Norwegian noble titles

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Norway's nobility was formally abolished in 1821 and the constitution states that no new noble titles may be created. There has however existed several Norwegian noble titles and noble families.

Contents

[edit] Jarl of Norway

In medieval Norway, the title of jarl (earl) was the highest rank below the king himself. The jarl was the only one beside the king himself who was entitled to have a hird (large armed retinue). There was usually no more than one jarl in mainland Norway at any one time, sometimes none. In mainland Norway the title jarl was usually used for one of two purposes:

To appoint a de facto ruler in cases where the king was a minor or seriously ill (e.g. Håkon galen in 1204 during the minority of king Guttorm, Skule Bårdsson in 1217 during the illness of king Inge Bårdsson.)

To appease a pretender to the throne without giving him the title of king (e.g. Eirik, the brother of king Sverre.) The last jarl in mainland Norway was appointed in 1295.

[edit] Jarls of Norway

[edit] Other Jarldoms

Norway was, according to tradition, united in 872. Prior to that the country was split into smaller regions ruled by their own monarch. Some of these areas were kingdoms and others were earldoms. After 872 some of the old kings were demoted to the rank of jarl and permitted to continue ruling their region in exchange for subservience to the Norwegian high king. Likewise some of the old jarls were permitted to stay and other were appointed as it was deemed necessary by the king.

[edit] Jarl of Lade

[edit] Jarl of Møre

[edit] Jarl of Nordfjord

[edit] Jarl of Sogn

[edit] Jarl of Sunnfjord

[edit] Other jarls

[edit] Duke of Norway

In 1237, jarl Skule Bårdsson was given the rank of duke (hertug). This was the first time this title had been used in Norway, and meant that the title jarl was no longer the highest rank below the king. It also heralded the introduction of new noble titles from continental Europe, which were to replace the old Norse titles.

Dukes of Norway

[edit] In the Norwegian overseas possessions

[edit] Jarl of Caithness

This was presumably actually a Scottish mormaership, later Scottish earldom of Caithness, usually united to the person of Norwegian jarl of Orkney islands.

[edit] King of Man and the Isles

See List of Kings of the Isle of Man and the Isles King of Mann and Lord of the Isles.

[edit] Jarl of Iceland

After Iceland had acknowledged Norwegian overlordship in 1261, a jarl was sent there as the king's high representative. The title was abolished in 1308.

[edit] Jarls of Iceland

  • Gissur Þorvaldsson

[edit] Jarl of Orkney

The ruler of the Norwegian dependency of Orkney and Shetland held the title of jarl.

The Norse jarl controlled Orkney in the period 875-1231. In 12th and early 13th centuries, two branches of the princely house sometimes rivalled, sometimes co-reigned as jarls. When both the lines went extinct in male line, the earldom of Caithness was granted to Magnus, second son of the earl of Angus, whom the king of Norway apparently confirmed in the title. After his male line's extinction, king of Norway granted it to a female-line descendant, the then earl of Strathearn. His death led to division of possessions, and a son-in-law, Erengisle Suneson, a magnate of Sweden, got Norway's recognition to his title. Already during the lifetime of this elderly and childless titular earl, Lord Henry Sinclair got Norway's grant.

[edit] Jarls of Orkney

In 1098 Sigurd Magnusson was made King of Orkney.

In the 13th century and 14th century, the earldom became an unwanted anomaly as the only fief in an otherwise centralized Norwegian kingdom and the title was allowed to lapse from time to time. In 1379 Haakon VI Magnusson granted the earldom to the Scottish Henry Sinclair.

[edit] Earls of Orkney, Sinclair dynasty

[edit] Lendmann, Baron

Lendmann was the highest rank attainable in the hird of the Norwegian king, and a lendmann stood beneath only earls and kings. Magnus Lagabøte abolished the title lendmann in 1277, and the lendmenn were given the title of Baron, in 1308 Haakon V abolished the title Baron as well.

  • Alv Erlingsson (baron)
  • Audun Hugleiksson Hestarkorn (baron)

[edit] Other titles

Other ancient Norwegian titles include herse, hauld and sysselmann.

Lower-ranking titles were ridder (knight) and væpner (squire) which were common in last medieval centuries when knightly tradition had penetrated to Norway.

[edit] Norwegian Noble titles established after 1534

[edit] Greve/Count

[edit] Friherre, Baron

[edit] Markise/Marquess

[edit] Other ennoblements

It was common for the King to give an ennoblement by letters patent as a reward. This did not give the right to use at title, but sometimes the recipients were given a new noble last name.

It should be noted that these ennoblements were Danish and not Norwegian.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Sources

  • Norsk forsvarshistorie, krigsmakt og kongemakt; Ersland and Holm; Eide forlag; 2000; ISBN 82-514-0558-0[[Category:Noble titles by nation|Norway
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