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Norway's Royal Succession

A Historical Chronicle of Sovereignty and Statehood.

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The Norwegian Monarchy

Enduring Legacy

The Kingdom of Norway boasts one of Europe's oldest continuous monarchies, tracing its traditional establishment to the unification following the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. For over 1,100 years, a succession of monarchs has guided the nation through periods of consolidation, union, and independence.

A Continuous Lineage

The official list enumerates monarchs dating back to Harald Fairhair. The current sovereign, King Harald V, who ascended the throne in 1991, represents the 64th monarch in this distinguished lineage. Throughout its history, Norway has experienced periods of rule by various regents during interregna.

Dynastic Shifts

The Norwegian throne has been held by several prominent royal dynasties. Key among these are the Fairhair dynasty, the House of Sverre, the House of Oldenburg (which includes branches like Holstein-Gottorp and Glรผcksburg), and the House of Bernadotte. These shifts reflect significant political and historical junctures.

Key Royal Dynasties

Fairhair Dynasty

The foundational dynasty, established by Harald Fairhair, who unified Norway. Its reign marked the beginning of a singular kingdom.

Reign: c. 872โ€“970

Harald I Fairhair

c. 872โ€“932

Founder of the dynasty.

Eric I Bloodaxe

c. 932โ€“934

Haakon I the Good

c. 934โ€“960

Harald II Ericsson

c. 961โ€“970

House of Sverre

A significant medieval dynasty, known for its long rule and influence during a period of consolidation and conflict.

Reign: 1184โ€“1319

Sverre Sigurdsson

1184โ€“1202

Founder of the House of Sverre.

Haakon III Sverresson

1202โ€“1204

Guttorm Sigurdsson

1204

Inge II Bรฅrdsson

1204โ€“1217

Haakon IV Haakonsson

1217โ€“1263

Also known as Haakon the Old.

Haakon V Magnusson

1299โ€“1319

House of Oldenburg

A long-ruling house that governed Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, often through personal unions, and later returned to the Norwegian throne.

Reign: 1450โ€“1481, 1483โ€“1533, 1537โ€“1818, 1905โ€“Present

Christian I

1450โ€“1481

First of the Oldenburg line.

John

1483โ€“1513

Christian II

1513โ€“1523

Frederick I

1523โ€“1533

Christian III

1537โ€“1559

Frederick II

1559โ€“1588

Christian IV

1588โ€“1648

Frederick III

1648โ€“1670

Christian V

1670โ€“1699

Frederick IV

1699โ€“1730

Christian VI

1730โ€“1746

Frederick V

1746โ€“1766

Christian VII

1766โ€“1808

Frederick VI

1808โ€“1814

Christian Frederick

1814

Haakon VII

1905โ€“1957

First monarch of the House of Glรผcksburg (a junior branch of Oldenburg).

Olav V

1957โ€“1991

Harald V

1991โ€“Present

House of Bernadotte

Established in the 19th century, this dynasty continues to reign in Sweden and has historical ties to the Norwegian throne.

Reign: 1818โ€“1905

Charles XIV John

1818โ€“1844

Founder of the House of Bernadotte.

Oscar I

1844โ€“1859

Charles IV

1859โ€“1872

Oscar II

1872โ€“1905

Last monarch of the union with Sweden.

A Chronicle of Sovereigns

The following table provides a structured overview of Norway's monarchs, categorized by dynasty and reign type.

Early Monarchs

Fairhair Dynasty (c. 872โ€“970)

Harald I Fairhair

c. 872โ€“932

Eric I Bloodaxe

c. 932โ€“934

Haakon I the Good

c. 934โ€“960

Harald II Ericsson

c. 961โ€“970

Viking Age & Early Medieval

House of Gorm/Earl of Lade (c. 961โ€“1035)

Harald Bluetooth (D)

961โ€“c. 980

Haakon Sigurdsson (R)

970โ€“995

Olaf I Tryggvason

995โ€“1000

Sweyn Forkbeard (D)

1000โ€“1013

Eric Haakonsson (R)

1000โ€“1015

Sweyn Haakonsson (R)

1000โ€“1015

Cnut the Great (D)

1028โ€“1035

Haakon Ericsson (R)

1029โ€“1030

Sweyn Knutsson (D)

1030โ€“1035

St. Olav Dynasty

St. Olav Dynasty (1015โ€“1028, 1035โ€“1130)

Olaf II Haraldsson

1015โ€“1028

Saint Olav.

Magnus I Olavsson

1035โ€“1047

Magnus the Good.

Harald III Sigurdsson

1046โ€“1066

Harald Hardrada.

Magnus III Olavsson

1093โ€“1103

Magnus Barefoot.

Sigurd I Magnusson

1103โ€“1130

Sigurd the Crusader.

Civil War Era

Gille Dynasty (1130โ€“1161)

Magnus IV Sigurdsson

1130โ€“1135

Magnus the Blind.

Harald IV Magnusson

1130โ€“1136

Harald Gille.

Sigurd II Haraldsson

1136โ€“1155

Sigurd Munn.

Inge I Haraldsson

1136โ€“1161

Inge the Hunchback.

Eystein II Haraldsson

1142โ€“1157

Magnus V Erlingsson

1161โ€“1184

Medieval Period

House of Sverre (1184โ€“1319)

Sverre Sigurdsson

1184โ€“1202

Haakon IV Haakonsson

1217โ€“1263

Haakon the Old.

Magnus VI Haakonsson

1257โ€“1280

Magnus the Law-mender.

Haakon V Magnusson

1299โ€“1319

Union Monarchs

House of Bjรคlbo (1319โ€“1355)

Magnus VII Eriksson

1319โ€“1355

House of Bonde (1449โ€“1450)

Charles I

1449โ€“1450

House of Griffin (1442โ€“1448)

Eric III

1442โ€“1448

House of Palatinate-Neumarkt (1442โ€“1448)

Christopher

1442โ€“1448

Modern Era

House of Oldenburg (1537โ€“1814, 1905โ€“Present)

Christian III

1537โ€“1559

Frederick II

1559โ€“1588

Christian IV

1588โ€“1648

Frederick III

1648โ€“1670

Christian V

1670โ€“1699

Frederick IV

1699โ€“1730

Christian VI

1730โ€“1746

Frederick V

1746โ€“1766

Christian VII

1766โ€“1808

Frederick VI

1808โ€“1814

Christian Frederick

1814

Haakon VII

1905โ€“1957

Olav V

1957โ€“1991

Harald V

1991โ€“Present

Union & Transition

House of Holstein-Gottorp (1814โ€“1818)

Charles II

1814โ€“1818

House of Bernadotte (1818โ€“1905)

Charles XIV John

1818โ€“1844

Oscar I

1844โ€“1859

Charles IV

1859โ€“1872

Oscar II

1872โ€“1905

Periods of Union

Kalmar Union

A personal union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, established in 1397. Norway was part of this union until 1523.

Monarchs: Margaret I, Eric III

Denmarkโ€“Norway

Following the dissolution of the Kalmar Union, Norway entered a long union with Denmark, lasting from 1537 until 1814.

Monarchs: House of Oldenburg (various branches)

Swedenโ€“Norway

After the Napoleonic Wars, Norway was ceded to Sweden, forming a personal union that lasted until Norway's peaceful dissolution in 1905.

Monarchs: House of Bernadotte (Charles XIV John to Oscar II)

Royal Titles and Styles

Evolving Styles

Between 1450 and 1905, Norwegian monarchs held numerous additional titles, reflecting territorial claims and political influence. These included titles such as King of the Wends, King of the Goths, Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, Prince of Rรผgen, and Count of Oldenburg.

Forms of Address

Historically, monarchs styled themselves as Konge til Norge ("King of Norway") with the style His Royal Majesty. The introduction of constitutional monarchy in 1814 briefly saw the style extended to "by the Grace of God and the Constitution". The current style is simply Norges Konge ("Norway's King") with the style "His Majesty".

Historical Context

Unification and Early Rule

The foundation of the Norwegian monarchy is traditionally linked to Harald Fairhair's victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord around 872. This marked the beginning of the unification of disparate petty kingdoms into a single realm, laying the groundwork for the Kingdom of Norway.

Medieval Challenges

The medieval period saw periods of internal strife, known as the Civil War era (1130โ€“1240), where various pretenders vied for the throne, leading to the omission of some rulers from official lists. The subsequent Sverre dynasty and the Hardrada dynasty navigated complex political landscapes.

Unions and Independence

Norway's history is marked by periods of union with its Scandinavian neighbours, notably the Kalmar Union and later unions with Denmark and Sweden. The dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905 marked a significant step towards modern Norwegian sovereignty, leading to the election of Prince Carl of Denmark as King Haakon VII.

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References

References

  1.  Helle, Knut (1995). Aschehougs norgeshistorieย : 1130รขย€ย“1350. 3ย : Under kirke og kongemakt 1130รขย€ย“1350, p. 14. Aschehoug.
A full list of references for this article are available at the List of monarchs of Norway Wikipedia page

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