Eystein Meyla
Encyclopedia
Eystein Meyla was elected a rival King
of Norway
during the Norwegian Civil War period.
. His nickname Møyla means maiden, girl, cute woman. His father was king of Norway from 1142 to 1157, ruling as co-ruler with his brothers, Inge Haraldsson and Sigurd Munn. Eystein II was killed in 1157 during the power-struggle against his brother, Inge, in an early stage of the civil war era in Norway
. After the death of Eystein II, his supporters first rallied around the young Haakon the Broadshouldered
, Sigurd Munn's son and Eystein's nephew. Haakon was defeated and killed by Jarl Erling Skakke
at Sekken near the town of Veøya
in Romsdalen
during 1162.
The Birkebeiner
were formed in 1174 around Eystein Meyla. The Birkebeiner took the city of Trondheim
and proclaimed Eystein to be king at the Øretinget Thing
by the mouth of the river Nidelva
in during 1176. Eystein Meyla and the party of Birkebeins subsequently arose in rebellion against Erling Skakke and his young son Magnus Erlingsson who reigned as King Magnus V of Norway
from 1161–1184.
In January 1177, the Birkebeiners met a crushing defeat at the Battle of Re (Slaget på Re) in Vestfold
. Eystein escaped the battle alive, but was killed by a farmer when he tried to ask for grið. The battle was the last one mentioned in Heimskringla
by Snorri Sturluson
. Sverre Sigurdsson became the Birkebeiners’ next leader. As King Sverre I
, he would rule as king of Norway from 1184 until his death in 1202.
lasted from 1130 to 1217. 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.
, Heimskringla
and Sverris saga
.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
during the Norwegian Civil War period.
Biography
Eystein was son of Eysteinn Haraldsson, King Eystein II of NorwayEystein II of Norway
Eystein Haraldsson , born c. 1125 apparently in Scotland, died 1157 in Bohuslän, Norway, was king of Norway from 1142 to 1157. He ruled as co-ruler with his brothers, Inge Haraldsson and Sigurd Munn...
. His nickname Møyla means maiden, girl, cute woman. His father was king of Norway from 1142 to 1157, ruling as co-ruler with his brothers, Inge Haraldsson and Sigurd Munn. Eystein II was killed in 1157 during the power-struggle against his brother, Inge, in an early stage of the civil war era in Norway
Civil 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...
. After the death of Eystein II, his supporters first rallied around the young Haakon the Broadshouldered
Haakon II of Norway
Haakon II Sigurdsson , also known as Haakon Herdebrei, was King of Norway from 1157 until 1162 during the Civil war era in Norway.-Biography:His nickname, Herdebrei, means broad-shouldered...
, Sigurd Munn's son and Eystein's nephew. Haakon was defeated and killed by Jarl Erling Skakke
Erling Skakke
Erling Skakke was a Norwegian Jarl during the 12th century. He was the father of Magnus V, who reigned as King of Norway from 1161 to 1184....
at Sekken near the town of Veøya
Veøya
Veøya is an island in the municipality of Molde in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located at a junction of the three main branches of the Romsdalsfjord between Sekken and the mainland near the village of Nesjestranda. Veøy consists of one larger and two smaller islands...
in Romsdalen
Romsdalen
Romsdalen is a valley running through the municipalities of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal County and Lesja in Oppland county Norway.-Location:The river Rauma follows the Romsdalen valley from lake Lesjaskogsvatnet to the town of Åndalsnes, where it empties into the Romsdalsfjord. The Rauma Line and...
during 1162.
The Birkebeiner
Birkebeiner
The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender to the Norwegian throne, Eystein Meyla...
were formed in 1174 around Eystein Meyla. The Birkebeiner took the city of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and proclaimed Eystein to be king at the Øretinget Thing
Thing (assembly)
A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic and introduced into some Celtic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
by the mouth of the river Nidelva
Nidelva
Nidelva or Nidelven is a river in the county Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. Elva or Elven is Norwegian for river, so the name translates to "Nid River".-Location:...
in during 1176. Eystein Meyla and the party of Birkebeins subsequently arose in rebellion against Erling Skakke and his young son Magnus Erlingsson who reigned as 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...
from 1161–1184.
In January 1177, the Birkebeiners met a crushing defeat at the Battle of Re (Slaget på Re) in Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
. Eystein escaped the battle alive, but was killed by a farmer when he tried to ask for grið. The battle was the last one mentioned in Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
by Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
. Sverre Sigurdsson became the Birkebeiners’ next leader. As King Sverre I
Sverre of Norway
Sverre Sigurdsson was king of Norway from 1177 to 1202. He married Margareta Eriksdotter, the daughter of the Swedish king Eric the Saint, by whom he had the daughter Kristina Sverresdotter....
, he would rule as king of Norway from 1184 until his death in 1202.
Historic overview
In the period of civil wars, it was usual for several royal sons to war against each other over power in Norway. The civil war era of Norwegian historyHistory 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 1217. 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
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....
and Birkebeiner
Birkebeiner
The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender to the Norwegian throne, Eystein Meyla...
. 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 primary sources of information regarding Øystein Øysteinsson Møyla are FagrskinnaFagrskinna
Fagrskinna is one of the kings' sagas, written around 1220. It takes its name from one of the manuscripts in which it was preserved, Fagrskinna meaning 'Fair Leather', i.e., 'Fair Parchment'. Fagrskinna proper was destroyed by fire, but copies of it and another vellum have been preserved...
, Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
and Sverris saga
Sverris saga
Sverris saga is one of the kings' sagas. Its subject is King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway and it is the main source for this period of Norwegian history. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of more than one part. Work first began in 1185 under the king’s direct supervision...
.
Other sources
- Røsoch, Henry Trondheim's History (Trondheim: F. Bruns Bokhandel. 1939)
- Finlay, Alison editor and translator Fagrskinna, a Catalogue of the Kings of Norway (Brill Academic. 2004)
- Gathorne-Hardy, Geoffrey Malcolm A royal impostor: King Sverre of Norway (London: Oxford University Press. 1956)