Sigurd Haraldsson or
Sigurd Munn (old Norse
Sigurðr Haraldsson (1133–1155) was king of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
from 1136 to 1155. He was son of
Harald GilleHarald Gille , king of Norway, was born in Ireland. His byname Gille is probably from Gilla Críst, i.e...
, king of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
and his mistress Tora Guttormsdotter (
Þóra Guthormsdóttir). He ruled as co-ruler with his brothers,
Inge HaraldssonInge Haraldsson, old Norse Ingi Haraldsson was king of Norway from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era. He was never the sole ruler of the country. He is often known as Inge the Hunchback , because of his physical disability...
and
Eystein HaraldssonEystein 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 epithet Munn means "the Mouth" in Old Norse. He was killed in the power-struggle against his brother, Inge, in an early stage of the
civil war era in NorwayThe Civil war era of Norwegian history is a term used for the period between 1130 and 1240 in the history of Norway. 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...
.
Sigurd was fostered by Guttorm (
Guthormr) or Sådegyrd Bårdsson (
Sáðagyrðr Bárðarson) in
TrøndelagTrøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The name, Trøndelag, consists of the tribal name Trønder...
.
Sigurd Haraldsson or
Sigurd Munn (old Norse
Sigurðr Haraldsson (1133–1155) was king of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
from 1136 to 1155. He was son of
Harald GilleHarald Gille , king of Norway, was born in Ireland. His byname Gille is probably from Gilla Críst, i.e...
, king of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
and his mistress Tora Guttormsdotter (
Þóra Guthormsdóttir). He ruled as co-ruler with his brothers,
Inge HaraldssonInge Haraldsson, old Norse Ingi Haraldsson was king of Norway from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era. He was never the sole ruler of the country. He is often known as Inge the Hunchback , because of his physical disability...
and
Eystein HaraldssonEystein 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 epithet Munn means "the Mouth" in Old Norse. He was killed in the power-struggle against his brother, Inge, in an early stage of the
civil war era in NorwayThe Civil war era of Norwegian history is a term used for the period between 1130 and 1240 in the history of Norway. 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...
.
Reign
Sigurd was fostered by Guttorm (
Guthormr) or Sådegyrd Bårdsson (
Sáðagyrðr Bárðarson) in
TrøndelagTrøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The name, Trøndelag, consists of the tribal name Trønder...
. When his father was murdered by the pretender
Sigurd SlembeSigurd Magnusson Slembe, or Slembedjakn was a Norwegian pretender to the throne. slembi in old Norse meant something like "noisy", slembidjákn = "the noisy priest."...
in 1136, Sigurd was made king at the
thingA thing or ting was the governing assembly in Germanic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
of
Eyrathing. At the same time, his brothers Inge and Magnus were also made kings and co-rulers. Their respective guardians joined forces against Sigurd Slembe and his ally, the former king
Magnus the BlindMagnus IV , also known as Magnus the Blind and Magnus Sigurdsson, 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 was the son of King Sigurd Jorsalfar of Norway and Borghild...
. The battles against these pretenders dominated the early years of Sigurd's reign. In 1139, they were defeated and slain at the battle of
HvalerHvaler is a municipality that is a group of islands in the southwestern part of Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjærhalden, on the island of Kirkeøy. The only police station in the municipality is located in Skjærhalden...
.
After this followed a period of peace. During the minority of the brothers, Sigurd, Inge and Magnus, the Norwegian nobility (the
lendmennLendmann , was a title in medieval Norway. Lendmann was the highest rank attainable in the hird of the Norwegian king, and a lendmann stood beneath only earls and kings...
) cooperated to rule the kingdom and advise the kings. In 1142, their brother
EysteinEystein 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...
came to Norway from
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His parentage was accepted, since
Harald GilleHarald Gille , king of Norway, was born in Ireland. His byname Gille is probably from Gilla Críst, i.e...
had acknowledged that he had a son overseas. Eystein thus became king and co-ruler together with Sigurd and
IngeInge Haraldsson, old Norse Ingi Haraldsson was king of Norway from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era. He was never the sole ruler of the country. He is often known as Inge the Hunchback , because of his physical disability...
. Magnus, of whom little more is known, died of natural causes at some point in the 1140s.
In 1152, Norway was visited by the papal legate
Nicholas BreakspearPope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...
. During his visit, the church in Norway was organised into a separate archbishopric, with its seat at
Nidarosis a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The city of Trondheim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
.
As they grew up, and their old advisors died, hostility began to grow among the brothers. In 1155, all three of them were set to meet in
BergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway, with a population of 253,600 as of July 2009. Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Economic Region, as defined by Statistics Norway, had a population of 385,450 as of January 2009.Bergen is located in the...
in an effort to keep the peace.
IngeInge Haraldsson, old Norse Ingi Haraldsson was king of Norway from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era. He was never the sole ruler of the country. He is often known as Inge the Hunchback , because of his physical disability...
accused Sigurd and
EysteinEystein 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...
of planning to have him dethroned. Sigurd denied the accusations, but a few days later one of Inge's guards was killed by one of Sigurd's. At the advice of his mother
IngridIngrid Ragnvaldsdotter of Sweden was a member of the Swedish royal family, a member of the Danish royalty by marriage and later a Queen consort of Norway in the 12th century as the spouse of Harald IV of Norway...
and his senior advisor, Gregorius Dagsson, Inge ordered his men to assault the house where Sigurd was residing. Sigurd had but few men, and no mercy was given. King Sigurd fell on 6 February 1155. He was buried by the old cathedral of Bergen, in what is today
Bergenhus FortressBergenhus fortress is a fortress located in Bergen, Norway.The fortress contains buildings dating as far back as the 1240s, as well as later constructions built as recently as World War II. The extent of the enclosed area of today dates from the early 19th century...
This cathedral was demolished and replaced by a larger cathedral soon after.
Aftermath
King Eystein was late in arriving for the meeting, and only approached the city after Sigurd was already dead. An uneasy settlement was reached between Inge and Eystein, but peace between them did not last long. As it turned out, the killing of king Sigurd started the second phase of the Norwegian civil war era, with fighting continuing with only short let-ups until 1208. The reasons for the fighting in Bergen remain disputed. According to the sagas, Eystein and Sigurd had plotted to strip Inge of his royal title and divide his share of the kingdom between them. Some modern historians doubt this version, seeing it as Inge’s excuse for his own aggressive actions.
During the following civil wars, several royal pretenders claimed to be the son of King Sigurd. For some, this was probably mostly a political statement, as royal lineage was necessary to be a candidate for the throne. Sverre Sigurdsson was the most successful by far of these claimants, and eventually succeeded in becoming king of Norway. Sigurd never married.
The sagas draw a rather negative picture of both Sigurd and his brother Eystein, generally choosing to portray Inge as the just ruler of the three brothers. Heimskringla writes of Sigurd:
- When King Sigurd grew up he was a very ungovernable, restless man in every way; and so was King Eystein, but Eystein was the more reasonable of the two. King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, of a brisk appearance; he had light brown hair, an ugly mouth; but otherwise a well-shaped countenance. He was polite in his conversation beyond any man, and was expert in all exercises.http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/sons.html
Sverris sagaSverris saga is a Norse saga about King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway and is the main source for this period of Norwegian history. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form is a compilation of previous books. Work first began in 1185 under the king’s direct supervision...
, the saga of Sigurd's alleged son, also draws a somewhat unfavourable picture of Sigurd, contrasting him with the positive qualities of Sverre.
Descendants
- Haakon
Haakon II Sigurdsson , king of Norway from 1157 until 1162.-Biography:An illegitimate son of Sigurd Munn, he succeeded his uncle Øystein II, and was killed by Erling Skakke at Sekken in Romsdalen on July 7 1162....
(Hákon), known as Haakon the Broadshouldered (1147–1162). Made king by Sigurd and Eystein's supporters after Eystein's fall in 1157, in opposition to Inge Haraldsson. Killed in battle against Inge's old supporters and their new king Magnus ErlingssonMagnus Erlingsson was a king of Norway, probably born in Etne in Hordaland. He was son of Erling Skakke and Kristin Sigurdsdatter, daughter of king Sigurd Jorsalfare. He was named king in 1161, and was the first Norwegian king to be crowned. His father Erling took the title of earl and held the...
. Mother: Tora (Þóra).
- Sigurd
Sigurd Sigurdsson Markusfostre was a pretender and rival king during the Civil War Era in Norway. When king Haakon II of Norway Herdebrei died 1162, his supporters made his half-brother Sigurd Sigurdsson as their king, although he never succeeded in winning universal recognition...
(Sigurðr), known as Sigurd Markusfostre (died 1163). Proclaimed king by Haakon the Broadshouldered's followers in 1162, captured and decapitated by king Magnus' supporters in 1163.
- Harald (Haraldr), (died 1170s). Captured and executed by king Magnus' supporters, because his parentage made him a potential threat to Magnus' rule. Mother: Kristin Sigurdsdotter (Kristín Sigurðardóttir).
- Sverre
Sverre Sigurdsson was king of Norway from 1184 to 1202. He married Margareta Eriksdotter, the daughter of the Swedish king Eric the Saint, by whom he had the daughter Kristina Sverresdotter....
? (Sverrir), (died 1202). Ruled as king of Norway from 1184 until his death. Mother: Gunnhild. Whether he was in fact a son of Sigurd is highly dubious.
- Eirik? (Eiríkr) (died 1190). Made jarl
Earl was the Anglo-Saxon form and jarl the Scandinavian form of a title meaning "chieftain" and referring especially to chieftains set to rule a territory in a king's stead...
by king Sverre. Poisoned. Whether he was in fact a son of Sigurd is unknown.
- Cecilia (died late 1180s). Married Folkvid the Lawspeaker
Folkvid was the lawspeaker of Värmland during the last half of the 12th century. He is only known from the so-called Bagler sagas, where he is only mentioned by virtue of his marriage to Cecilia, the bastard daughter of the Norwegian king Sigurd Munn...
, marriage later annulled. Remarried Bård Guttormsson (Bárðr Guthormsson)
Sources
The main sources to Sigurd’s reign are the
kings’ sagasThe 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....
HeimskringlaHeimskringla 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...
,
FagrskinnaFagrskinna 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 in fire but copies of it and another vellum have been preserved...
,
MorkinskinnaMorkinskinna is an Old Norse kings' saga, relating the history of Norwegian kings from approximately 1025 to 1157. The saga was written in Iceland around 1220, and has been preserved in a manuscript from around 1275....
and
ÁgripÁgrip af Nóregskonungasögum or Ágrip is a synoptic history of the kings of Norway, written in Old Norse. The preserved text starts with the death of Hálfdan svarti and ends with the accession of Ingi krókhryggr but the original is thought to have covered a longer period, probably up to the reign of...
. The three former base at least part of their account on the older saga
HryggjarstykkiHryggjarstykki is a lost kings' saga written in Old Norse in the mid-twelfth century and dealing with near-contemporary events. The author was Eiríkr Oddsson, an Icelander about whom little is known...
, which was written some time between 1150 and 1170, and was thus a near-contemporary source. This saga itself has not been preserved.