Sigurd Ribbung
Encyclopedia
Sigurd Erlingsson Ribbung (Old Norse: Sigurðr ribbungr) (died 1226) was a Norwegian nobleman and pretender to the throne of Norway
during the civil war era in Norway
.
, who claimed to be the son of King Magnus V
. His claim was supported by the Bagler
, a rebel group fighting the Birkebeiner
supported king of Norway, Inge II
. The Bagler never achieved control of all of Norway, but established their rule in Viken in the area of Oslofjord
after 1204. When Erling died in 1207, he left two infant sons, Sigurd and his brother. They were passed over by the Bagler, in favour of Philip Simonsson
, who became the new Bagler candidate. When Philip died in 1217, the Bagler and Birkebeiner were reconciled. The Bagler party dissolved, and the under-age Haakon IV
became king of Norway, with jarl
Skule Bårdsson
as de facto ruler.
Not all Bagler were happy with the settlement. In 1218, disaffected elements raised a new rebellion. They were known as Ribbunger (sometimes translated to English as Ribalds). They tracked down Sigurd_Erlingsson and declared him to be their candidate. At the time, men came of age at the age of 15 in Norway, so Sigurd was most likely under-age. As king of the Ribbunger, he became known as Sigurd Ribbung. The Ribbunger caused significant problems for the new regime in eastern Norway.
Fighting dragged on for several years, until Sigurd agreed to surrender to earl Skule in 1222 or 1223. As Skule's prisoner, Sigurd was present at a gathering of all the most powerful men of Norway, which was convened in Bergen
in 1223 to finally settle who would be king. Sigurd was one of five candidates at the meeting, which ended by confirming King Haakon as ruler of Norway. Skule, who had also been one of the candidates, was now given Trøndelag
as his part of the kingdom.
King Haakon took over more and more of the real royal power himself. Not long after, Sigurd escaped from Skule Bårdsson in Nidaros
, and made his way back to the Oslofjord
, where he renewed his rebellion. King Haakon was now personally in charge of quashing Sigurd's rising. Although he managed to contain Sigurd to eastern Norway, he never managed to capture him. In 1226, Sigurd died in Oslo
of natural causes. After Sigurd's death, the Ribbunger sought out another of the candidates for the throne, Knut Håkonsson, and declared him to be their new king. However, the rising was now a spent force, and Knut surrendered to King Haakon in 1227, ending the Ribbung-rebellion.
's Saga of Håkon Håkonsson
, which was written in the 1260s.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
during the civil war era in Norway
Civil war era in Norway
The Civil war era of Norwegian history is a term used for the period in the history of Norway between 1130 and 1240. During this time, a series of civil wars were fought between rival kings and pretenders to the throne of Norway. The reasons for the wars is one of the most debated topics in...
.
Biography
Sigurd Erlingsson's father was Erling SteinveggErling Steinvegg
Erling Magnusson Steinvegg or Erlingr Magnússon Steinveggr was the candidate of the Bagler to the Norwegian throne from 1204 to 1207. His candidacy resulted in the second Bagler War which lasted until 1208, when the question of the Norwegian succession was temporarily settled.-Biography:Erling...
, who claimed to be the son of King Magnus V
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...
. His claim was supported by the Bagler
Bagler
The Bagli Party or Bagler was a faction or party during the Norwegian Civil Wars. The Bagler faction was made up principally of the Norwegian aristocracy, clergy and merchants....
, a rebel group fighting 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...
supported king of Norway, Inge II
Inge II of Norway
align=right|Inge Baardson was king of Norway from 1204 to 1217. His reign was within the later stages of the period known in Norwegian history as the age of civil wars. Inge was the king of the birkebeiner faction...
. The Bagler never achieved control of all of Norway, but established their rule in Viken in the area of 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....
after 1204. When Erling died in 1207, he left two infant sons, Sigurd and his brother. They were passed over by the Bagler, in favour of Philip Simonsson
Philip Simonsson
Philip Simonsson was a Norwegian aristocrat and from 1207 to 1217 was the Bagler party pretender to the throne of Norway during the civil war era in Norway. -Background:...
, who became the new Bagler candidate. When Philip died in 1217, the Bagler and Birkebeiner were reconciled. The Bagler party dissolved, and the under-age Haakon IV
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
became king of Norway, with jarl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
Skule Bårdsson
Skule Bårdsson
Skule Baardsson or Duke Skule was a Norwegian nobleman and claimant to the royal throne against his son-in-law, King Haakon Haakonsson. Henrik Ibsen's play Kongs-Emnerne is about the dispute between Duke Skule and King Haakon.-Biography:Skule Baardsson was born around 1189...
as de facto ruler.
Not all Bagler were happy with the settlement. In 1218, disaffected elements raised a new rebellion. They were known as Ribbunger (sometimes translated to English as Ribalds). They tracked down Sigurd_Erlingsson and declared him to be their candidate. At the time, men came of age at the age of 15 in Norway, so Sigurd was most likely under-age. As king of the Ribbunger, he became known as Sigurd Ribbung. The Ribbunger caused significant problems for the new regime in eastern Norway.
Fighting dragged on for several years, until Sigurd agreed to surrender to earl Skule in 1222 or 1223. As Skule's prisoner, Sigurd was present at a gathering of all the most powerful men of Norway, which was convened in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
in 1223 to finally settle who would be king. Sigurd was one of five candidates at the meeting, which ended by confirming King Haakon as ruler of Norway. Skule, who had also been one of the candidates, was now given Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
as his part of the kingdom.
King Haakon took over more and more of the real royal power himself. Not long after, Sigurd escaped from Skule Bårdsson in 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...
, and made his way back 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....
, where he renewed his rebellion. King Haakon was now personally in charge of quashing Sigurd's rising. Although he managed to contain Sigurd to eastern Norway, he never managed to capture him. In 1226, Sigurd died in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
of natural causes. After Sigurd's death, the Ribbunger sought out another of the candidates for the throne, Knut Håkonsson, and declared him to be their new king. However, the rising was now a spent force, and Knut surrendered to King Haakon in 1227, ending the Ribbung-rebellion.
Historic content
In Norwegian civil war era it was usual that several royal sons fought against each other over power in Norway. The civil war period of Norwegian history lasted from 1130 to 1240. During this period there were several interlocked conflicts of varying scale and intensity. The background for these conflicts were the unclear Norwegian succession laws, social conditions and the struggle between Church and King. There were then two main parties, firstly known by varying names or no names at all, but finally condensed into parties of Bagler and Birkebeiner. The rallying point regularly was a royal son, who was set up as the head figure of the party in question, to oppose the rule of king from the contesting party.Primary source
The main source to Sigurd Ribbung's life and rebellion is Sturla ÞórðarsonSturla Þórðarson
Sturla Þórðarson was an Icelandic politician/chieftain and writer of sagas and contemporary history during the 13th century.Sturla was the son of Þórður Sturluson and his mistress Þóra. He was a nephew and pupil of the famous saga-writer Snorri Sturluson...
's Saga of Håkon Håkonsson
Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar
Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar is an Old Norse kings' saga, telling the story of the life and reign of King Haakon Haakonarson of Norway. The saga was written by the Icelandic historian and chieftain Sturla Þórðarson, in the 1260s...
, which was written in the 1260s.
Other sources
- Helle, KnutKnut HelleKnut Helle is a Norwegian historian. A professor at the University of Bergen from 1973 to 2000, he has specialized in the late medieval history of Norway. He has contributed to several large works.-Early life, education and marriage:...
Under kirke og kongemakt, 1130-1350 (Oslo: 1995) - Holmsen, AndreasAndreas HolmsenAndreas Holmsen was a Norwegian professor, and historian.He was born in Kristiania.Holmsen married in 1961 with etnologist Rigmor Frimannslund Holmsen.-Bibliography:...
Norges historie, fra de eldste tider til 1660 (Oslo: 1961) - Gjerset, KnutKnut GjersetKnut Gjerset as a Norwegian-American author and historian. He was a professor at Luther College and served as curator of the Norwegian-American Historical Museum.-Selected works:*English Grammar...
History of the Norwegian People (MacMillan Company, Volumes I & II, 1915)