Magnus I of Norway

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Magnus I
King of Norway, King of Denmark
Reign	1035-1047 (Norway) 1042-1047 (Denmark)
Born	1024
Birthplace	Norway
Died	October 25, 1047
Place of death	Zealand
Buried	Trondheim
Royal House	Fairhair
Father	Olaf II
Mother	Alvhild (concubine)

Magnus I (1024 - October 25, 1047) was the King of Norway from 1035 to 1047 and the King of Denmark from 1042 to 1047. He was the illegitimate son of King Olaf Haraldsson, also known as Saint Olaf, by his concubine Alvhild. He is known by the cognomen, the Good or the Noble.

In the period from 1028 to 1035, he was forced to leave Norway, yet, after the death of Knut the Great, he was called back by the noblemen, tired of living under Danish rule, to be King of Norway. After the death of Harthacanute, he was also made King of Denmark, despite rival claims had by Knut the Great's nephew Svend Estridsen. There was great turmoil south of the Danish border, where in 1043 Magnus won an important victory at Lyrskov Hede over the Wends who had invaded Denmark. It was a great victory and legends about the battle say that 15,000 Wends fell in a single day. The Norwegians swore they could hear the St Olaf's cathedral bell at Trondheim before the battle which they took to mean that Olaf himself was watching over his son and his army.^[1]

Svend Estridsen did not lightly give up his claim to the Danish crown, and numerous conflicts with Magnus followed. A settlement was eventually agreed to, which made Svend Earl of Denmark. Magnus had trouble in Norway also. There, his uncle, Harald Hardråde, was a strong threat to the throne of his nephew. In 1046, Magnus was obliged to share the reign of his kingdom with him. In 1047, Svend Estridsen was driven out of Denmark by the Norwegians, with the assistance of the Swedish king Anund Jacob. Svend could not muster enough support, but had to flee to the province of Scania. Magnus died the same year, in Zealand. On his deathbed, he is said to have made Svend his heir in Denmark, and Harald Hardråde his heir in Norway. This was disputed by Harald, who did not approve of Svein being the king of Denmark, Svein was therefore not allowed to rule Denmark in peace until 1062, when Harald started to set his mind on other lands to conquer. Magnus was buried with his father in Nidaros.

St. Olav's direct line ceased its reign with the death of Magnus. It returned to the throne again in 1280, when Eric II, who through his mother descended from Magnus' legitimate sister, succeeded as king. Magnus' own daughter was in a marriage with a Norwegian nobleman, and the one descendant wed to the Earl of Orkney. Through which lineage, Magnus' descendant James VI of Scotland became King of England.

Magnus the Good Vestfold branch Cadet branch of the Fairhair dynasty Born: 1024 Died: October 25, 1047
Regnal titles
Preceded by Sveinn Alfífuson & Canute the Great	King of Norway 1035-1047	Succeeded by Harald Hard-rule
Preceded by Harthacanute	King of Denmark 1042-1047	Succeeded by Sweyn Estridson

v • d • e Monarchs of Denmark Early Danish monarchs (Harthacnut) · Gorm the Old · Harald Bluetooth · Sweyn Forkbeard†* · Harald II · Canute the Great†* · Harthacanute* · Magnus the Good† · Sweyn II · Harald III · Canute the Saint · Olaf I · Eric Evergood · Niels · Eric the Memorable · Eric Lamb · Sweyn Grathe & Canute V & Valdemar the Great · Canute VI · Valdemar the Victorious · Eric Plough-tax · Abel · Christopher I · Eric Klipping · Eric Menved · Christopher II · Valdemar III · Christopher II · Valdemar Atterdag · Olaf II† · Margaret I†‡ House of Palatinate-Neumarkt Eric of Pomerania†‡ · Christopher of Bavaria†‡ House of Oldenburg 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† · Christian VIII† · Frederick VII House of Schleswig- Holstein-Sonderburg- Glücksburg Christian IX · Frederick VIII · Christian X§ · Frederick IX · Margrethe II † also Monarch of Norway · ‡ also Monarch of Sweden · * also Monarch of England · § also Monarch of Iceland

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] Sources

• Translated from the article in the Danish Wikipedia

[edit] See also

• List of Norwegian monarchs
• List of Danish monarchs

Persondata
NAME	Magnus I
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	King of Norway and Denmark
DATE OF BIRTH	1024
PLACE OF BIRTH	Norway
DATE OF DEATH	October 25, 1047
PLACE OF DEATH	Zealand