House of Hardrada
Encyclopedia
The House of Hardrada was a powerful royal "house" or "dynasty" which ruled, at various times in history, Kingdom of Norway, Kingdom of Mann and the Isles, Earldom of Orkney
and Kingdom of Denmark
(although the latter is very disputed). The rulers of this house claimed descendance from the House of Fairhair
and its old rulers.
The Royal House was founded, albeit unknowingly, by Harald Sigurdsson when he was made king of Norway. His descendants would expand the influence, wealth and power of the dynasty after his death at Stamford Bridge
September 25, 1066. It is very unlikely that the rulers ever referred to their dynasty as the "House of Hardrada", this is a term made up for the dynasty at the time by modern historians.
The royal house replaced the Saint Olav dynasty
, and was again replaced by the House of Sverre
.
Earldom of Orkney
The Earldom of Orkney was a Norwegian dignity in Scotland which had its origins in the Viking period. The title of Earl of Orkney was passed down the same family line through to the Middle Ages....
and Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark or the Danish Realm , is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting of Denmark proper in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark is the hegemonial part, where the...
(although the latter is very disputed). The rulers of this house claimed descendance from the House of Fairhair
Fairhair dynasty
The Fairhair dynasty was a family of kings founded by Harald I of Norway which ruled Norway with few interruptions from 800 to 1387 , or through only three generations of kings , in the 10th century CE....
and its old rulers.
The Royal House was founded, albeit unknowingly, by Harald Sigurdsson when he was made king of Norway. His descendants would expand the influence, wealth and power of the dynasty after his death at Stamford Bridge
Battle of Stamford Bridge
The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place at the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire in England on 25 September 1066, between an English army under King Harold Godwinson and an invading Norwegian force led by King Harald Hardrada of Norway and the English king's brother Tostig...
September 25, 1066. It is very unlikely that the rulers ever referred to their dynasty as the "House of Hardrada", this is a term made up for the dynasty at the time by modern historians.
The royal house replaced the Saint Olav dynasty
Fairhair dynasty
The Fairhair dynasty was a family of kings founded by Harald I of Norway which ruled Norway with few interruptions from 800 to 1387 , or through only three generations of kings , in the 10th century CE....
, and was again replaced by the House of Sverre
House of Sverre
The House of Sverre was a royal house or dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway, and hereunder the kingdom's realms, and the Kingdom of Scotland. The house was founded with King Sverre Sigurdsson...
.
List of kings and rival kings
The rulers within the royal house or dynasty would often have a "rival king" to oppose the "legitimate" king's right to rule the realm and dominions (rival kings noted in bold). Here is a list of the rulers when the house held the power in Norway:- Harald Hardrule Harald Hardråde: 1046–1066
- Magnus HaraldssonMagnus II of NorwayMagnus II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1066 to 1069, jointly with his brother Olaf Kyrre from 1067.-Background:Magnus was a son of King Harald III of Norway...
: 1066–1069 - Olaf the PeacefulOlaf III of NorwayOlaf Kyrre , or Olaf III Haraldsson, was King of Norway from 1067 to 1093. He was present at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in England in 1066 where his father, Harald Hardrada, saw defeat and was killed in action...
Olav Kyrre: 1066–1093 - Håkon MagnussonHaakon Magnusson of NorwayHaakon Magnusson was king of Norway from 1093 until 1094. Haakon was only partially recognized within Norway and his reign was thus of limited significance. He has been generally not been counted in the numbered series of Norwegian kings...
: 1093–1094 - Magnus BarelegMagnus III of NorwayMagnus Barefoot or Magnus III Olafsson was King of Norway from 1093 until 1103 and King of Mann and the Isles from 1099 until 1103.-Background:...
Magnus Berrføtt: 1093–1103 - Olaf MagnussonOlaf Magnusson of NorwayOlaf Magnusson was king of Norway 1103–1115. He was the son of King Magnus Barefoot and Sigrid, daughter of Sakse of Vik....
: 1103–1115 - Øystein MagnussonEystein I of NorwayEystein I Magnusson was king of Norway from 1103 to 1123.-Biography:Eystein became king, together with his brothers Sigurd and Olaf, when his father Magnus Barefoot died in 1103...
: 1103–1123 - Sigurd the CrusaderSigurd I of NorwaySigurd I Magnusson , also known as Sigurd the Crusader , was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his brother Eystein I of Norway , has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway...
Sigurd Jorsalfare: 1103–1130 - Magnus the BlindMagnus IV of NorwayMagnus IV Sigurdsson , also known as Magnus the Blind, was King of Norway from 1130 to 1135 and again from 1137 to 1139. His period as king marked the beginning of the civil war era in Norway, which lasted until 1240....
Magnus Blinde: 1130–1135- Sigurd the NoisySigurd SlembeSigurd Magnusson Slembe was a Norwegian pretender to the throne. He was the subject of Sigurd Slembe, the historical drama written by the Norwegian playwright Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1863...
Sigurd Slembe: 1135–1139, rival king
- Sigurd the Noisy
- Magnus ErlingssonMagnus V of NorwayMagnus 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...
: 1161–1184- Olav UgjævaOlav UgjævaOlav Ugjæva was a pretender to the Norwegian throne during the civil war era in Norway. Olaf was named king in 1166, but was subsequently defeated by King Magnus V of Norway and forced to flee the country.-Background:Olav Gudbrandsson was the son of Gudbrand Skavhoggsson and Maria...
: 1166–1169, rival king - Sigurd MagnussonSigurd MagnussonSigurd Magnusson was a Norwegian nobleman who campaigned against King Sverre of Norway during the Civil war era in Norway. -Background:...
: 1193–1194, rival king - Inge MagnussonInge MagnussonInge Magnusson or Inge Baglar-king was from 1196 to 1202 the Bagler candidate for pretender to the Norwegian throne during the Civil war era in Norway.In 1197, a serious challenge to the reign of King Sverre of Norway arose...
: 1196–1202, rival king - Erling StonewallErling SteinveggErling 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.-Biography:Erling...
Erling Steinvegg: 1204–1207, rival king
- Olav Ugjæva