands. ... Roman Catholic priests in traditional clerical clothing. ... This article is about the sacrament. ... Streymoy is the largest island of the Faroe Islands. ...

Sverre, however, was not suited for a priestly life. The saga states that he had several dreams which he interpreted as a sign that he was destined for greater things. Further, in 1175, his mother revealed that Sverre was really the son of king Sigurd Munn. In the following year, Sverre travelled to Norway to seek his destiny. Destiny or fate refers to the inevitable course of events. ... Sigurd II (1133â€“1155) was the son of Harald Gille, king of Norway and his mistress Tora Guttormsdottir. ...

The veracity of Sverre’s claim

The tale told in Sverre’s saga is very much the official version. This is problematic, especially with regard to Sverre's alleged paternity. According to the saga, when Sverre was born, Gunnhild and Unås were married. Obviously, Sverre can't be the son of both Unås and Sigurd. We have only his own word for his paternity. Most modern historians consider his claim to be King Sigurd’s son to be false, an opinion shared with many of Sverre’s contemporaries. Although the fact that kings fathered illegitimate sons was taken for granted, the main problem with Sverre's claim is chronological. According to the saga, Sverre was 24 when he learned of his ancestry. According to Canon law, however, candidates had to be at least 30 years to be eligible, which places Sverre’s birth no later than 1145. Sigurd Munn was born in 1133. Following the assumptions of this time-line, his paternal claim is not possible. Although the age requirement could have been waived if no other suitable candidates for the priesthood existed, other facts indicate that Sverre was in his early thirties when he came to Norway, such as the age of his own sons or his nephews. If Sverre’s claim were false, however, he would lack royal legitimacy, dooming his plans to failure. Some historians allow for the possibility that Sverre himself believed his own claim. Regardless, his motivation is clear: capturing the throne of Norway despite any issues of royal blood. Especially since Norway had seen other claimants since Harald Gille whose paternity was equally questionable. In Western culture, canon law is the law of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. ... Harald Gylle (1103â€“1136), king of Norway, was born in Ireland. ...

The fact that Sigurd Munn's daughter Cecilia acknowledged Sverre as Sigurd's son lacks evidentiary value. Sverre's actions offered her a welcome possibility to divorce from the marriage with Folkvid the Lawspeaker, into which she claimed to have been forced by Erling Skakke. Folkvid was the lawspeaker of VÃ¤rmland during the last half of the 12th century. ...

Support from Earl Birger Brosa of Sweden is more a sign of pragmatic politics from the part of the Swedes, as their ally party in Norway needed a new leader and had chosen Sverre. Sverre was not the Earl's first choice, however. They had first supported Øystein Møyla, who had died. The Swedes obviously chose to support Sverre only after he had proven to be an effective leader. Birger Brosas sealBirger Brosa (Brosa means smiling), earl of Sweden 1174-1202, d. ... Eystein the Maiden, Ã˜ystein Ã˜ysteinsson MÃ¸yla was elected a rival king of Norway at Ã˜yratinget in 1176. ...

Norway in 1176

In 1176, Norway was slowly recovering from decades of multiple civil wars. The causes were largely due to the lack of any clear succession laws. According to the old customs, all the king’s sons, legitimate or illegitimate, had equal right to the throne. It was customary for brothers to rule the kingdom together, but when quarrels arose war was frequently the result. A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality. ... Introduction Succession laws are used for determining who will be the next heir to the throne of a kingdom, principality, etc. ...

Sigurd Munn, claimed by Sverre as his father, had been slain by his brother Inge Krokrygg in 1155. Sigurd’s son Håkon Herdebrei had been chosen to be king by his father’s followers. The conflict was now a regional conflict, with King Inge having the strongest support in Viken, while most of Håkon’s followers from Trøndelag. Inge Krokrygg fell in 1161. His party then took the five year old Magnus Erlingsson as king. Magnus was the son of Erling Skakke and Kristin, daughter of King Sigurd Jorsalfar. In 1162, at the Battle of Veøy, Håkon Herdebrei fell and his faction began to fall apart. In 1164 Magnus was crowned by Øystein Erlendsson, Archbishop of Nidaros. With the Church and most of the aristocracy on his side, Magnus’ kingship seemed secure. Several uprisings followed, but they were all suppressed. Erling Skakke had been regent during his son’s minority and continued to be the country’s real ruler even after Magnus had come of age. Inge Haraldson, krokrygg the crouchback (1135 - 1161) was the king of Norway between 1136 and 1161. ... Haakon II Sigurdsson (Herdebrei - Eng. ... Viken (literally the bay) is a landscape defined by Oslofjord in southeastern Norway which terminates at Terra Scania on the coast of West Sweden. ... TrÃ¸ndelag is the name of a geographical region in the middle of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-TrÃ¸ndelag and SÃ¸r-TrÃ¸ndelag. ... Magnus Erlingsson (1156-1184) was a king of Norway, from Etne in Hordaland. ... Erling Skakke, the son of Kyrpinga-Orm, was a Norwegian strongman and earl during the 13th century. ... Sigurd I Magnusson (1089?-1130), nicknamed Sigurd Jorsalfare (translation: Sigurd the Crusader, literal translation: Sigurd, the one who went to Jerusalem) was king of Norway 1103-1130. ... Ã˜ystein Erlendsson (d. ... -1...

Sverre meets the Birkebeiners

Thus when Sverre came to Norway he found the prospects for a successful uprising to be small. Distraught he travelled east and came to Östergötland in Sweden just before Christmas. There he met with the local ruler, Birger Brosa, who was married to Sigurd Munn’s sister, Brigit Haraldsdotter. Sverre revealed to Birger Brosa his claim to the throne, but Birger was at first unwilling to give any aid. He was already supporting another group, the Birkebeiners’ — the Birchlegs. This group had risen in 1174 under the leadership of Øystein Møyla who claimed to be the son of King Øystein Haraldsson. They had received the name Birkebeiners because their poverty led some of them to wind the bark of the birch about their legs, instead of wearing shoes. But in January 1177, the Birkebeiners met a crushing defeat at the Battle of Re and Øystein fell. Sverre met with the remnants in Värmland. After some initial doubts, Sverre let himself be persuaded to become the Birkebeiners’ next leader. (helpÂ· info) is a historical Province (landskap) in the south of Sweden. ... Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a traditional holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus with both religious and secular aspects, commonly observed on 25 December. ... Birger Brosas sealBirger Brosa (Brosa means smiling), earl of Sweden 1174-1202, d. ... The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was a contemporary pejorative name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 by Eystein Meyla. ... Eystein the Maiden, Ã˜ystein Ã˜ysteinsson MÃ¸yla was elected a rival king of Norway at Ã˜yratinget in 1176. ... Ã˜ystein Haraldson (died 1157), son of king Harald IV of Norway. ... Species Many species; see text and classification Birch is the name of any tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. ... â–¶(?) is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. ...

Rise to power

Upon Sverre's initial contact, the Birkebeiners had been reduced to a ragtag army of brigands and vagabonds with no more than 70 men, according to the saga. Many regard Sverre's achievement of forging them into a force of skilled and professional soldiers as proof of his leadership qualities. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1134x2002, 333 KB) King Sverre Sigurdssons journey from VÃ¤rmland to Ã˜reting in Nidaros. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1134x2002, 333 KB) King Sverre Sigurdssons journey from VÃ¤rmland to Ã˜reting in Nidaros. ...

Difficult years

During the early years as leader of the Birkebeiners, Sverre and his men were almost constantly on the move. The Birkebeiners were generally viewed as troublemakers with little chance of success by the general populace, who most of all desired peace. Although peasant gatherings were no match for the battle hardened Birkebeiners, Magnus or Erling Skakke frequently had the Birkebeiner on the run.

In June 1177, Sverre first led his men to Trøndelag where Sverre was proclaimed as king at Øreting. Since this was the traditional place to choose a king, the event carried important symbolic weight. The Birkebeiners then moved south to Hadeland, where they were forced northwards again. Sverre then decided to turn west, attempting to take Bergen by surprise. At Voss, however, the Birkebeiners were ambushed by the local peasants. Although the Birkebeiners were victorious, the surprise element on Bergen was eliminated, forcing the group eastwards again. After almost freezing to death on Sognefjell, they wintered in Østerdal. View over Jarenvatnet, a small lake in Gran municipality Hadeland is a region located at the southern end of lake Randsfjorden in Oppland, Norway. ... County Hordaland District Midhordland Municipality NO-1201 Administrative centre Bergen Mayor (2004) Herman Friele (H) Official language form Neutral Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 215 465 kmÂ² 445 kmÂ² 0. ... County Hordaland District Municipality NO-1235 Administrative centre Vossevangen Mayor (2003) BjÃ¸rn Christensen (Ap) Official language form Nynorsk Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 38 1,806 kmÂ² 1,732 kmÂ² 0. ... County Hordaland District Midhordland Municipality NO-1201 Administrative centre Bergen Mayor (2004) Herman Friele (H) Official language form Neutral Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 215 465 kmÂ² 445 kmÂ² 0. ... The upper river valleys of Norwegian rivers have distinctive names which are vestiges of earlier cultural distinctions such as building styles, traditional clothing or bunad and domestic crafts. ...

The next spring, after a short stay in Viken, Sverre and the Birkebeiners returned to Trøndelag. The Birkebeiners now shifted to a more confrontational strategy. However an attack on Nidaros ended in defeat at the Battle of Hatthammeren. After fleeing south, they met Magnus’ army in Ringerike, with the skirmish ending in a tactical victory for the Birkebeiners. Encouraged, the Birkebeiners returned to Trøndelag and managed to subdue the region enough to stay in Nidaros during the winter. Nidaros was the old name of Trondheim, Norway, in the middle ages. ... Ringerike is a municipality in the county of Buskerud, Norway. ...

In the Spring of 1179, Magnus and Erling Skakke attacked Nidaros, forcing another apparent retreat. Confident that the Birkebeiners had again fled southwards, Magnus and his men were complacent. Sverre, however, had turned around at Gauldal and marched again upon the city. The two armies met 19 June in the Battle of Kalvskinnet. Erling Skakke was killed in a battle that ended in a clear victory for Sverre. This victory secured Sverre's hold on Trøndelag. Gauldal is a landscape in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Midtre Gauldal and Rennebu. ... June 19 is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 195 days remaining. ...

Victory over the Heklungs

After Sverre’s victory at Kalvskinnet, the war changed somewhat in character. The Trønders accepted Sverre as their king; the two sides were now much more equal in power. At some point, Magnus’ party acquired the nickname Heklungs. Hekle is Old Norse for hood and is here probably meant to imply the traditional monk garb. The Heklungs thus probably got their name from their close connection with the church. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1134x2002, 344 KB) King Sverre of Norways journey across the mountains to Voss and back again, late summer/fall 1177. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1134x2002, 344 KB) King Sverre of Norways journey across the mountains to Voss and back again, late summer/fall 1177. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ...

Several battles now followed. Magnus Erlingsson again attacked Trøndelag in the spring of 1180, this time reinforced by conscripts from western Norway. But in the Battle of Ilevollene, just outside of Nidaros, the Heklungs were again defeated and Magnus fled to Denmark. With Magnus out of the country, Sverre could sail south and occupy Bergen, but his hold on the region remained weak.

Determined to achieve a decisive victory against the Birkebeiners, Magnus returned with his fleet the next year. The two forces met at sea 31 May 1181 in the Battle of Nordnes. The battle ended in a tactical victory for the Birkebeiners; the Heklungs fled when Magnus was mistakenly believed to have been killed. With his men in poor shape, Sverre decided to withdraw to Trøndelag. Some attempts at negotiation were now made, but these soon broke down. Magnus would not accept Sverre as co-king with equal status, and Sverre could not accept becoming Magnus’ vassal. May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... Events Jayavarman VII assumes control of the Khmer kingdom. ...

With Magnus controlling western Norway from his seat at Bergen, it became problematic for Sverre to keep his men supplied. Sverre therefore led his men south to Viken, a firm Heklung stronghold. He could therefore let his men plunder here with little damage to his cause. However, Magnus exploited Sverre’s absence well. In November he raided Trøndelag and managed to seize and burn the Birkebeiner fleet. Sverre had to return or risk losing his one secure foothold.

During summer 1182, Magnus made an attempt to take Nidaros by siege, but was repulsed with grave losses when the Birkebeiners launched a surprise night attack. Sverre now started an extensive ship-building program. Without a fleet, he could have no hopes of expanding his influence further south. In spring 1183 Sverre attacked Bergen with parts of his new fleet. Avoiding detection by the enemy scouts, he caught the Heklungs off guard, seizing their entire fleet. Magnus fled to Denmark, leaving crown and sceptre behind. Crown (headgear) - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... A sceptre or scepter is an ornamental staff held by a ruling monarch, a prominent item of kingly regalia. ...

In the sea battles of medieval Scandinavia, the side with largest and highest ships would usually have an advantage since this meant the crew could attack the enemy from above with projectiles and other weapons. Sverre built the largest ship afloat at the time, the Mariasuda. As a result of its great size, the seaworthiness of the Mariasuda was rather poor and it would only be useful within the narrow fjords. Either because of luck or good strategy such a situation would soon arise. The Oseberg longship (Viking Ship Museum, Norway) Oseberg longship from the front - one of the most stunning expressions of Norse art and craftsmanship A longship tacking in the wind Longships or the bigger drakkar ship were boats used by the Scandinavian Vikings and the Saxons for their raids on coastal... Sognefjorden, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes, which results from marine inundation of a glaciated valley. ...

Early spring 1184, Magnus returned to Viken from Denmark with new ships. In April he sailed north towards Bergen. At about the same time, Sverre had gone to Sogn to put down a local uprising and was still there when Magnus came to Bergen in June. After chasing out the few Birkebeiners there, Magnus set sail again, having heard news of Sverre’s current position. The two fleets met 15 June at Fimreite in the long and narrow Sognefjord. The Battle of Fimreite proved to be final struggle between Birkebeiners and Heklungs. Magnus had several large ships, but none as huge as the Mariasuda. While the Mariasuda held up half of the enemy fleet, the rest attacked the outlying enemy ships. Panic began to spread as the Heklungs fled aboard their larger ships. These ships soon became overloaded and begun to sink. Many of the wounded and tired men could not keep themselves afloat and drowned, including King Magnus. Most of the Heklung leadership fell there, along with a huge number of men at both sides, 2160 according to the saga (though this number is probably too high). Leaderless, the Heklungs were now broken as a political party. Sverre could now finally, after a six years long struggle, claim to be the sole and uncontested king of Norway. Sogn is a landscape in the western part of Norway, surrounding Sognefjorden. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... Fimreite is a place i Sogn, Norway. ... An arm of the Sognefjord The Sognefjord (Sognefjorden) is the second largest fjord in the world after Scoresby Sund on Greenland, and the largest in Norway. ...

Troubled reign

Now that the dissatisfied priest and his band of vagrants and outcasts had become King and rulers of Norway, Sverre worked to consolidate his power. He placed his loyal men in high positions throughout the kingdom and negotiated marriage alliances between the old and new nobility. Sverre himself married Margareta, daughter of Erik the Saint and sister of King Knut Eriksson of Sweden. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1134x2002, 323 KB) Locations of the most important battles during the reign of king Sverre Sigurdsson. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1134x2002, 323 KB) Locations of the most important battles during the reign of king Sverre Sigurdsson. ... Margareta Eriksdotter (d. ... Coat of Arms of Stockholm, depicting Eric IX of Sweden Eric IX of Sweden (or Erik the Lawgiver or Eric the Saint. ... Seal of Canute I Canute I Eriksson or Knut Eriksson in Swedish was king of Sweden from 1167 to 1195. ...

Although Norway had seen several conflicts the last decades, the victor had reconciled with his opponents. Reconciliation at Sverre's hand, however, proved to be difficult. It was a long war with more causalities than previous conflicts. Most of the older noble dynasties had lost men and thirsted for vengeance. Further, that many people of non-noble origin were now elevated to noble standing was difficult for many to accept. Peace was not to last long.

Kuvlungs and Øyskjeggs

Autumn 1185 the Kuvlungs rose in Viken. Their leader, Jon Kuvlung, was a former monk and was claimed to be the son of Inge Krogrygg. This group was in many ways the direct successor of the Heklungs, with many of its members coming from former Heklung families. The Kuvlungs soon gained control of eastern and western Norway, the old Heklung strongholds. Jon Ingesson Kuvlung, a pretender to the crown of Norway, was claimed to be a son of king Inge I of Norway the Hunchback, though this is highly improbable, as Inge was generally known to have been too invalid. ... Inge Haraldson, krokrygg the crouchback (1135 - 1161) was the king of Norway between 1136 and 1161. ...

In autumn 1186, the Kuvlungs attacked Nidaros. This offensive took Sverre by surprise; he took refuge in the recently constructed stone castle Sion. The Kuvlungs, unable to take the castle, were forced to retreat. In 1188 Sverre sailed south with a large fleet. They first met at Tønsberg, but neither side dared to offer battle. The Kuvlungs slipped away to Bergen. Sverre attacked Bergen just before Christmas. Here Jon Kuvlung was killed and thus ending the Kuvlung rising. Sverresborg or (Sverre Sigurdsson’s castle (also named Zion after King David’s castle in Jerusalem), was a fortification built at the medieval city of Nidaros (later Trondjem) by Sverre Sigurdsson. ... County Vestfold District Viken Municipality NO-0704 Administrative centre TÃ¸nsberg Mayor (2004) Per Arne Olsen (FrP) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 381 107 kmÂ² 106 kmÂ² 0. ...

Some minor uprisings followed, but these never rose above banditry and were suppressed on a local scale.

The next serious threat came in 1193 with the Øyskjeggs – the Isle Beards. The nominal king for this group was Sigurd, a child claimed to be the bastard son of Magnus Erlingsson. The real leader was Hallkjell Jonsson who was Magnus’ brother-in-law. Conspiring with the Earl of Orkney, Harald Maddadsson, Hallkjell gathered most of his men on the Orkneys and Shetland, hence the name of the group. After establishing themselves in Viken, the Øyskjeggs sailed on to Bergen. Although they occupied the city itself and the surrounding regions, a force of Birkebeiners held on in Sverresborg castle. Spring 1194 Sverre sailed south to confront the Øyskjeggs. The two fleets met 3 April in the Battle of Florvåg. Here the battle experience of the Birkebeiner veterans proved to be decisive. Hallkjell fell with most of his men. Sigurd Magnusson was a Norwegian pretender and rival king during the Civil War era. ... Earl of Orkney - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Orkney Islands form one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and are a Lieutenancy Area. ... See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ...

Sverre and the Church

The Church of Norway had been organized under the Archbishopric of Nidaros in 1152. Øystein Erlendsson, who had become archbishop in 1161, had been one of Magnus Erlingsson’s main supporters. In return the church had secured its position as an independent institution and also gained several other privileges.

Øystein had returned to Nidaros from England in 1183 and during his last years a state of truce existed between church and king. When Øystein died 26 January 1188, the bishop of Stavanger, Eirik Ivarsson, was elected as his successor. Sverre now probably hoped that his relationship with the church could be normalised. He therefore approached Eirik with hopes of being crowned — the definite proof of recognition. However, in Eirik’s eyes, Sverre was little more than a usurper and king-murderer. January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Saladin unsuccessfully besieges the Hospitaller fortress of Krak des Chevaliers in modern Syria. ... County Rogaland District JÃ¦ren Municipality NO-1103 Administrative centre Stavanger Mayor (2005) Leif Johan Sevland Official language form Norwegian Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 406 71 kmÂ² 68 kmÂ² 0. ...

The situation now escalated into an open breach as Sverre began building up a list of privileges that were contrary to the church law made by St. Olaf, the traditional founder of the Norwegian Church. Eirik on side preached against the king and his men, and sent letters of complaint to the Pope, but in the short term his offensive weapons were few. In 1190 Sverre now attempted to force the Archbishop into submission, claiming that Eirik had broken the law by having 90 armed men in his service. According to law, the Archbishop’s guard was limited upwards to 30 men. Rather than to submit to the king’s will, Eirik fled to Lund where the Danish archbishop had his seat. From there he sent a delegation to Rome asking the Pope for advice.^[1] Olaf II Haraldsson (995 â€“ July 29, 1030), king from 1015â€“1028, (known during his lifetime as the Stout and after his canonization as Saint Olaf), was born in the year in which Olaf Tryggvasson came to Norway. ... (helpÂ· info) or is a Scanian city in the SkÃ¥ne province of southernmost Sweden. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ...

With the archbishop absent, Sverre tightened his grip on the bishops, and on Nikolas Arnesson, who became bishop of Oslo in 1190, in particular. Nikolas was the half-brother of Inge Krokrygg, had been among the Heklung leadership and in 1194 he appeared to be suspiciously close to the Øyskjeggs. After the destruction of the Øyskjeggs at Florvåg, Sverre arranged a meeting with Nikolas where he charged the bishop with treason and threatened

The Bagler war

During spring 1196 the Bagler party was formed at Halør in Denmark in opposition against Sverre. Their leaders were Nikolas Arnesson, the nobleman Reidar the Messenger from Viken and Sigurd jarlsson, a bastard son of Erling Skakke. Eirik the Archbishop also gave his support. As their king they choose Inge Magnusson, supposedly the son of Magnus Erlingsson. They then sailed back to Norway. The Bagler faction which was made up of aristocracy, clergy and merchants contested with the Birkebeiners, essentially a faction of peasants, led by the pretender King Sverre, for control in a Norwegian civil war during the late 12th century. ... Inge Magnusson or Inge Baglar-king, was from 1196 to 1202 Bagler pretender to the Norwegian throne. ...

Sverre happened to be in Viken, and the two forces soon encountered each other although no major battles were fought. Sverre gave his oldest son, Sigurd Lavard the responsibility of guarding a ballista he had had built. However the Baglers launched a surprise night attack during which the ballista was destroyed and Sigurd and his men were chased away. Sverre was furious and never gave his son a command again. After some more indecisive fighting, Sverre sailed north to Trondheim where he spent the winter. The Baglers had Inge hailed as king on Borgarting and soon established a firm control over the Viken region with Oslo as their main seat. Sigurd Lavard (d. ... The ballista (Latin, from Greek ballistÄ“s, from ballein to throw, plural ballistae) is a powerful ancient weapon, similar to a giant, primitive crossbow, which eject heavy darts or spherical stone projectiles of various sizes. ...

Spring 1197 Sverre called out the leidang from the northern and western parts of the country and in May he was able to sail south to Viken with more than 7000 men, a considerable force. The Birkebeiners attacked Oslo 26 July and after many casualties on both sides, the Baglers were forced inland. Sverre now spent some time war-taxing the region, but with his leidang troops close to mutiny, Sverre withdrew to Bergen where he had decided to spend the winter. This was to be a near fatal mistake. The Baglers had meanwhile travelled north to Trøndelag by land where they had entered Nidaros with little opposition. The garrison at Sverresborg held fast for a while until their commander Torstein Kugad changed sides and let the Baglers into the castle. The Baglers had Sverresborg completely dismantled. Sverre’s home region was now in enemy hands. The institution known as leiðangr (Old Norse), leidang (Norwegian), leding, (Danish), ledung (Swedish), expeditio (Latin) or sometimes lething (in English language), was a public fleet levy of free farmers typical for the Viking Age Scandinavians. ... July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 158 days remaining. ...

1198 was to be the nadir of Sverre’s fortunes. In May Sverre launched his attempt to recapture Trøndelag. This time Sverre failed to achieve surprise and the Birkebeiner fleet consisted mostly of smaller ships. In the sea battle that followed, the Birkebeiners were soundly beaten. In the aftermath of this battle the Baglers further consolidated their hold on Trøndelag and many went over to what they believed to be the winning side.

After his defeat, Sverre limped back to Bergen. He was soon followed by a numerically superior Bagler army under the leadership of Nikolas Arnesson and Hallvard of Såstad. Sverre continued to hold Bergenhus fortress. This castle proved to be impregnable, giving the Birkebeiners a secure base of operation. The following summer was to be called the “Bergen’s summer” and was dominated by indecisive skirmishing in the Bergen area. On 11 August the Baglers set fire to Bergen. The destruction was complete, even the churches were burnt down. Facing starvation, Sverre slipped away with most of his men to Trøndelag. August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

In Trøndelag, most of the population was still loyal to Sverre, and many of those who had joined the Baglers now changed sides again. Sverre was also able to play on the Baglers brutality at Bergen. The Trønders promised to provide Sverre with a new fleet, in all 8 large ships were constructed and several transport ships were converted. The Baglers sailed into the Trondheimsfjord in early June. On 18 June 1199 the two fleets met at the Battle of Strindafjord. Here Sverre won a crushing victory and surviving Baglers fled to Denmark. June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... Events John Lackland, becomes King of England Births Isobel of Huntingdon (d. ...

Sverre could now take control over Viken and prepared to spend the winter in Oslo, but the countryside remained largely hostile. Early next year a spontaneous uprising took place as huge numbers of people started drifting towards Oslo to throw the Birkebeiners out. This peasant army was both untrained and without organization and were no match for the battle hardened Birkebeiners. In a battle 6 March 1200 the peasants were defeated piecemeal. However the Birkebeiners’ grip on the region was still weak, and Sverre decided to sail back to Bergen. March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ... Events University of Paris receives charter from Philip II of France The Kanem-Bornu Empire was established in northern Africa around the year 1200 Mongol victory over Northern China â€” 30,000,000 killed Births Al-Abhari, Persian philosopher and mathematician (died 1265) Ulrich von Liechtenstein, German nobleman and poet (died...

With Sverre gone, the Baglers could return in force from Denmark and soon they had re-established their hold on Eastern Norway. The two sides now spent a year raiding each other’s territories with no lasting gains for either side, although the Birkebeiners had the upper hand at sea.

Spring 1201 Sverre sailed out from Bergen with a large leidang force in what would be his last campaign season. With this army he could uncontested demand war taxes at both sides of the Oslofjord during the summer. In September he set up camp at Tønsberg and laid siege to Tønsberg Fortress which was garrisoned by Reidar the Messenger and his men. The siege dragged on as the other Bagler leaders dared not send a relief force and the garrison did not fall for any of Sverre’s tricks. At last on 25 January Reidar and his men surrendered, and Sverre decided to sail back to Bergen. The Oslofjord (Oslofjorden) is a fjord located on the south-east of Norway, stretching from FÃ¦rder in the south to Oslo at the head. ... County Vestfold District Viken Municipality NO-0704 Administrative centre TÃ¸nsberg Mayor (2004) Per Arne Olsen (FrP) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 381 107 kmÂ² 106 kmÂ² 0. ... Slottsfjellet TÃ¸nsberg Fortress is a fortress located in TÃ¸nsberg, Norway. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the return journey Sverre fell ill and by the time they reached Bergen, the king was dying. On his death bed Sverre appointed his sole living son, Håkon, as his heir and successor and in a letter advised him to seek reconciliation with the Church. Sverre died 8 March 1202. Haakon III (HÃ¥kon Sverreson) was a king of Norway from 1202-1204. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... // Events August 1 - Arthur of Brittany captured in Mirebeau, north of Poitiers Beginning of the Fourth Crusade. ...

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External links

William of Newburgh (1136?-1198?), also known as Nubrigensis, was a 12th century English historian, and monk, from Yorkshire. ...

References

Categories: Norwegian monarchs | 1202 deaths | Norwegian civil wars Halvdan Koht (b. ... The Owl Edition Nordisk familjebok is a Swedish encyclopedia, published between 1876 and 1957. ... Magnus Erlingsson (1156-1184) was a king of Norway, from Etne in Hordaland. ... This article is a list of rulers of Norway up until the present, including: The Norwegian kingdom (with the Faroe Islands) The Union with Iceland and Greenland (1262-1814) The Norwegian kingdom (with Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands 1262-1814) The Union of Sweden and Norway (1319-1343) The... Haakon III (HÃ¥kon Sverreson) was a king of Norway from 1202-1204. ... Eystein the Maiden, Ã˜ystein Ã˜ysteinsson MÃ¸yla was elected a rival king of Norway at Ã˜yratinget in 1176. ... The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was a contemporary pejorative name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 by Eystein Meyla. ... Image File history File links LinkFA-star. ...

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