Erling Skakke
Encyclopedia
Erling Skakke was a Norwegian Jarl during the 12th century. He was the father of Magnus V
, who reigned as King of Norway from 1161 to 1184.
Erling Skakke was born in Etne
in the county of Hordaland
, the son of Kyrpinga-Orm. He earned his reputation crusading with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the Earl of Orkney
in the Mediterranean from 1152 to 1155. Erling first sailed to the Holy Land
, then Constantinople
, and lastly visited Rome
. During a battle with Arab
warrior
s on Sicily
a sword
-wielding Arab cut Erling in the neck. This caused him from then on to tilt his head to one side ("skakke" means slanted). He was married to Kristina, the daughter of Sigurd Jorsalfar and they had a son. Erling was the guardian of King Inge
and was one of the leaders of lendmannspartiet after King Inge's death in 1161. Erling Skakke managed to have elected his son, Magnus Erlingsson
as the king of Norway in 1161 and crowned in 1163, at the age of eight. Erling took the title of earl and held the real power since Magnus was a minor.
In 1166, Sigurd Agnhatt and his foster son Olav Ugjæva
raised a force in Oppland
, and had Olav proclaimed king, while earl Erling Skakke was away in Denmark
. Olav was the son of Maria Øysteinsdotter, the daughter of former king Øystein Magnusson. After Erling returned to Norway to fight this uprising, Olav and his men attacked Erling in an ambush at Rydjokul in Sørum
. Erling was wounded and barely escaped. In 1168 Olav and his men ventured south to the Oslofjord
area, but were there defeated in battle at Stanger in Våler
. Sigurd was killed in the battle, but Olav escaped and went to Denmark.
When Sverre Sigurdsson became the leader of the Birkebeiner
, Erling's position was compromised, and he fell at the Battle of Kalvskinnet
outside Nidaros
in 1179. King Sverre honoured his fallen opponent by giving a speech at his funeral in the church.
Erling was a talented man, but he was not known for noble qualities. He was ruthless, especially when it concerned his own position and that of his son. In 1164, he founded Halsnøy Abbey
, a monastery of Augustinian Canons, at Halsnøy
on the Hardangerfjord
.
Magnus V of Norway
Magnus V Erlingsson was a King of Norway during the Civil war era in Norway.-Biography:Magnus Erlingsson was probably born in Etne in Hordaland. He was the son of Erling Skakke. His father was a Norwegian nobleman who earned his reputation crusading with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the Earl of Orkney...
, who reigned as King of Norway from 1161 to 1184.
Erling Skakke was born in Etne
Etne
Etne is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Etne is located within the traditional district of Haugaland. Etne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Most of Skånevik was merged with Etne on 1 January 1965.-Name:The municipality is named after the Etnefjord...
in the county of Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
, the son of Kyrpinga-Orm. He earned his reputation crusading with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the Earl of Orkney
Earl of Orkney
The Earl of Orkney was originally a Norse jarl ruling Orkney, Shetland and parts of Caithness and Sutherland. The Earls were periodically subject to the kings of Norway for the Northern Isles, and later also to the kings of Alba for those parts of their territory in mainland Scotland . The Earl's...
in the Mediterranean from 1152 to 1155. Erling first sailed to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, then Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, and lastly visited Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. During a battle with Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
s on Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
a sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
-wielding Arab cut Erling in the neck. This caused him from then on to tilt his head to one side ("skakke" means slanted). He was married to Kristina, the daughter of Sigurd Jorsalfar and they had a son. Erling was the guardian of King Inge
Inge I of Norway
Inge Haraldsson was king of Norway from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era. He was never the sole ruler of the country. He is often known as Inge the Hunchback , because of his physical disability...
and was one of the leaders of lendmannspartiet after King Inge's death in 1161. Erling Skakke managed to have elected his son, Magnus Erlingsson
Magnus V of Norway
Magnus V Erlingsson was a King of Norway during the Civil war era in Norway.-Biography:Magnus Erlingsson was probably born in Etne in Hordaland. He was the son of Erling Skakke. His father was a Norwegian nobleman who earned his reputation crusading with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the Earl of Orkney...
as the king of Norway in 1161 and crowned in 1163, at the age of eight. Erling took the title of earl and held the real power since Magnus was a minor.
In 1166, Sigurd Agnhatt and his foster son Olav Ugjæva
Olav Ugjæva
Olav Ugjæva was a pretender to the Norwegian throne during the civil war era in Norway. Olaf was named king in 1166, but was subsequently defeated by King Magnus V of Norway and forced to flee the country.-Background:Olav Gudbrandsson was the son of Gudbrand Skavhoggsson and Maria...
raised a force in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
, and had Olav proclaimed king, while earl Erling Skakke was away in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Olav was the son of Maria Øysteinsdotter, the daughter of former king Øystein Magnusson. After Erling returned to Norway to fight this uprising, Olav and his men attacked Erling in an ambush at Rydjokul in Sørum
Sørum
Sørum is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sørumsand. Sørum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
. Erling was wounded and barely escaped. In 1168 Olav and his men ventured south to the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
area, but were there defeated in battle at Stanger in Våler
Våler
Vaaler or Våler is:*Våler, Hedmark, a municipality in the county of Hedmark, Norway**Åsnes og Våler, a former municipality in Hedmark, split in 1854*Våler, Østfold, a municipality in the county of Østfold, Norway...
. Sigurd was killed in the battle, but Olav escaped and went to Denmark.
When Sverre Sigurdsson became the leader of the Birkebeiner
Birkebeiner
The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender to the Norwegian throne, Eystein Meyla...
, Erling's position was compromised, and he fell at the Battle of Kalvskinnet
Kalvskinnet
Kalvskinnet is an area of Trondheim, Norway, southwest in city centre, Midtbyen bordering the river Nidelva in the south. In Sverris saga the place is called akeren. The city is dominated by public offices, including such institutions as the Norwegian University of Science and Technology,...
outside Nidaros
Nidaros
Nidaros or Niðarós was during the Middle Ages, the old name of Trondheim, Norway . Until the Reformation, Nidaros remained the centre of the spiritual life of the country...
in 1179. King Sverre honoured his fallen opponent by giving a speech at his funeral in the church.
Erling was a talented man, but he was not known for noble qualities. He was ruthless, especially when it concerned his own position and that of his son. In 1164, he founded Halsnøy Abbey
Halsnøy Abbey
Halsnøy Abbey was a house of Augustinian Canons located on the island of Halsnøy on the Hardangerfjord in Kvinnherad, Hordaland, Norway, and was one of the richest monasteries in medieval Norway....
, a monastery of Augustinian Canons, at Halsnøy
Halsnøy
Halsnøy is an island in Sunnhordland in the county of Hordaland, Norway. It has c. 2,500 inhabitants, and is 38 square kilometres in area. It is the most populated island in Kvinnherad and was until 2008 the most populated island in Norway without a direct connection to land.- History :It was...
on the Hardangerfjord
Hardangerfjord
With a length of , the Hardangerfjord in the county of Hordaland in Norway is the third largest fjord in the world and the second largest in Norway. The surrounding district is called Hardanger....
.
Sources
- Sigurdsson, Jon Vidar Det norrøne samfunnet (forlaget Pax, Oslo 2008)
- Finlay, Alison editor and translator Fagrskinna, a Catalogue of the Kings of Norway (Brill Academic. 2004)