House of Sverre
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| Country | Kingdom of Norway and Kingdom of Scotland |
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| Ancestral house | Not known |
| Titles | Chieftain of the Birkebeins, King of Norway, Queen of Scots |
| Founder | Sverre Sigurdsson |
| Current head | Extinct, last monarch of this House was Haakon Magnusson |
| Founding | 1184 |
| Cadet branches | None, replaced by the House of Bjelbo |
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 sat on Norway's throne from 1184 and to 1319. The rulers of this house claimed descendance from the House of Fairhair and its old rulers, a claim disputed by many modern scholars.
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History [edit]
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.
Also Margaret, Maid of Norway was a member of this family.
The rulers of this house claimed descendance from the House of Fairhair and its old rulers. However, modern historians reject the claim as unlikely and a fabrication in order to gain Norway's throne.
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.
Name [edit]
It is unlikely that the rulers officially referred to their dynasty as the House of Sverre; this is a term made by modern historians. The Norwegian term is Sverreætten, meaning the Sverre dynasty or the Sverre clan, and also this is likely a construction of newer times.
Coat of arms [edit]
- 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.
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Seal of King Haakon V Magnusson, the last king belonging to the House of Sverre.
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Seal of King Haakon V Magnusson's daughter, Duchess Ingeborg.
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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 [edit]
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 the Old | 1217–1263 |
| Haakon Haakonsson the Young | 1240–1257 |
| Magnus VI Lagabøte | 1257–1263–1280 |
| Eric Magnusson | 1273–1280–1299 |
| Haakon Magnusson | 1299–1319 |
Other members [edit]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Lunden, Kåre and Mykland, Knut (1976). Norge under Sverreætten 1177-1319. Norges historie 3. Cappelen. ISBN 9788202034535.
