Magnus III of Norway

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Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse Magnús berfœtt, modern Norwegian Magnus Berrføtt, 1073, Norway - August 1103, Ulster) son of Olaf Kyrre and grandson of Harald Hardrada, was King of Norway from 1093 until 1103 and King of Mann and the Isles from 1099 until 1102. The epithet berfœtt means barefoot or bareleg and is commonly understood to come from his habit of wearing Gaelic-style clothing, leaving lower legs bare. According to another theory, he got the nickname because he was forced to flee from an attack in his barefeet.

Contents 1 Reign 2 Death 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Reign

The period of peace during the reign of Magnus' father Olaf Kyrre came to an abrupt end when Magnus succeeded him in 1093. Magnus made war with Sweden and Denmark and sought to build a Norwegian empire around the Irish Sea. In 1098, he conquered the Orkney Islands, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. Magnus returned to Norway in 1099 but in 1102 set out again, this time to conquer Ireland. He captured Dublin and the surrounding area.

[edit] Death

In the following year, 1103, he attempted to capture the whole of Ireland, but he was caught in an ambush and died in battle. There is no concrete evidence as to the exact location of his death but belief, folklore and conclusion point either to a location which is known locally as the 'war hollow' which is situated within the Portrush Golf Course in County Antrim in what is now Northern Ireland. ^[1] Or to another location just outside Downpatrick, County Down.^[2]

Magnus was married to Margareta (the daughter of his former enemy Inge Stenkilsson, King of Sweden), in 1101 at Kungahälla. They did not have surviving children. His extant sons at his death were Olaf Magnusson, Øystein Magnusson and Sigurd Magnusson (later known as Sigurd Jorsalfar or Crusader) who all together succeeded him. After his death, Harald Gille and Sigurd Slembedjakn later came forward and both claimed to be his illegitimate sons (and thus heirs to the throne). Harald Gille became king Harald IV of Norway in 1130.

Magnus Barefoot House of Hardrada Cadet branch of the Fairhair dynasty Born: 1073 Died: August 1103
Regnal titles
Preceded by Olaf Kyrre	King of Norway 1093-1103 with Haakon Magnusson (1093-1094)	Succeeded by Sigurd Jorsalfar, Olaf Magnusson & Eystein Magnusson
Preceded by Godred Crovan	King of Mann and the Isles 1095-1102	Succeeded by Sigurd Jorsalfar King of Norway

v • d • e Monarchs of Norway Fairhair dynasty (except *) Harald Fairhair · Eric Bloodaxe · Haakon the Good · Harald Greycloak · Haakon Sigurdsson* · Olaf Tryggvason · Eiríkr Hákonarson (R)* & Sveinn Hákonarson (R)* & Hákon Eiríksson (R)* · Sweyn Forkbeard*†§ · Olaf the Saint · Hákon Eiríksson (R)* · Canute the Great*†§ · Sveinn Álfífuson · Magnus the Good† · Harald Hardrada · Magnus Haraldsson · Olaf Kyrre · Haakon Magnusson & Magnus Barefoot · Olaf Magnusson · Eystein Magnusson · Sigurd the Crusader · Magnus the Blind · Harald Gille · Sigurd Munn · Eystein Haraldsson · Inge Haraldsson · Haakon Herdebrei · Magnus Erlingsson · Sverre Sigurdsson · Haakon Sverresson · Guttorm Sigurdsson · Inge Bårdsson · Haakon Haakonsson · Magnus the Law-mender · Eric Magnusson · Haakon V Magnusson House of Bjelbo Magnus Ericsson‡ · Haakon VI Magnusson‡ · Olaf IV Haakonsson† The Kalmar union Margaret†‡ · Eric of Pomerania†‡ · Christopher of Bavaria†‡ · Charles I‡ House of Oldenburg (Union with Denmark) Christian I† · Hans† · Christian II† · Frederick I† · Christian III† · Frederick II† · Christian IV† · Frederick III† · Christian V† · Frederick IV† · Christian VI† · Frederick V† · Christian VII† · Frederick VI† Independence of 1814 Christian Frederick† House of Bernadotte (Union with Sweden) Charles II (not Bernadotte)‡ · Charles III John‡ · Oscar I‡ · Charles IV‡ · Oscar II‡ House of Schleswig-Holstein- Sonderburg-Glücksburg Haakon VII · Olav V · Harald V (R) Regent · † also Monarch of Denmark · ‡ also Monarch of Sweden · § also Monarch of England

[edit] References

1. ^ KING MAGNUS III of NORWAY from http://www.northantrim.com
2. ^ Magnus Barefoot, King of Norway, from The online Medieval and Classical Library - The Chronicles of the Kings of Norway

[edit] External links

• Magnus Barefoot's Saga, from Heimskringla (English translation)
• Who was Magnus? from the Magnus Vikings re-enactment group website