Magnus III of Norway

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Magnus III of Norway

Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse

Old Norse

Old Norse is a North Germanic languages that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Magnús berfœttr, modern Norwegian

Norwegian language

Norwegian is a North Germanic languages language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. It is also spoken as a second language among Norwegian-Americans in the United States of America, especially in the central northern states....
Magnus Berrføtt, 1073, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
- August 1103, Ulster

Ulster

Ulster is one of the four Provinces of Ireland of Ireland, in addition to Connacht, Munster and Leinster. The name is sometimes informally used as a synonym for Northern Ireland, one of the countries of the United Kingdom, although Northern Ireland covers only two thirds of Ulster....
) son of Olaf Kyrre

Olaf III of Norway

Olaf III of Norway , also known as Olaf Haraldsson and Olav Kyrre , was king of Norway from 1067 until his death in 1093. During his reign the nation experienced a rare extended period of peace....
and grandson of Harald Hardrada, was King of Norway from 1093 until 1103 and King of Mann and the Isles from 1099 until 1102. The epithet berfœtt means barefoot or bareleg and is commonly understood to come from his habit of wearing Gaelic-style clothing, leaving lower legs bare.

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Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse

Old Norse

Norwegian language

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
- August 1103, Ulster

Ulster

Olaf III of Norway

Reign

The period of peace during the reign of Magnus' father Olaf Kyrre

Olaf III of Norway

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic countries on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the ?resund Bridge in the south....
and Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries....
and sought to build a Norwegian empire around the Irish Sea

Irish Sea

The Irish Sea also known as the Mann Sea or Manx Sea, separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea portion of the Atlantic Ocean by St George's Channel between Republic of Ireland and Wales, and to the north by the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland which forms part of...
. In 1093 Magnus Barefoot led a Norse fleet from Mann to Ynys Môn, Gwynedd

Gwynedd in the High Middle Ages

Kingdom of Gwynedd in the High Middle Ages is a period in the History of Wales spanning the 11th century, 12th century, and 13th century . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages....
, and appeared off of the coast at Ynys Seiriol (Puffin Island), interrupting a Norman victory celebration

Gwynedd in the High Middle Ages

Kingdom of Gwynedd in the High Middle Ages is a period in the History of Wales spanning the 11th century, 12th century, and 13th century . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages....
after they had recently defeated the Welsh of Gwynedd.. In the battle that followed between the Norman occupiers and the Norse, known as the Battle of Anglesey Sound, Magnus shot dead the earl of Shrewsbury with an arrow to the eye. The Norse left as suddenly and as mysteriously as they had arrived, however leaving the Norman army weakened and demoralized. In 1098, he conquered the Orkney Islands

Orkney Islands

Orkney is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness. Orkney comprises over 70 islands; around 20 are inhabited....
, the Hebrides

Hebrides

The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups, the Inner and Outer Hebrides....
and the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , or Mann , is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the British Isles....
. Magnus returned to Norway in 1099 but in 1102 set out again, this time to conquer Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
. He captured Dublin

Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
and the surrounding area.

Death in battle

After the success in capturing Dublin, Magnus turned his attentions to the north. In the following year, 1103, he moved towards Ulster

Ulster

King of Ireland

The designation King of Ireland and Queen of Ireland was used during three periods of History of Ireland....
, Muirchertach Ua Briain, whose daughter had married Magnus's son, Sigurd I Magnusson

Sigurd I of Norway

Sigurd I Magnusson , also known as Sigurd Jorsalfare was king of Norway from 1103 to 1130. He initially shared the throne with his brothers Eystein I of Norway and Olav Magnusson, but ruled alone from 1123....
. The Irish forces opposed to him were defeated in several battles and Magnus's army overran a large part of Ulster. Muirchertach Ua Briain now left with his army to go to Connaught. Magnus decided now to return to Norway, while leaving a portion of his forces to hold Dublin and it's surrounding lands. He sent message with a small group of his men to Muirchertach Ua Briain to send provisions for the sea journey ahead of him. Whilst awaiting these supplies, they saw a large dust cloud on the horizon. Unsure as to whether this was an enemy force or the overdue supplies from Connaught, King Magnus advanced through a marshy area to observe the approach. It was discovered that it was indeed the men with the supplies they were awaiting, satisfied at this, Magnus ordered his men back to the camp area to get prepared for the embarkation.
It was at this point that a large Irish force reared out from their hiding places in the marsh, putting into action an ambush

Ambush

An ambush is a long-established military tactics, in which the aggressors use concealment to attack a passing enemy. Ambushers strike from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops....
that had been stalking the Viking army for some time. The Viking forces being taken by surprise were not in battle order and Magnus attempted to assert control over his disordered army, ordering a portion of his force to seize the high ground and provide archer fire to slow down the Irish. In the ensuing melee

Mêlée

Melee generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
, King Magnus received wounds to his legs, being pierced by a spear through both thighs above the knees but fought on, attempting to get his men back to the level ground of the camp site. An axe wielding Irishman charged the King and struck him in the neck, before he was himself was killed by Magnus's personnal guard. King Magnus died where he fell. The Vikings who escaped the ambush sailed immediately away back to Norway.

There is no concrete evidence as to the exact location of his death but belief, folklore and conclusion point either to a location which is known locally as the 'war hollow' which is situated within the Portrush

Portrush

Portrush is a seaside resort town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the County Londonderry border. The main part of the old town, including the Portrush railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a mile–long peninsula, Ramore Head, pointing north-northwest....
Golf Course in County Antrim

County Antrim

County Antrim is one of six Counties of Northern Ireland that form Northern Ireland, and one of nine counties that historically and geographically constitute the Province of Ulster....
in what is now Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
. Or to another location just outside Downpatrick

Downpatrick

Downpatrick is a town in County Down in Northern Ireland, about 33 km south of Belfast. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick....
, County Down

County Down

County Down is one of the nine Counties of Ireland that form the province of Ulster and one of six counties that form Northern Ireland. The county forms an area of ....
.

Magnus was married to Margareta (the daughter of his former enemy Inge Stenkilsson

Inge I of Sweden

Inge Stenkilsson was a king of Sweden. He was the son of the former king Stenkil and died c. 1100.He shared the rule of the kingdom with his probably elder brother Halsten Stenkilsson, but little is known with certainty of Inge's reign....
, King of Sweden), in 1101 at Kungahälla

Kungahälla

Kungah?lla was a medieval Norway settlement in southern Bohusl?n on what is presently the property of Kastellg?rden in Kung?lv Municipality.The Legendary saga talk of Konghelle as a Viking Age settlement, excavations to date provide no evidence that the site was inhabited before the 12th century....
. They did not have surviving children. His extant sons at his death were Olaf Magnusson

Olaf Magnusson of Norway

Olaf Magnusson was king of Norway 1103–1115. He was the son of King Magnus III of Norway.Olaf became king together with his brothers Sigurd I of Norway and Eystein I of Norway when his father Magnus III of Norway died in 1103....
, Øystein Magnusson

Eystein I of Norway

Eystein I was king of Norway from 1103 to 1123.Eystein became king together with his brothers Sigurd I of Norway and Olaf Magnusson of Norway when his father Magnus III of Norway died in 1103....
and Sigurd Magnusson

Sigurd I of Norway

Sigurd I Magnusson , also known as Sigurd Jorsalfare was king of Norway from 1103 to 1130. He initially shared the throne with his brothers Eystein I of Norway and Olav Magnusson, but ruled alone from 1123....
(later known as Sigurd Jorsalfar or Crusader) who all together succeeded him. After his death, Harald Gille

Harald IV of Norway

Harald Gille , king of Norway, was born in Ireland. His byname Gille is probably from Gilla Cr?st, i.e. servant of Christ.Around 1127, he went to Norway and declared he was a son of King Magnus III of Norway, who had visited Ireland just before his death in 1103, and consequently a half-brother of the reigning king, Sigurd I of Norway....
and Sigurd Slembedjakn later came forward and both claimed to be his illegitimate sons (and thus heirs to the throne). Harald Gille became king Harald IV of Norway in 1130.

Magnus III of Norway

Reign

Death in battle

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