Erling Steinvegg
Encyclopedia
Erling Magnusson Steinvegg or Erlingr Magnússon Steinveggr was the candidate of the Bagler
to the Norwegian throne from 1204 to 1207. His candidacy resulted in the second Bagler War which lasted until 1208, when the question of the Norwegian succession was temporarily settled.
in Lake Vättern
. From there he would have escaped, and for this reason he later carried the nickname Steinvegg meaning Stonewall.
At the death of King Håkon III of Norway in January 1204, no heirs were known. Håkon was therefore succeeded by his 4-year-old nephew Guttorm Sigurdsson who subsequently died in August 1204. Members of the Bagler party became convinced that Erling Steinvegg was a son of King Magnus V of Norway
and made him a candidate for the Norwegian throne. King Valdemar II of Denmark
attempted to influence the outcome of the Norwegian succession by leading a Danish fleet of over 300 ships and army to Viken in support of Erling as pretender to the Norwegian throne. Erling Steinvegg succeeded at the iron test
to show that he was of royal descent. To prove his ancestry, Erling undertook the ordeal in the presence King Valdemar II of Denmark
and subsequently received 35 ships as a gift of him. Afterwards, Erling was taken by the king to Haugathing in Tønsberg
and declared to be king of Norway.
When Erling died in 1207, he left two infant sons, Sigurd and his brother. They were passed over by the Bagler, in favour of Philip Simonsson
, who became the new Bagler candidate. Neither Erling Steinvegg nor later his son Sigurd Ribbung
would manage to prevail over the Birkebeiner, the ultimate victors in the power struggle for Norway. The Bagler never achieved control of all of Norway, but rather established their rule in Viken in the district surrounding Oslofjord
in southeastern Norway after 1204. Erling Steinvegg died in March 1207. Philip Simonsson
was made his successor as the next pretender by the Bagler
.
it was usual that several royal sons fought against each other over power in Norway. The civil war period of Norwegian history
lasted from 1130 to 1240. During this period there were several interlocked conflicts of varying scale and intensity. The background for these conflicts were the unclear Norwegian succession laws, social conditions and the struggle between Church and King. There were then two main parties, firstly known by varying names or no names at all, but finally condensed into parties of Bagler and Birkebeiner. The rallying point regularly was a royal son, who was set up as the head figure of the party in question, to oppose the rule of king from the contesting party.
Bagler
The Bagli Party or Bagler was a faction or party during the Norwegian Civil Wars. The Bagler faction was made up principally of the Norwegian aristocracy, clergy and merchants....
to the Norwegian throne from 1204 to 1207. His candidacy resulted in the second Bagler War which lasted until 1208, when the question of the Norwegian succession was temporarily settled.
Biography
Erling Magnusson was claimed to be an illegitimate son of King Magnus Erlingsson. He also claimed some years earlier to have been arrested by Swedish King Knut Eriksson and put in the stone tower on the island of VisingsöVisingsö
Visingsö is an island in the southern half of the lake Vättern in Sweden.Visingsö lies 30 km north of the city Jönköping and 6 km west of Gränna from which two car ferries connects the island...
in Lake Vättern
Vättern
Vättern is the second largest lake in Sweden, after Lake Vänern and the sixth largest lake in Europe. It is a long, finger-shaped body of fresh water in south central Sweden to the southeast of Vänern pointing at the tip of Scandinavia....
. From there he would have escaped, and for this reason he later carried the nickname Steinvegg meaning Stonewall.
At the death of King Håkon III of Norway in January 1204, no heirs were known. Håkon was therefore succeeded by his 4-year-old nephew Guttorm Sigurdsson who subsequently died in August 1204. Members of the Bagler party became convinced that Erling Steinvegg was a son of King Magnus V of Norway
Magnus V of Norway
Magnus V Erlingsson was a King of Norway during the Civil war era in Norway.-Biography:Magnus Erlingsson was probably born in Etne in Hordaland. He was the son of Erling Skakke. His father was a Norwegian nobleman who earned his reputation crusading with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the Earl of Orkney...
and made him a candidate for the Norwegian throne. King Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II , called Valdemar the Victorious or Valdemar the Conqueror , was the King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. The nickname Sejr is a later invention and was not used during the King's own lifetime...
attempted to influence the outcome of the Norwegian succession by leading a Danish fleet of over 300 ships and army to Viken in support of Erling as pretender to the Norwegian throne. Erling Steinvegg succeeded at the iron test
Trial by ordeal
Trial by ordeal is a judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the accused is determined by subjecting them to an unpleasant, usually dangerous experience...
to show that he was of royal descent. To prove his ancestry, Erling undertook the ordeal in the presence King Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II , called Valdemar the Victorious or Valdemar the Conqueror , was the King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. The nickname Sejr is a later invention and was not used during the King's own lifetime...
and subsequently received 35 ships as a gift of him. Afterwards, Erling was taken by the king to Haugathing in Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
and declared to be king of Norway.
When Erling died in 1207, he left two infant sons, Sigurd and his brother. They were passed over by the Bagler, in favour of Philip Simonsson
Philip Simonsson
Philip Simonsson was a Norwegian aristocrat and from 1207 to 1217 was the Bagler party pretender to the throne of Norway during the civil war era in Norway. -Background:...
, who became the new Bagler candidate. Neither Erling Steinvegg nor later his son Sigurd Ribbung
Sigurd Ribbung
Sigurd Erlingsson Ribbung was a Norwegian nobleman and pretender to the throne of Norway during the civil war era in Norway.-Biography:...
would manage to prevail over the Birkebeiner, the ultimate victors in the power struggle for Norway. The Bagler never achieved control of all of Norway, but rather established their rule in Viken in the district surrounding Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
in southeastern Norway after 1204. Erling Steinvegg died in March 1207. Philip Simonsson
Philip Simonsson
Philip Simonsson was a Norwegian aristocrat and from 1207 to 1217 was the Bagler party pretender to the throne of Norway during the civil war era in Norway. -Background:...
was made his successor as the next pretender by the Bagler
Bagler
The Bagli Party or Bagler was a faction or party during the Norwegian Civil Wars. The Bagler faction was made up principally of the Norwegian aristocracy, clergy and merchants....
.
Historic context
In Norwegian civil war eraCivil war era in Norway
The Civil war era of Norwegian history is a term used for the period in the history of Norway between 1130 and 1240. During this time, a series of civil wars were fought between rival kings and pretenders to the throne of Norway. The reasons for the wars is one of the most debated topics in...
it was usual that several royal sons fought against each other over power in Norway. The civil war period of Norwegian history
History of Norway
The history of human settlement in what is present day Norway goes back at least 11,000 years, to the late Paleolithic. Archaeological finds in the county of Møre og Romsdal have been dated to 9,200 BC and are probably the remains of settlers from Doggerland, an area now submerged in the North Sea,...
lasted from 1130 to 1240. During this period there were several interlocked conflicts of varying scale and intensity. The background for these conflicts were the unclear Norwegian succession laws, social conditions and the struggle between Church and King. There were then two main parties, firstly known by varying names or no names at all, but finally condensed into parties of Bagler and Birkebeiner. The rallying point regularly was a royal son, who was set up as the head figure of the party in question, to oppose the rule of king from the contesting party.
Sources
The main source of information regarding the lives and rebellion of Erling Magnusson Steinvegg and his son Sigurd Ribbung is Sturla Þórðarson's Saga of Håkon Håkonsson which was written in the 1260s.Other sources
- Helle, KnutKnut HelleKnut Helle is a Norwegian historian. A professor at the University of Bergen from 1973 to 2000, he has specialized in the late medieval history of Norway. He has contributed to several large works.-Early life, education and marriage:...
Under kirke og kongemakt, 1130-1350 (Oslo: 1995) - Holmsen, AndreasAndreas HolmsenAndreas Holmsen was a Norwegian professor, and historian.He was born in Kristiania.Holmsen married in 1961 with etnologist Rigmor Frimannslund Holmsen.-Bibliography:...
Norges historie, fra de eldste tider til 1660 (Oslo: 1961) - Gjerset, KnutKnut GjersetKnut Gjerset as a Norwegian-American author and historian. He was a professor at Luther College and served as curator of the Norwegian-American Historical Museum.-Selected works:*English Grammar...
History of the Norwegian People (MacMillan Company, Volumes I & II, 1915)