Civil War Era in Norway

The Civil War era in Norway, spanning from 1130 to 1240, was a period of intense conflict over the throne, involving rival kings and pretenders. This chaotic chapter of Norwegian history began with the death of King Sigurd the Crusader and continued for over a century as contenders fought for power in the absence of clear succession laws. 

The era was triggered when Sigurd’s possible half-brother, Harald Gille, broke an agreement to pass the throne to Sigurd’s son, Magnus, leading to a war between their factions. Over the following decades, alliances were built around individual claimants to the throne, but by the late 12th century, more organized political factions, notably the Birkebeiner and Bagler, emerged. These parties supported different candidates for kingship, with each claiming legitimacy while selecting leaders who could fulfill their political aims.

King Magnus is mutilated. @ Eilif Peterssen

The struggle between these factions continued throughout the reigns of several rulers. King Sverre Sigurdsson, a leader of the Birkebeiner, gained prominence by defeating Magnus Erlingsson in 1184, but even after Sverre’s death in 1202, the conflicts persisted. The Bagler faction, supported by the Church, was a key adversary, and their rivalry with the Birkebeiner only ended with the reconciliation of 1217, when young Håkon Håkonsson was chosen as king, reuniting the kingdom under a single ruler.

The last significant challenge came in 1239 when Duke Skule Bårdsson, dissatisfied with his diminishing power, declared himself king. His rebellion was crushed in 1240, marking the end of more than a century of civil wars. This period saw the gradual establishment of clearer succession laws and a more stable governance structure, which helped bring an end to the instability that had plagued Norway for over a century.