European Kingdoms

Norway

As with Denmark and Sweden, the rulers of Norway emerged from legendary origins. There are less ambiguities and contradictions in Norway's reignal list, though. The only uncertainty here is over the first known ruler, who is ascribed two sets of dates by differing sources.

Alternate dates are shown in red text alongside relevant entries. Rulers with lilac backing are semi-mythical. Halfdan the Black is the earliest confirmed ruler and his resting place is usually assigned to a large burial mound in Norway. Those kings who ruled before him are generally though to have controlled only limited parts of modern Norway, and perhaps only a very small territory. However, if the list of names is to believed then this small, regional kingdom was the birthplace of Norway's monarchy.

(Additional information by Andreas von Millwall.)

565 - 623

Ingjald Illrade

Or 623-647. King of (part of) Norway and Sweden.

680 - 710

Olaf the Tree-hewer

710 - 750

Halfdan I

750 - 780

Eystein I

780 - 800

Halfdan II Whitelegs

800 - 810

Gudrod the Magnificent

810 - 840

Olaf Geirstade

840 - 863

Halfdan III the Black

Died while crossing a frozen ford.

863 - 872

There is internecine war between the minor kingdoms. During this period, King Faravid of Kvenland is said by later chronicles to ally himself to the Norwegians to fight the Karelians to the east.

Kingdom of Norway
AD 872 - Present Day

Norway's minor kingdoms were united by Harald Fairhair during the wars.

872 - 930

Harald I Fairhair

Son of Halfdan III.

874

Iceland is discovered, and an independent republic governs it until 1262.

911

To keep the peace in the face of Viking attacks, Charles III of the Franks grants territory in the north to the Viking chieftain, Rollo. The resulting duchy of Normandy proves to be far more powerful than the king could have feared, but Rollo's origins are today disputed by Norway and Denmark. Norway claims him as the son of Rognvald Eysteinsson, Earl of Møre, in western Norway. Records from the twelfth century claim he falls out with the king and migrates to Normandy.

930 - 934

Eric I Bloodaxe

Son. King of the Scandinavian kingdom of York (948 & 952-954).

934 - 961

Haakon I the Good

Brother. First Christian King.

961 - 977

Harald II Graypelt

977 - 995

Haakon

Danish Earl (Jarl) of Lade.

982

Greenland is discovered by Eric the Red and is claimed for Norway.

991

The Battle of Maldon on the Essex coast of England is lost when the forces of Olaf Tryggvason (soon to be king of Norway and the main rival against Sweyn Forkbeard for the throne of Denmark) defeat those of the ealdorman of Essex. The Vikings begin to demand heavy tribute from the Saxon lands.

995 - 1000

Olaf I Tryggvason

1000 - 1015

Eric

Danish Earl (Jarl) of Lade.

1013

Olaf II Haraldson is allied to King Ethelred of England, and fights with him against the Danes in this year.

1016 - 1028

St Olaf II Haraldson / the Holy

First Christian king. Died 1030.

1028 - 1035

Norway is under the rule of Denmark, governed by King Canute II's son, Sweyn, and his mistress, Aelfgifu in his name until his death. Canute's death sees his great Scandinavian empire begin to break up. By the late 1020s he had been able to claim kingship over England, Denmark, Norway, and part of Sweden. Scotland had also submitted to his overlordship, and Viking raids against the British Isles had been ended. Now his brother Harold gains England, his son Hardicanute gains Denmark, and Sweyn gains Norway.

1035 - 1036

Sweyn

Son of Canute II of Denmark.

1036 - 1047

Magnus I the Good

Also king of Denmark (1042-1047).

1047 - 1066

Harald III Hardrade

Killed by Harold II, king of England at Stamford Bridge.

1066

Harald III attempts to invade England with the help of King Harold's rebellious younger brother, Earl Tostig of Northumbria. The invasion is defeated at the Battle of Stamford bridge on 28 September, and both Harald and Tostig are killed.

1066 - 1069

Magnus II

1069 - 1093

Olaf III the Peaceful

1093 - 1103

Magnus III the Barefoot / Barelegs

Also king of Ynys Manau (1095-1102) & Dublin (1102-1103).

1103 - 1115

Olaf IV Magnusson

1103 - 1122

Eystein II

1103 - 1130

Sigurd I the Crusader

1130 - 1219

Civil war erupts in Norway. It ends in a showdown between the 'Baglers' (the church and the nobility led by Magnus V Erlingsson and his father, Erling 'Skakke' ('the Jolted', named such after a war 'accident')), and the 'Birkebeiners' (a motley crew of brigands, 'ravers', and other outcasts lead by King Sverre who held his claim via his mother's side of the family).

1130 - 1135

Magnus IV the Blinded

Died 1139.

1130 - 1136

Harald IV Gillechrist

1136 - 1161

Inge I

1136 - 1161

Sigurd II

1142 - 1157

Eystein III

1161 - 1162

Haakon II

1163 - 1184

Magnus V Erlingsson

Leader of the 'Baglers'.

1184 - 1202

Sverre

Leader of the 'Birkebeiners'. Great king. Took on Pope and won.

1202 - 1204

Haakon III

1204 - 1217

Inge II Baardson

1217 - 1263

Haakon IV the Old

1262

The Icelandic Althing (Assembly) votes for union with Norway.

1263 - 1281

Magnus VI

1281 - 1299

Eric II

His dau. Margaret, became queen of Scotland (1286-1290).

1299 - 1320

Haakon V

1320 - 1365

Magnus VII of Norway

Also Magnus II of Sweden (1320-1365).

1343 - 1380

Haakon VI

1380 - 1387

Olaf IV

Also Olaf V of Denmark (1376-1387).

1380 - 1814

The Union of Denmark & Norway. Norway, Greenland and Iceland all now come under the rule of Denmark.

1814 - 1905

Denmark loses Norway, which then comes under the rule of Sweden from the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

1905

Norway gains full independence on 7 June. On 12-13 August a plebiscite is held in which 368,392 male voters agree to formally end the union with Sweden. 184 vote against the move. Women, unable to vote, collect 250,000 signatures in support of the move. The Norwegian government then asks Prince Carl of Denmark to become the country's new king. Following a highly successful vote on 12-13 November to establish whether the Norwegian people themselves want the prince, he arrives during a blizzard on 25 November, with his wife Maud (daughter of King Edward VIII of England), and his son Alexander. Carl changes his name to the more acceptable Haakon, and is welcomed as the first wholly Norwegian king for 600 years.

1905 - 1957

Haakon VII

Prince Carl of Denmark.

1927

Haakon's son, Crown Prince Olaf, marries the Swedish Princess Märtha on 21 March.

1954

Crown Princess Märtha dies on 5 April.

1957 - 1991

Olaf V

Son. Prince Alexander of Denmark. d.16 January, aged 87.

1991 - Present

Harald V

Son.

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus

Son. m Mette Marit.

Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra

Dau. Born 2004.