House of Sverre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
House of Sverre
Parent houseGille dynasty (?)
CountryKingdom of Norway and Kingdom of Scotland
Founded1184
FounderSverre Sigurdsson
Current headExtinct, last monarch of this House was Haakon Magnusson
TitlesChieftain of the Birkebeins
King of Norway
Queen of Scots (disputed)
A sculpture believed to be of King Haakon V Magnusson as Duke of Oslo, Oppland, Ryfylke, the Faroe Islands, and Shetland.
Burial site of Haakon V Magnusson in Oslo.

The House of Sverre (Norwegian: Sverreætten)[1] was a royal house or dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway, hereunder the kingdom's realms, and the Kingdom of Scotland. The house was founded with King Sverre Sigurdsson. It provided the rulers of Norway from 1184 to 1319.

History[]

Norway at its greatest extent, around 1263.

The house was founded with King Sverre Sigurdsson, who claimed to be an illegitimate son of King Sigurd Munn, when he was made King of Norway. After Sverre's death, his descendants would expand the influence, wealth, and power of the dynasty. Under his grandson Haakon IV's rule, medieval Norway reached its peak, the civil war era ended, and it was the start of a golden age in Norway.

Also Margaret, Maid of Norway was a member of this family.

The house replaced the Gille dynasty, and was again replaced by the House of Bjelbo, which inherited Norway's throne. They were the last reigning family that claimed patrilineal descent from Harald Fairhair.

Coat of arms[]

See also: Coat of arms of Norway

The main arms of the kings belonging to the House of Sverre, was a golden crowned lion on a red field. The lion was later supplied with a silver axe symbolising Olaf the Holy. This became the coat of arms of Norway.

  • Seal of King Haakon V Magnusson, the last king belonging to the House of Sverre.

  • Seal of King Haakon V Magnusson's daughter, Duchess Ingeborg.

  • Arms of King Haakon V Magnusson's daughter's son, King Haakon VI Magnusson, who was of the House of Bjelbo. His coat of arms includes the Sverre arms and the Bjelbo arms.

List of kings[]

The rulers within the royal house or dynasty would often have a "junior king" along with a "senior king" (three dates show the reign as junior king to the start of reign as senior to the end of their reign). Here is a list of the rulers when the house held the power in Norway:

Name Reign
Sverre Sigurdsson 1184–1202
Haakon III Sverresson 1202–1204
Guttorm Sigurdsson 1204
Rule of Inge Baardson of the Gille branch 1204–1217
Haakon IV the Old 1217–1263
Haakon Haakonsson the Young 1240–1257
Magnus VI Lagabøte 1257–1263–1280
Eric II Magnusson 1273–1280–1299
Haakon V Magnusson 1299–1319

Other members[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Lunden, Kåre; Mykland, Knut (1976). Norge under Sverreætten 1177-1319. Norges historie. Vol. 3. Cappelen. ISBN 9788202034535.
Retrieved from ""