Haakon V

Håkon V Magnusson
King of Norway
The Great Seal of Håkon V with the Coat of arms of Norway
Reign	1299–1319
Predecessor	Eric II
Successor	Magnus VII
Born	1268
Died	1319
Burial	St. Mary's church, Oslo, later reinterred at Akershus Fortress
Spouse	Eufemia of Rügen
Issue	Ingeborg, Duchess of Halland Agnes Hakonardottir (illegitimate)
House	Fairhair
Father	Magnus VI the Lawmender
Mother	Ingeborg of Denmark

Burial site of Håkon V in Oslo

Haakon V Magnusson (1270 – 8 May 1319) was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319.

Biography

Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, King of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Haakon was descended from king Saint Olav and is considered to have been the last Norwegian king in the Fairhair dynasty. Through his mother, he was a descendant of Eric IV, king of Denmark. Haakon succeeded when his older brother king Eirik died without sons.

Haakon was married to Eufemia of Rügen, the daughter of Günther, Count of Arnstein. In 1312, his only legitimate daughter, Ingeborg Håkonsdotter married duke Eric Magnusson of Sweden, a younger brother of King Birger of Sweden. Their son, Magnus Eriksson would succeed Haakon V as king of Norway.

In 1302, Agnes Håkonsdotter (1290–1319), his illegitimate daughter, married Havtore Jonsson (1275–1320) who was a Norwegian nobleman (lendmann) and sheriff of Akershus (Sudreimsslekten) in Romerike. Their two sons, collectively referred to as Havtoresønnnene, became central in Norwegian politics. Jon Havtoresson (ca. 1312-ca. 1390) and Sigurd Havtoresson (ca. 1315-ca. 1392) played leading roles in Norwegian politics during the reign of their cousin, King Magnus Eriksson.

Haakon made Oslo the national capital of Norway in 1314. Haakon is also associated with the construction of the Akershus Fortress (Akershus Festning) and Bohus Fortress (Båhus festning). During his reign he revived his brother's war policy against Denmark, but in 1309 he finally concluded a peace that in general was the end of a period of Dano-Norwegian wars. In domestic matters he energetically and successfully tried to limit the power of the magnates and to strengthen the king's power.

In 1319, Haakon was succeeded by his daughter's son, prince Magnus who was an infant. Haakon's daughter Ingeborg was recognized as formal regent of her son. Havtore Jonsson was put in the guardianship government until he himself died the following year.

Haakon was buried in St. Mary's church (Mariakirken) in Oslo. Remains of two people, deemed to be Haakon and Eufemia, were discovered during excavations of the ruins of that church and reinterred in the royal mausoleum at Akershus Castle.

Ancestry

Family of Haakon V

16. Sverre of Norway 8. Haakon III of Norway 17. Unknown 4. Haakon IV of Norway 9. Inga of Varteig 2. Magnus VI of Norway 20. Baard Guttormsson 10. Skule Bårdsson 21. Ragnfrid Erlingsdotter 5. Margrét Skúladóttir 22. Jon Torbergsson 11. Ragnhild Jonsdotter 23. Ragnhild Erlingsdotter 1. Haakon V of Norway 24. Valdemar I of Denmark 12. Valdemar II of Denmark 25. Sophia of Minsk 6. Eric IV of Denmark 26. Sancho I of Portugal 13. Berengaria of Portugal 27. Dulce of Aragon 3. Ingeborg of Denmark 28. Bernard III, Duke of Saxony 14. Albert I, Duke of Saxony 29. Brigitte of Denmark 7. Jutta of Saxony 30. Leopold VI, Duke of Austria 15. Agnes of Austria 31. Theodora Angelina

Other sources

• Helle, Knut (1964) Norge blir en stat, 1130–1319 (Universitetsforlaget) ISBN 82-00-01323-5
• Holmsen, Andreas (1939) Norges historie. Fra de eldste tider til 1660 (Universitetsforlaget)
• Gjerset, Knut (1915) History of the Norwegian People (MacMillan Company, Volumes I & II)