Olav Ugjæva
Encyclopedia
Olav Ugjæva (died 1169) 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
(Magnus Erlingsson) and forced to flee the country.
and his wife Ingebjørg Guttormsdatter. Olav was fostered by Sigurd Agnhatt (Sigurðr ) in the Oppland
region of eastern Norway. In the late 1160s, Norway was ruled by earl Erling Skakke
, during the minority of his son, King Magnus V of Norway
(Magnus Erlingsson). Erling had succeeded in placing his son on the throne after lengthy fighting against several rivals to the throne since the mid 1150s.
. After Erling returned to Norway to fight this uprising, Olav and his men attacked Erling in an ambush at Rydjokul in Sørum
(Overfallet på Rydjøkul) on 2 February 1167. Erling was wounded, and barely escaped. According to the Sagas, it was said that Olav was unlucky not to have defeated Erling in this fight, and from that he got his nickname, Olav the Unlucky. In 1168 Olav and his men ventured south to the Oslofjord
area, but were there defeated in Battle at Stanger, near Våler
in Østfold
(Slaget på Stanger i Våler). Sigurd Agnhatt was killed in the battle, but Olav Ugjæva escaped and went to Denmark
. The next year, Olav fell ill and died there.
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 Fagrskinna
. These two sagas state he died in Denmark, but disagree on whether he died in Århus
or Ålborg
.
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...
throne during 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...
. Olaf was named king in 1166, but was subsequently defeated by 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...
(Magnus Erlingsson) and forced to flee the country.
Background
Olav Gudbrandsson was the son of Gudbrand Skavhoggsson (Guðbrandr ) and Maria Øysteinsdotter (María Eysteinsdóttir), the daughter of King Eystein I of NorwayEystein I of Norway
Eystein 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...
and his wife Ingebjørg Guttormsdatter. Olav was fostered by Sigurd Agnhatt (Sigurðr ) in the Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
region of eastern Norway. In the late 1160s, Norway was ruled by earl 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....
, during the minority of his son, 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...
(Magnus Erlingsson). Erling had succeeded in placing his son on the throne after lengthy fighting against several rivals to the throne since the mid 1150s.
Reign
In 1166, Sigurd Agnhatt and his fosterson Olav raised a force in Oppland, and had Olav proclaimed king, while earl Erling was away in DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. After Erling returned to Norway to fight this uprising, Olav and his men attacked Erling in an ambush at Rydjokul in Sørum
Sørum
Sørum is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sørumsand. Sørum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
(Overfallet på Rydjøkul) on 2 February 1167. Erling was wounded, and barely escaped. According to the Sagas, it was said that Olav was unlucky not to have defeated Erling in this fight, and from that he got his nickname, Olav the Unlucky. In 1168 Olav and his men ventured south to the 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....
area, but were there defeated in Battle at Stanger, near Våler
Våler, Østfold
Våler is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of "Våler i Østfold". The parish of Vaaler was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .- Name :...
in Østfold
Østfold
is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and...
(Slaget på Stanger i Våler). Sigurd Agnhatt was killed in the battle, but Olav Ugjæva escaped and went to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The next year, Olav fell ill and died there.
Norwegian civil War
During the civil wars period of Norwegian history (1130–1240) 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 BaglerBagler
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.
Primary sources
The story of Ugjæva is mentioned in the Kings' sagasKings' sagas
The kings' sagas are Norse sagas which tell of the lives of Scandinavian kings. They were composed in the 12th to 14th centuries in Iceland and Norway....
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 Fagrskinna
Fagrskinna
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...
. These two sagas state he died in Denmark, but disagree on whether he died in Århus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
or Ålborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
.