Inge I of Norway

Inge Haraldson, also known as Inge Krokrygg (the crouchback) (1135 - 1161), was the king of Norway between 1136 and 1161.

Inge was the son of Harald Gille by his marriage with Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter of Sweden, in constrast to all his brothers who were natural sons. He lived longest of all the sons and successors of Harald, despite being a cripple/invalid. In 1142 a third brother Øystein Haraldsson came from Ireland to share the kingship. In 1155 he ordered the murder of his elder brother and rival, Sigurd II of Norway. The societal party of higher classes which later became known as Bagli formed around Inge, having their most important power base in Viken region. When he died, killed in battle, his supporters did not want to submit to his nephew Haakon II of Norway but selected Magnus Erlingson as king - pleading the church-supported principle of only legitimate issue having rights of inheritance (also Inge had been legitimate child). Magnus' mother was the legitimate daughter of the late king Sigurd the Crusader of Norway and Magnus was her son born of marriage with earl Erling. Much later a young cleric Jon Kuvlung was claimed to be Inge's son and the essentially same party (then known as Heklungs or Kuvlungs) used him as their then pretender.

The civil wars period of Norwegian history lasted from 1130 to 1217. 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 the king from the contesting party.

Successor as Lendsmenn leader: king Magnus V

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