The boy who became King Haakon Haakonsson IV (1204—1263) was caught up in factional rivalries for the Norwegian crown, and his life was saved by the Birkebeiner group who took him on a dramatic winter flight across the mountains. The route they followed is used today for the celebrated Birkebeiner Races.
King Haakon is remembered as a wise ruler who resolved conflicts among local warlords and created stability in Norway. He was a man of culture and learning, and has gone down in history as the mentor of Snorri Sturluson (1179—1241), author of the Sagas of the Norse Kings. These were first translated into English in 1844 by the Orkney scholar Samuel Laing of Papdale (1789—1869).
During Haakon’s reign, King Alexander III of Scotland made aggressive attempts to wrestle the Western Isles and Argyll from Norwegian control. In 1263, Haakon responded by sailing to Scotland with a large fleet. He encountered resistance on coming up the Firth of Clyde, where an inconclusive battle took place on 2nd October.
After the battle, King Haakon sailed to Orkney with plans for further military action the following summer, but he died in Kirkwall during the winter. His successor, King Magnus Lagabøter (law mender) entered into negotiations that led to the 1266 Treaty of Perth, when Norway relinquished the disputed domains.
Norwegian historians regard the 1263 incident as a skirmish fractured by disorganised fighting and bad weather. Among Scots, the battle is classed as a heroic victory, but their real victory was won later across the negotiating table in Perth.
In relation to our historical peg, we have adopted the following motto:
…from fighting to friendship
It so happens that Helena (1905—2004), the mother of our patron Magnus Fladmark, belonged to the Røsvik family on Vigra. She could trace her ancestry back to Ogmund Torbergson, the son of Torberg Arneson of Giske (990—1050). Vigra is the neighbouring island to Giske, seat of the Earls of Møre, and Torberg’s brother Arne was lendeman for Romsdal, the county where Magnus Fladmark grew up on the banks of the Rauma River.
Torberg Arneson was married to Ragnhild Erlingsdatter, daughter of Erling Skjalgsson of Sole (975—1028). Erling’s wife was Astrid Trygvesdatter, the sister of Olav Trygvason. Torberg and Ragnhild had a daughter called Tora Torbergsdatter who married King Harald Hardrade, and their descendants provided the bloodline of subsequent Norwegian kings, including Haakon Haakonsson IV.
Patron:
Professor Magnus Fladmark
Battle History
