Erling Skakke Norwegian: Erling "Skakke" Ormsson
Also Known As:	"Skakke", "The Crooked Neck", "“Crooked Neck”"
Birthdate:	1115
Birthplace:	Gjerde, Etne, Sunhordaland, Norway
Death:	June 19, 1179 (63-64) Kalvskinnet, Trondheim, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway (Falt på slaget ved Kalvskinnet)
Place of Burial:	Kristkirken
Immediate Family:	Son of Orm Svensson and Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter Ranrike Husband of Princess Kristin Sigurdsdatter, of Norway Partner of Frille Ex-partner of Åsa "den ljose" Father of Reidar Erlingson Stødle; Sigurd Erlingson Stødle; Ogmund Erlingson Stødle; Finn Erlingson Stødle; Ragnhild Erlingsdatter Randeberg and 1 other; and Magnus V, King of Norway « less Half brother of Aamund Dreng Ormsøn Stødle and Åsa Ormsdatter
Occupation:	Jarl & Riksstyrer, Lendemann, Earl, lendermann, Jarl, Riksstyrer, Lendmann, Norsk stormann i borgerkrigstiden

Managed by:	Private User
Last Updated:	today

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Immediate Family

Frille

partner
Reidar Erlingson Stødle

son
Åsa "den ljose"

ex-partner
Sigurd Erlingson Stødle

son
Ogmund Erlingson Stødle

son
Finn Erlingson Stødle

son
Princess Kristin Sigurdsdatter, ...

wife
Ragnhild Erlingsdatter Randeberg

daughter
Magnus V, King of Norway

son
Orm Svensson

father
Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter Ranrike

mother
Ragnhild Skulesdatter

stepmother

About Erling Ormsen "Skakke/ The Sharp" of Studla

Erling Ormsson Skakke

Son of Orm Kyrpinga-Orm Sveinsson and Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter
Erling Skakke (1115 – 18 June 1179) was a Norwegian Jarl during the 12th century. He was the father of Magnus V, who reigned as King of Norway from 1161 to 1184.[1]
Erling Ormsson was born at Etne in the county of Hordaland, Norway. He was the son of Kyrpinga Orm Sveinsson. He earned his reputation crusading with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the Earl of Orkney in the Mediterranean from 1152 to 1155. Erling first sailed to the Holy Land, then Constantinople, and lastly visited Rome. During a battle with Arab warriors on Sicily a sword-wielding Arab cut Erling in the neck. This caused him from then on to tilt his head to one side ("skakke" means slanted). He was married to Kristin Sigurdsdatter, the daughter of King Sigurd Jorsalfar.
Erling was the guardian of King Inge I of Norway and was one of the leaders of the Lendman Party (lendmannspartiet) after King Inge's death in 1161. Erling Skakke managed to have elected his son, Magnus Erlingsson as the king of Norway in 1161 and crowned in 1163, at the age of eight. Erling took the title of Jarl and held the real power since Magnus was a minor. [4]
In 1166, Sigurd Agnhatt and his foster son Olav Ugjæva raised a force in Oppland, and had Olav proclaimed king, while earl Erling Skakke was away in Denmark. Olav was the son of Maria Øysteinsdotter, the daughter of former King Øystein Magnusson. After Erling returned to Norway to fight this uprising, Olav and his men attacked Erling in an ambush at Rydjokul in Sørum. Erling was wounded and barely escaped. In 1168 Olav and his men ventured south to the Oslofjord area, but were there defeated in battle at Stanger in Våler. Sigurd was killed in the battle, but Olav escaped and went to Denmark.[5]
When Sverre Sigurdsson became the leader of the Birkebeiner, Erling's position was compromised, and he fell at the Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros in 1179. King Sverre honoured his fallen opponent by giving a speech at his funeral in the church. Erling was a talented man, but he was not always known for noble qualities. His enemies were ruthless, especially when it concerned their own position and that of their sons. In 1164, he founded Halsnøy Abbey, a monastery of Augustinian Canons, at Halsnøy on the Hardangerfjord.
von Nackreij - Skytte, Volume 3, page 371

Project MedLands Norway Kings

ERLING Ormson "Skakke/the Sharp" of Studla in South Hordaland (-killed in battle near Nidaros [Trondheim] 19 Jun 1179, bur Trondheim Cathedral). Snorre names Erling as the son of "Kyrpingaorm and Ragnhild, a daughter of Sveinke Steinarson", when recording that he possessed a farm at Studla in South Hordaland and journeyed to Palestine with Kali-Ragnvald Jarl of Orkney[508]. Regent of Norway in 1162 for his son King Magnus V. Jarl in Norway 1170. The Saga of King Sverre records that "Earl Erling" was killed in battle near Nidaros fighting King Sverre, and was buried in Trondheim church[509]. The precise date of his death is recorded in an Icelandic Obituarium[510]. married (1155) KRISTIN Sigurdsdatter, daughter of SIGURD King of Norway & his second wife Malmfred Mstislavna of Kiev ([1125]-1178). Snorre names "Christina, a daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader and Queen Malmfrid" as the wife of Erling[511]. This is confirmed by the Saga of King Sverre records the marriage of "Ragnhild daughter of Earl Erling and Kristin Kings-daughter" and "Halkel son of Jon Hallkelsson"[512]. Mistress (1): ---. The name of Erling's mistress is not known.

Erling & his wife KRISTIN Sigurdsdatter had two children:

(a) MAGNUS Erlingsson (1156-killed in battle near Fimreite on Sognefjord 15 Jun 1184, bur Bergen, Christ's Church). Snorre names Magnus Erlingson as son of "Kristin…daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader" when recording that he "was nearest by propinquity of descent to the crown of Norway", and elected king of the whole country when aged five[513]. He succeeded in 1161 as MAGNUS King of Norway. Snorre Sturlsons's Heimskringla ends with King Magnus's victory against King Eystein [in 1177][514]. The Saga of King Sverre records that King Sverre defeated King Magnus at Iluvelli [27 May 1180], after which Magnus "sailed…to Denmark to his kinsman Valdamar"[515]. The Saga of King Sverre records that King Magnus was killed in battle at "Norafiord" by King Sverre and was buried at Christ's Church, Bergen[516]. The Icelandic Annals record that "Magni regis, Erlingi filii" was killed "a Sverrero" in 1184[517]. married as her second husband, ELDRID Bjørnsdatter, widow of TORE Skinnfeld, daughter of BJØRN Byrdasvein & his wife Rangrid Guttormsdatter. Mistress (1): GYRID Aslaksdatter, daughter of ASLAK & his wife ---.
(b) RAGNHILD Erlingsdatter. Snorre names Ragnhild as "a daughter of princess Kristin and Earl Erling who was married to Jon Thorbergson of Randaberg", recording that she "went away from the country with a man called Grim Rusle…to Constantinople where they were for a time and had some children"[526]. The Saga of King Sverre records the marriage of "Ragnhild daughter of Earl Erling and Kristin Kings-daughter" and "Halkel son of Jon Hallkelsson"[527]. married firstly JON Thorbergsson from Randaberg (-killed in battle near Nidaros [Trondheim] 18 or 19 Jun 1179). married secondly HALLKEL Jonsson from Blindheim Jarl in Norway, son of JON Hallkelsson & his wife Margrete of Norway [daughter of King Harald Gille] (-killed in battle Florevåg near Bergen 3 Apr 1194).

King Magnus Erlingsson & his wife ELDRID Bjørnsdatter had two children:

(1) INGEBJÖRG Magnusdatter (-on crusade with her husband 1213). The Icelandic Annals record the death in 1213 of "Petrus Steyperus, uxorque eius Ingeburga, filia regis Magni Erlingii filii"[518]. m (before 1204) PETER Stöype [stormand of the Birkebene], possibly son of a sister of Sverre King of Sweden (-on crusade with his wife 1213).

(2) MARGRET Magnusdatter, m firstly (before 1206) FILIPPUS of Vegin [stormand of the Bagler] (-1207). m secondly (before 1208) REIDAR Sendemand [stormand of the Bagler] (-Constantinople 1214).

King Magnus had one illegitimate child by Mistress (1): GYRID Aslaksdatter

(3) SIGURD Magnusson (-killed in battle Florevåg near Bergen 3 Apr 1194, bur Bergen Church of St Mary). The Saga of King Sverre names "a boy named Sigurd a son of King Magnus Erlingson" as one of the conspirators with "Halkel son of Jon Hallkelsson"[519]. King of the Øyskjegger in Norway 1192. The Saga of King Sverre records that "Sigurd Kingsson" was killed in battle "in the water at Floruvoe" and was buried in "Marinkirk yard"[520].

King Magnus had four possible illegitimate children by unknown mistresses:

(4) VIKAR Magnusson (-killed in battle near Bridstein 1190). King of the Varbelger in Norway 1189. He claimed the throne.]

(5) INGE Magnusson (-murdered Helgøya, Mjøsa 1202). The Saga of King Sverre records that "the Bagals…at Borg" chose "King Magnus's son Ingi" as their king and that the whole of the Vik and the Uplands submitted to him[521]. King of the Bagals in Norway 1196.

(6) ERLING "Steinvegg/Stonewall (-Tønsberg 1207, bur Tønsberg, Olavskyrka). King of the Bagler in Norway 1204. The Icelandic Annals record that "Erlingus Steinveggus" was raised to "regiam dignitatem" in 1204[522].] m ---. The name of Erling's wife is not known.

Erling Steinvegg/Stonewall & his unknown wife had two children

a. MAGNUS Erlingsson (1199-young). The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified.

b. SIGURD Erlingsson "Ribbung (1203-Oslo 1226). King of the Ribbunger in Norway: the Icelandic Annals record that "Sigurdus Erlingi filius" became "rex Ribbungorum" in 1221[523]. The Icelandic Annals record the death in 1226 of "Sigurdus…rex Ribbungorum" and the succession of "domicellus Canutus Haquini filius" as leader of "Ribbungis" and his elevation to "regiam dignitatem"[524].

(7) BENE "Skinnkniv (-murdered 1222). Priest. Stormann of the Slittunger in Norway 1218. The Icelandic Annals record that "Benonis ducis Slittungorum" was killed in 1222[525].]

Erling had one illegitimate child by Mistress (1):

(c) SIGURD The Saga of King Sverre names "an illegitimate son of Earl Erling named Sigurd a foster-son of King Sverri" as one of the conspirators with "Halkel son of Jon Hallkelsson"[528].

Snorri Sturlason Heimskringla, Magnus Erlingson's Saga

30. King Valdemar's and Erling's Conversation

Once they were talking together - King Valdemar and Erling - Erling said: "Lord! — it seems to me the most reasonable settlement terms are that you get everything from Norway that you were promised in our agreement. But if that happens, which chief would you put in charge there - should it be a Dane?' meet a hard and disobedient people. Erling said: 'I came here for the reason that I do not wish to lose your friendship in any way. People from Norway have come here to Denmark before: Håkon Ivarson and Finn Arneson. King Svend — your relative — made them both his earls. I am no less powerful in Norway now than they were then, and the king gave them dominion over Halland - the kingdom that he had before. Now it occurs to me — sir! — that you can spare me this land, if I become your handmaiden and thus take charge of the power for you. Correspondingly, King Magnus — my son — will not refuse me this, and I will be obliged to you for all the services that this title entails." In this and other similar ways Erling spoke, and it ended with Erling becoming king Valdemar's henchman, and the king brought Erling to the throne and named him earl with office and dominion in Viken. Then Erling went home to Norway and was then an earl as long as he lived, and he was soon reconciled to the Danish king. "In this and other similar ways Erling spoke, and it ended with Erling becoming king Valdemar's handmaiden, and the king brought Erling to the throne and appointed him earl with office and dominion in Viken. Then Erling went home to Norway and was then an earl as long as he lived, and he was soon reconciled to the Danish king. "In this and other similar ways Erling spoke, and it ended with Erling becoming king Valdemar's handmaiden, and the king brought Erling to the throne and appointed him earl with office and dominion in Viken. Then Erling went home to Norway and was then an earl as long as he lived, and he was soon reconciled to the Danish king.

Erling had four illegitimate sons. One was called Reidar, another Øgmund - they each had their own mother. A third was called Finn and a fourth Sigurd — their mother was Åsa den Lyse, and they were younger. Kristin Kongedatter and Erling had a daughter, whose name was Ragnhild; she was married to Jon Torbergson from Randaberg. Kristin left the country with the man whose name was Grim Rusle; they went out to Miklagård, where they stayed for a while, and they had a couple of children together.

Jarl , Lendmann and Riksstyrer, Erling Ormsson Skakke, by NORWEGIAN BIOGRAPHICAL LEXICON

Lendmann, earl and Norwegian governor. Parents: Lendmannen Orm Sveinsson (mentioned in the 1120s and 1130s) and Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter. Married to Kristin Sigurdsdatter (mentioned 1155–70), daughter of King Sigurd 1 Magnusson Jorsalfare (1090–1130) and Queen Malmfrid Mstislavsdatter (ca. 1100 – ca. 1140). Father of King Magnus 5 Erlingsson (1156–84).

As Norwegian governor from 1161 to 1179, Erling Ormsson was "breast and protection" for his son King Magnus (Heimskringla), and in this role undoubtedly had an impact on the important institutional development that the Norwegian medieval kingdom underwent in these years.

Erling was a large man. The father, "Kyrpinge-Orm" as he was named after the farm Kyrping in Etne in Sunnhordland, was the grandson of the lieutenant Erlend from Gjerde in the same village, one of the leaders against King Olav Haraldsson at Stiklestad 1030, and could on the mother's side lead his family back to the eagles and Earl Håkon. Erling's mother and Kyrpinge-Orm's other wife, Ragnhild, were the daughter of the lieutenant Sveinke Steinarsson from Ranrike (Båhuslen). Kyrpinge-Orm was the foster father of King Harald Gille's youngest son, Magnus, who died early, and Orm's son in his first marriage, Ogmund Denger, was one of the other Harald sons' guardians and advisers.

Erling's ancestors had apparently built up a dense collection of land properties around Gjerde, but Erling himself had his seat on Støle further up from the sea, perhaps a grant he received as the king's lieutenant. Here he probably had the stone church that still stands built. Later, in his son Magnus' early royal years, it seems that he donated the Gjerde complex to ecclesiastical institutions: Halsnøy monastery, which he apparently founded, and the cathedral chapter in Bergen.

The related royal sagas that tell of Erling's life until the older story in Sverre's saga takes over in 1177 (Ágrip, Orkneyinga saga, Morkinskinna, Fagrskinna, Heimskringla), will know that he stood in the shadow of the older half-brother Ogmund as long as they both lived. The great turning point in his life was the crusade he undertook in 1153–55 with his cousin, the Orkney Earl Ragnvald Kolsson. Here he showed both wisdom and boldness in battle, among other things when he during the boarding of a large Muslim ship off Sardinia had it cut in the neck which made him later carry his head a little crooked and was called Erling "Skakke". On the crusade he learned not only to know the Holy Land, but also parts of France and Spain on the journey south and on the way home including Constantinople and Rome.

After returning home, he was considered a much bigger man than before. Here he was helped by the marriage he might have had even before the crusade, through his close relationship with King Inge Haraldsson: Kristin, daughter of King Sigurd Jorsalfare and through his mother, Queen Malmfrid, cousins of the Danish king Valdemar 1.

As King Inge's adviser and lieutenant, Erling spent a lot of time in Bergen. Despite his trusted position, he still came somewhat in the background for Gregorius Dagsson from Bratsberg by Skien, who was closest to King Inge. Gregorius worked with Erling's support to build up a Viksk-Westland lieutenant party in support of Inge in the tug-of-war with the brothers and co-kings Sigurd and Øystein that ended with their fall in 1155-57.

During the ensuing dispute with the opposing party that arose with Sigurd Munn's son, Håkon Herdebrei, as king, a growing rivalry arose between Gregorius and Erling. The sagas effectively set them against each other: Gregory is open and magnificent, quick in his decisions and persistent to the foolhardy in battle; Erling closed and wisely calculating, a man who looked far ahead and understood military strategy. A conflict simmered between them during the battle against Håkon Herdebrei's flock in Göta älv 1159, and when King Inge gathered his forces in Bergen next summer, it burst. Tires and fights between Vikings and westerners ended with Gregorius and Erling facing each other, and people were killed on both sides. King Inge reconciled them with difficulty, but only Gregorius followed him east towards Håkon Herdebrei.

After Gregory and King Inge had fallen in January-February 1161, Håkon Herdebrei was hailed as sole king at Øyrating in Trondheim. But his position of power was short-lived. What Gregorius had not quite managed to complete, Erling was able after his fall - to gather the country's foremost great men for one throne. In this he was well helped by his wife, Kristin kongsdatter. In 1161, Erling summoned King Inge's former friends among the great men, the rest of his shepherd and Gregorius' housekeepers. They agreed to keep the herd together under Erling's leadership and designated his son with Kristin, the five-year-old Magnus, as the best descendant of the kingdom in Norway. Magnus Erlingsson was then made king in an exchange in Bergen.

Erling was no stronger than he found it necessary to seek support against Håkon Herdebrei in Denmark, where Kristin's cousins, King Valdemar, had long since become sole king and had ambitions to restore the former Danish rule over Viken. The sagas tell that this was the condition Valdemar set to support Erling in his struggle to put Norway under his son's kingdom. Erling returned to Norway in 1161 and the following year surprisingly came upon his enemies at the battle of Sekken in Romsdalen. There, Håkon Herdebrei was cut into the tumbler.

Erling took Magnus with him to Trøndelag after the victory and got him the royal shelf at Øyrating. But he could neither now nor later trust the people of Trøndelag, who had supported the kings Sigurd and Øystein in the tense relationship with his brother King Inge and later willingly gave help to descendants of the two. It was in Western Norway and in the central parts of Viken that Erling could count on support for his son's kingdom, while new counter-kings after Håkon Herdebrei had an easy time gaining followers not only in Trøndelag, but also in Oppland and the far southeast of the country, in Marker. and in the River area. It contributed to repeated uprisings against Magnus' kingdom that Erling was a hard and ruthless man. He did not retreat to kill defeated nobles and expel others from the land instead of reconciling with them. Consequently, they easily returned in new rebel groups.

But the sagas also give Erling a certificate to be a wise, skilled and experienced governor for his young son. This was particularly evident in the collaboration with the church he took the initiative to strengthen his son's legal position as king and which became crucial for the institutional development of the Norwegian High Middle Ages kingdom. Against allegedly accepting that Archbishop Øystein Erlendsson demanded ecclesiastical fines in his diocese after a full silver price on the coin - double the value of the current coin, Erling got the archbishop to anoint and crown the son of a king in Bergen in 1163 or 1164, the first royal marriage of this battle in the Nordic countries.

Archbishop Øystein has with good reason been appointed as the main man behind the innovative ideological and legal design that the Norwegian kingdom now received, and which for him must have been just as crucial as increased fines. In important constitutional documents, the kingdom was portrayed as a divine office where the church through the coronation installed the king on God's behalf.

Nevertheless, there is no reason to consider Erling Skakke to be passive in relation to the archbishop. He had seen and experienced enough to realize the benefits of the legal and ideological transformation of the kingdom, and saw church support as so important that he was willing to admit to church leaders both legal innovations and increased political influence. For him, it was crucial that the royal coronation was suitable to remedy the great shortcoming of the son's legal basis: that he was not the king's son, as required by the customary Norwegian succession system. The new succession law from 1163/64 also explicitly stipulated that Magnus was the legal, crowned king. Its principle of monarchy was a legal protection against rivals of the throne, and ban and lawlessness threatened those who allowed themselves to be made king against the rules of law.

Erling's collaboration with Archbishop Øystein culminated in the ecclesiastical letter of privilege issued by King Magnus, probably some time after the coronation. Here he symbolically surrendered his kingdom to God and St. Olav and promised to rule it as the saint's sheriff and in his righteous spirit; as a sign of this he sacrificed his crown on the altar in Christ Church in Trondheim.

Erling needed all the support the alliance with the church could provide. Throughout most of the 1160s and 1170s, he had his hands full defending his son's kingdom against both internal and external enemies. In the 1160s, domestic erections intertwined with a dangerous opposition to Denmark. The rises were beaten down, but in relation to Denmark Erling had to give in. He sought for the longest time to avoid fulfilling the agreement with King Valdemar on Danish supremacy over the Bay. This led to Valdemar seeking contact with Erling's opponents in Trøndelag and marching with a large army and fleet towards Viken in 1165, where he allowed himself to be crowned king at Borgarting, but otherwise achieved little. Erling, for his part, sought cooperation with the Danish claimant to the throne Buris Henriksson against Valdemar, and in 1167 made a expedition against Denmark. Valdemar responded with a new army against Norway in 1168,

Erling now found it advisable to seek a settlement. His wife Kristin went to Denmark, where she was well received by her cousin King Valdemar and apparently prepared for the peace treaty that came about in 1170, after the intervention of the Archbishop of Uppsala and the chosen Bishop of Oslo. Erling now recognized the Danish king as overlord of Viken, in exchange for handing over the direct government there as earl with military service. According to the Danish historian Saxo, he also promised to raise Valdemar's son of the same name and make him a Norwegian earl or duke (dux)and the heir if King Magnus died without children born. After this, it seems that Erling in practice ruled Viken without Danish intervention. PA Munch imagined the possibility that he also previously held the Norwegian earl's title as governor for his son, but the sagas would hardly have passed a Norwegian earl's appointment in silence.

Heimskringla describes Erling as a tall and strongly built man with a long and sharp face. He was originally light-haired, but in his old age became very gray. His appearance was calm and dignified, despite the sloping head, and the suit conservative. Although Erling drew political benefits from his marriage to Kristin Kongsdatter, the personal relationship between them must have been problematic. Lack of precise chronology makes it impossible to get to the bottom of it. But the sagas seem to know that Kristin, perhaps while Erling was absent on the crusade, had a son with her cousin King Sigurd Munn, which in that case was a serious incest according to the church's teachings, and that Erling later brutally had the boy executed. Kristin ended up leaving him, without us knowing when. She is said to have traveled from the country with a Grim Rusle; they stayed for a while in Continental and had some children together, says Heimskringla. Erling himself applied for a bed with someone other than his wife. With three different women, at least one of them a firmer girl, Åsa the bright, he had four sons.

The episcopal action on Erling's behalf in the peace negotiations in Denmark in 1170 shows that he could still count on ecclesiastical support in his defense of his son's kingdom, but there may have been friction in the relationship between him and the Norwegian church, partly because he demanded justice. to consent before the church made bishop elections. Sverre's saga also tells that Øystein had a better relationship with King Magnus than with his power-loving father. However, there is no indication that the basic co-operation between the kingdom and the church was broken while Erling was alive. During the battles against the herd of birch-bones that arose in the inner eastern areas in 1174, the church's leaders were still on Erling's and Magnus' side. When Sverre Sigurdsson came to Norway,

Erling had now begun to draw on the years, and was sitting in Bergen when King Magnus on his own defeated the birch bones on Re near Tønsberg 1177. When the remnants of the birch bone flock found a new royal subject in Sverre Sigurdsson in Värmland the same year, Erling was still not lazy. . He took up the fight bitterly against the "devil priest" Sverre who wanted to take his son's place, but his age and a long position of power had obviously made him less cautious and more stubborn than before. Alcoholism may have exacerbated this.

When Erling and Magnus were in Trondheim with a large army and fleet in the summer of 1179, set up for a final settlement with Sverre, Erling was confident that the birch trees would not dare to walk on them in the city. During the evening and night of June 18, it was drunk quite heavily, and despite warnings, Erling was sloppy with emergency preparedness and security. When Sverre and the birch-bones attacked surprisingly the next morning, he chose to fight with reduced strength instead of setting out from the city with the ships. It became his path. In the field Kalvskinnet outside the city, the "old man", who swung his sword with open plate armor, was hit by a deadly spear in the waist. King Magnus and the army were forced to flee, while the dead earl was left on the battlefield. King Sverre had him buried on the south side of Christ Church, but through the later expansion of the church, the tomb came to lie within the walls.

Links

Sources

Inges saga, kpt 17 + Salmonsens leksikon VII s 430, XVI s 409 og XXI s 391 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202
Family 1: Salmonsens leksikon XVI s 409 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202 + Internet 1996: Royal Genealogical Data, Hull
Family 2: Salmonsens leksikon XXI s 390 + Norsk biogr. leksikon bd 13, 1956, s 310, av Halvdan Koht
person: Inges saga, kpt 17 + Salmonsens leksikon VII s 430, XVI s 409 og XXI s 391 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202
Heimskringla
Morkinskinna, ed. by Finnur Jónsson, 1932
Orkneyinga saga
Sverre's story
Abstract Icelandic seasonal records, Copenhagen 1893–96
Latin document to Norwegian history up to 1204, ed. and overs. by E. Vandvik and V. Skånland, 1959
Norwegian medieval documents, ed. and overs. by S. Bagge et al., 1973, nos. 7-8 and 10 NFH, Vols. 2–3, 1855–57
F. Paasche: biography in NBL1, vol. 3, 1926
GM Gathorne-Hardy: A Royal Impostor: King Sverre of Norway, 1956
K. Helle: Norway becomes a state 1130–1319, vol. 3 in Handbok i Norges historie, 2nd ed., 1974
S. Dyrvik: Etne-soga, vol. 1, Etne 1968
F. Iversen: Were the medieval lendmannsgårder cores in older collections of estates ?, ed. h.oppg. in Archeology, UiB, 1997

Om Erling Ormsen "Skakke/ The Sharp" of Studla (Dansk)

Erling Ormsson Skakke

Son of Orm Kyrpinga-Orm Sveinsson and Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter

History

Erling Ormsson Skakke, død 19. juni 1179, Fødselsår og fødested ukjent; i. Lendmann, jarl og norsk riksstyrer. Foreldre: Lendmannen Orm Sveinsson (nevnt i 1120- og 1130-årene) og Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter. Gift med Kristin Sigurdsdatter (nevnt 1155–70), datter av kong Sigurd 1 Magnusson Jorsalfare (1090–1130) og dronning Malmfrid Mstislavsdatter (ca. 1100–ca. 1140). Far til kong Magnus 5 Erlingsson (1156–84).

Erling var en ættstor mann. Faren, “Kyrpinge-Orm” som han ble kalt etter gården Kyrping i Etne i Sunnhordland, var sønnesønns sønn av lendmannen Erlend fra Gjerde i samme bygd, en av førerne mot kong Olav Haraldsson på Stiklestad 1030, og kunne på morssiden føre sin ætt tilbake til arnmødlingene og Håkon jarl. Erlings mor og Kyrpinge-Orms annen hustru, Ragnhild, var datter av lendmannen Sveinke Steinarsson fra Ranrike (Båhuslen). Kyrpinge-Orm var fosterfar til kong Harald Gilles yngste sønn, Magnus, som døde tidlig, og Orms sønn i første ekteskap, Ogmund Denger, var en av de andre Haraldssønnenes formyndere og rådgivere.

De innbyrdes beslektede kongesagaene som forteller om Erlings liv frem til den eldre beretningen i Sverres saga overtar 1177 (Ágrip, Orkneyinga saga, Morkinskinna, Fagrskinna, Heimskringla), vil vite at han stod i skyggen av den eldre halvbroren Ogmund så lenge begge levde. Det store vendepunktet i hans liv var den korsferden han foretok 1153–55 sammen med sin frende, orknøyjarlen Ragnvald Kolsson. Her viste han både klokskap og djervskap i strid, blant annet da han under bordingen av et stort muslimsk skip ved Sardinia fikk det hugget i halsen som gjorde at han senere bar hodet litt på skjeve og ble kalt Erling “Skakke”. På korsferden lærte han ikke bare å kjenne Det hellige land, men også deler av Frankrike og Spania på sørturen og på hjemveien blant annet Konstantinopel og Roma.

Etter hjemkomsten ble han regnet for en mye større mann enn før. Her ble han hjulpet av det giftet han kanskje allerede før korsferden hadde fått, gjennom sitt nære forhold til kong Inge Haraldsson: Kristin, datter av kong Sigurd Jorsalfare og gjennom moren, dronning Malmfrid, søskenbarn til danskekongen Valdemar 1.

Som kong Inges rådgiver og lendmann satt Erling mye i Bergen. Til tross for sin betrodde stilling kom han likevel noe i bakgrunnen for Gregorius Dagsson fra Bratsberg ved Skien, som stod kong Inge aller nærmest. Gregorius arbeidet med Erlings støtte for å bygge opp et viksk-vestlandsk lendmannsparti til støtte for Inge i den dragkampen med brødrene og samkongene Sigurd og Øystein som endte med deres fall 1155–57.

Under den følgende striden med det motpartiet som reiste seg med Sigurd Munns sønn, Håkon Herdebrei, som kongsemne, gjorde det seg gjeldende en økende rivalisering mellom Gregorius og Erling. Sagaene setter dem virkningsfullt opp mot hverandre: Gregorius åpen og praktglad, rask i beslutningene og pågående til det dumdristige i strid; Erling lukket og klokt beregnende, en mann som så langt frem og skjønte seg på militær strategi. Det ulmet en motsetning mellom dem under striden mot Håkon Herdebreis flokk i Göta älv 1159, og da kong Inge samlet styrkene sine i Bergen neste sommer, sprakk det. Trette og slagsmål mellom vikværinger og vestlendinger endte med at Gregorius og Erling stod mot hverandre, og folk ble drept på begge sider. Kong Inge fikk dem med nød forlikt, men det var bare Gregorius som fulgte ham østover mot Håkon Herdebrei.

Etter at Gregorius og kong Inge var falt i januar-februar 1161, ble Håkon Herdebrei hyllet som enekonge på Øyrating i Trondheim. Men hans maktstilling ble kortvarig. Det Gregorius ikke helt hadde greid å fullføre, maktet Erling etter hans fall – å samle landets fremste stormenn om én kongetrone. I dette ble han godt hjulpet av sin hustru, Kristin kongsdatter. Erling stevnet 1161 til seg kong Inges tidligere venner blant stormennene, resten av hirden hans og huskarene til Gregorius. De ble enig om å holde flokken samlet under Erlings ledelse og utpekte hans sønn med Kristin, den fem år gamle Magnus, som den best ættbårne til kongedømmet i Norge. Magnus Erlingsson ble så tatt til konge på et byting i Bergen.

Erling stod ikke sterkere enn at han fant det nødvendig å søke støtte mot Håkon Herdebrei i Danmark, der Kristins søskenbarn, kong Valdemar, for lengst var blitt enekonge og hadde ambisjoner om å gjenopprette det tidligere danske overherredømmet over Viken. Sagaene forteller at dette var vilkåret Valdemar satte for å støtte Erling i hans kamp for å legge Norge under sønnens kongedømme. Erling vendte tilbake til Norge 1161 og kom året etter overraskende på sine fiender i slaget ved Sekken i Romsdalen. Der ble Håkon Herdebrei hugd ned i slagtummelen.

Erling tok Magnus med seg til Trøndelag etter seieren og fikk ham kongehyllet på Øyrating. Men han kunne verken nå eller senere stole på trønderne, som hadde støttet kongene Sigurd og Øystein i det spente forholdet til broren kong Inge og senere villig gav hjelp til etterkommere av de to. Det var på Vestlandet og i de sentrale delene av Viken Erling kunne regne med oppslutning om sønnens kongedømme, mens nye motkonger etter Håkon Herdebrei hadde lett for å skaffe seg tilhengere ikke bare i Trøndelag, men også på Opplandene og lengst sørøst i landet, på Marker og i Elve-området. Det bidrog til gjentatte reisninger mot Magnus' kongedømme at Erling var en hard og hensynsløs mann. Han vek ikke tilbake for å drepe overvunne stormenn og drev andre fra landet i stedet for å forlike seg med dem. Følgelig kom de lett tilbake i nye opprørsflokker.

Men sagaene gir også Erling attest for å være en klok, dyktig og erfaren riksstyrer for sin unge sønn. Det viste seg særlig i det samarbeidet med kirken han tok initiativ til for å styrke sønnens rettsstilling som konge og som ble avgjørende for den institusjonelle utviklingen av det norske høymiddelalderkongedømmet. Mot angivelig å akseptere at erkebiskop Øystein Erlendsson krevde inn kirkelige bøter i sitt bispedømme etter full sølvkurs på mynten – det dobbelte av den gangbare myntens verdi, fikk Erling erkebiskopen til å salve og krone sønnen til konge i Bergen 1163 eller 1164, den første kongevigselen av dette slaget i Norden.

Erkebiskop Øystein er med god grunn utpekt som hovedmannen bak den nyskapende ideologiske og rettslige utformingen som det norske kongedømmet nå fikk, og som for ham må ha vært vel så avgjørende som økte bøteinntekter. I viktige statsrettslige dokumenter ble kongedømmet fremstilt som et guddommelig embete der kirken gjennom kroningen innsatte kongen på Guds vegne.

Det er likevel ingen grunn til å regne Erling Skakke for passiv i forhold til erkebiskopen. Han hadde sett og erfart nok til å innse de fordelene den rettslige og ideologiske omformingen av kongedømmet innebar, og så åpenbart kirkelig støtte som så viktig at han var villig til å innrømme kirkelederne både rettslige nyvinninger og økt politisk innflytelse. For ham var det avgjørende at kongekroningen var egnet til å bøte på den store mangelen ved sønnens rettsgrunnlag: at han ikke var kongssønn, slik den sedvanemessige norske tronfølgeordningen krevde. Den nye tronfølgeloven fra 1163/64 forutsatte dessuten uttrykkelig at Magnus var den lovlige, kronte konge. Dens prinsipp om enekongedømme var et rettslig vern mot tronrivaler, og bann og fredløshet truet den som lot seg ta til konge mot lovens regler.

Erlings samarbeid med erkebiskop Øystein kulminerte med det kirkelige privilegiebrevet kong Magnus utstedte, trolig en tid etter kroningen. Her overgav han symbolsk sitt rike til Gud og St. Olav og lovte å styre det som helgenkongens lenstaker og i hans rettferdige ånd; som tegn på dette ofret han sin krone på alteret i Kristkirken i Trondheim.

Erling trengte all støtte alliansen med kirken kunne gi. Gjennom størsteparten av 1160- og 1170-årene hadde han hendene fulle med å forsvare sønnens kongedømme mot både indre og ytre fiender. I 1160-årene vevde hjemlige reisninger seg sammen med et farlig motsetningsforhold til Danmark. Reisningene ble slått ned, men i forholdet til Danmark måtte Erling gi etter. Han søkte i det lengste å unngå å oppfylle avtalen med kong Valdemar om dansk overherredømme over Viken. Det førte til at Valdemar søkte kontakt med Erlings motstandere i Trøndelag og drog med stor hær og flåte mot Viken 1165, der han lot seg kongehylle på Borgarting, men ellers oppnådde lite. Erling søkte på sin side samarbeid med den danske tronkreveren Buris Henriksson mot Valdemar, og foretok 1167 et tokt mot Danmark. Valdemar svarte med et nytt hærtog mot Norge 1168, uten at det kom til avgjørende kamphandlinger.

Erling fant det nå rådelig å søke forlik. Hustruen Kristin drog til Danmark, der hun ble vel mottatt av sin frende kong Valdemar og tydeligvis forberedte den fredsslutningen som kom i stand 1170, etter mellomkomst av erkebiskopen av Uppsala og den utvalgte biskopen av Oslo. Erling anerkjente nå danskekongen som overherre over Viken, mot å få overlatt det direkte styret der som jarl med militær tjenesteplikt. Ifølge den danske historieskriveren Saxo skal han også ha lovt å fostre Valdemars sønn av samme navn og gjøre ham til norsk jarl eller hertug (dux) og dertil riksarving dersom kong Magnus døde uten ektefødte barn. Etter dette ser det ut til at Erling i praksis styrte Viken uten dansk inngripen. P. A. Munch tenkte seg muligheten av at han på forhånd også bar norsk jarletittel som riksstyrer for sin sønn, men sagaene ville neppe ha forbigått en norsk jarleutnevning i taushet.

Heimskringla beskriver Erling som som en høy og kraftig bygd mann med et langt og skarpt ansikt. Han var opprinnelig lys i håret, men ble på sine eldre dager svært grå. Hans fremtreden var rolig og verdig, til tross for det hallende hodet, og klesdrakten konservativ. Selv om Erling drog politiske fordeler av sitt ekteskap med Kristin kongsdatter, må det personlige forholdet mellom dem ha vært problematisk. Mangel på presis kronologi gjør det umulig å trenge til bunns i det. Men sagaene mener å vite at Kristin, kanskje mens Erling var fraværende på korsferden, fikk en sønn med sitt søskenbarn kong Sigurd Munn, noe som i så fall var alvorlig blodskam etter kirkens lære, og at Erling senere brutalt lot gutten henrette. Det endte med at Kristin forlot ham, uten at vi vet når. Hun skal ha reist fra landet sammen med en Grim Rusle; de oppholdt seg en tid i Kontantinopel og fikk noen barn sammen, forteller Heimskringla. Selv søkte Erling seng med andre enn hustruen. Med tre forskjellige kvinner, iallfall en av dem en fastere frille, Åsa den lyse, hadde han fire sønner.

Den biskoppelige opptreden på Erlings vegne i fredsforhandlingene i Danmark 1170 viser at han fortsatt kunne regne med kirkelig støtte i sitt forsvar for sønnens kongedømme, men det kan etter hvert ha oppstått friksjon i forholdet mellom ham og den norske kirken, blant annet fordi han krevde rett til å samtykke før kirken foretok bispevalg. Sverres saga forteller også at Øystein hadde et bedre forhold til kong Magnus enn til hans maktglade far. Det er likevel ikke noe som tyder på at det grunnleggende samarbeidet mellom kongedømme og kirke ble brutt så lenge Erling levde. Under kampene mot den birkebeinerflokken som reiste seg i de indre østlandsområdene 1174, stod kirkens ledere fortsatt på Erlings og Magnus' side. Da Sverre Sigurdsson kom til Norge, var det hans inntrykk at kongen og jarlen hadde stor støtte av de fremste menn i landet og av folket ellers, selv om jarlen på grunn av sin harde fremferd også hadde fiender, særlig i Trøndelag.

Erling var nå begynt å dra på årene, og satt i Bergen da kong Magnus på egen hånd beseiret birkebeinerne på Re ved Tønsberg 1177. Da restene av birkebeinerflokken fant seg et nytt kongsemne i Sverre Sigurdsson i Värmland samme år, lå Erling likevel ikke på latsiden. Han tok forbitret opp kampen mot “djevelspresten” Sverre som ville sette seg i sønnens sted, men alderen og en langvarig maktstilling hadde tydeligvis gjort ham mindre varsom og mer envis enn før. Drikkfeldighet kan ha forsterket dette.

Da Erling og Magnus lå i Trondheim med stor hær og flåte sommeren 1179, oppsatt på et endelig oppgjør med Sverre, var Erling trygg på at birkebeinerne ikke ville våge å gå på dem i byen. Utover kvelden og natten 18. juni ble det drukket nokså tett, og tross advarsler slurvet Erling med beredskap og vakthold. Da Sverre og birkebeinerne angrep overraskende neste morgen, valgte han å kjempe med redusert styrke i stedet for å legge ut fra byen med skipene. Det ble hans bane. På åkeren Kalvskinnet utenfor byen ble “gamlingen”, som svingte sverdet med åpen platebrynje, rammet av et dødelig spydstikk i livet. Kong Magnus og hæren ble tvunget på flukt, mens den døde jarlen lå igjen på slagmarken. Kong Sverre lot ham gravlegge på sørsiden av Kristkirken, men gjennom den senere utvidelsen av kirken kom graven til å ligge innenfor veggene.

Erling «Skakke» Ormsson (født 1115, død 18. juni 1179) var norsk stormann i borgerkrigstiden.
Erling kom fra en god ætt, og var bosatt på
«Studla» (i dag kalt Støle) i Etne. Han stammet, ifølge sagaene Fagrskinna og Heimskringla, fra ladejarlene og Arnmødlingene. Hans far, Orm, var fosterfar til kongssønnen Magnus Haraldsson, og hans bror, Ogmund Dengje, var rådgiver for Haraldssønnene.

Erling Skakke var med Ragnvald Orknøyjarl på korstog i årene 1151–1155. Han besøkte Det hellige land, Konstantinopel og Roma. Utenfor Sicilia kom han i kamp med araberne. Her fikk han et hugg i halsen slik at den kom til å helle over, eller på «skakke», til den ene siden.

Hentet fra wikipedia: Erling Skakke var med Ragnvald Orknøyjarl på korstog i årene 1151–1155. Han besøkte Det hellige land, Konstantinopel og Roma. Utenfor Sicilia kom han i kamp med araberne. Her fikk han et hugg i halsen slik at den kom til å helle over, eller på «skakke», til den ene siden.

Håkon Herdebrei skal i 1162 ha blitt drept av Erling Skakke i et sjøslag utenfor Sekken (se slaget ved Sekken). Håkon ble tatt til fange i dette slaget, og senere døde han mens han var om bord i Erlings skip. Erling og hans menn ble rimelig nok beskyldt for å ha stått bak hans død.

Erling Skakke var formynder for kong Inge Krokrygg og ble en av lederne av lendmannspartiet etter kong Inges død i 1161. Han var gift med Kristin Sigurdsdatter, datter av Sigurd Jorsalfare, og fikk med henne sønnen Magnus Erlingsson, som ble hyllet til konge på et ting i Bergen i 1161. Erling dro deretter til kong Valdemar den store i Danmark, og avtalte med denne at Valdemar skulle hjelpe Erlings sønn til makten i Norge, mot selv å få kontroll over Viken, slik danskene gjennom århundrer hadde hatt. Det ser ikke ut til at noen av dem overholdt avtalen, for i 1169 sendte Erling sin kone på besøk til Valdemar – de var kusine og fetter – for å minne ham på avtalen. I 1170 reiste Erling selv til Danmark, og da avtalte han at han skulle bli Valdemars jarl på Østlandet.

Kristin Sigurdsdatter hadde før sitt ekteskap med Erling fått sønnen Harald med sin fetter Sigurd Munn. Erling lot sin stesønn halshugge, så han ikke skulle bli en konkurrent om kongemakten for Erlings egen sønn Magnus. Man vet ikke om Kristin kjente til at det var hennes mann som stod bak drapet på hennes eldste sønn.[1]

I Magnus Erlingssons saga berettes at Nikolas Kuvung var den som fanget Harald og førte ham til Bergen «og lot Erling jarl få ham». Det berettes videre at Erling hadde for skikk når hans uvenner kom til ham, å si lite eller ingenting til dem, men hadde han tenkt å spare deres liv, skjente han på dem det verste han kunne. «Erling sa ikke stort til Harald, og folk tok til å skjønne hva han ville gjøre. De bad kong Magnus at han skulle be jarlen om fred for Harald.» Magnus og Harald var jo halvbrødre. «Kongen så gjorde, men jarlen svarte: ‘Slikt rår vennene dine deg til, men du får ikke lenge råde i riket om du vil gå frem bare med mildhet.’» Så lot Erling sin stesønn føre over til Nordnes, der han ble halshugd.[2]

I Sverres saga sier kong Sverre til kong Magnus: «Erling lot Harald min bror henge sør på Kvarven som en kråkeunge …»[3] Ifølge Snorres saga om Magnus ble jo Harald halshugd på Nordnes, så trolig var det slik at den døde i etterkant ble hengt opp på Kvarven som advarsel for alle som seilte inn til Bergen.

Erling Skakke døde i slaget på Kalvskinnet i 1179. Hans sønn var konge over Norge fra 1161 til 1184.

Links

Sources

- person: Inges saga, kpt 17 + Salmonsens leksikon VII s 430, XVI s 409 og XXI s 391 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202

- family 1: Salmonsens leksikon XVI s 409 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202 + Internet 1996: Royal Genealogical Data, Hull

- family 2: Salmonsens leksikon XXI s 390 + Norsk biogr. leksikon bd 13, 1956, s 310, av Halvdan Koht

Relationship computing

- person: Inges saga, kpt 17 + Salmonsens leksikon VII s 430, XVI s 409 og XXI s 391 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202

- family 1: Salmonsens leksikon XVI s 409 + Med skip til lands og til vanns, 1981, av V Henriksen, s 202 + Internet 1996: Royal Genealogical Data, Hull

- family 2: Salmonsens leksikon XXI s 390 + Norsk biogr. leksikon bd 13, 1956, s 310, av Halvdan Koht

Under borgerkrigen stod Erling fram som en av de største høvdingene. Han hadde ord på seg for å være en klok mann. Hans vennskap med kong Inge førte til at han fikk Sigurd Jorsalfars ektefødte datter Kristina til hustru.
Det som særlig økte hans ry, var den korsferden han var med på til Det hellige land i første halvdel av 1150-årene. Under bordingen av et muslimsk skip ved Sardinia fikk han et hugg i halsen, som gjorde at han senere bar hodet på skjeve. Derfor ble han hetende Erling "Skakke". Etter hjemkomsten ble han kong Inges fremste lendmann på Vestlandet. Han satt mye i Bergen på kongens vegne. Slekten nådde høydepunktet for sin innflytelse da Erling Skakkes sønn Magnus ble kronet som norsk konge i 1164.

Om Erling Ormsen "Skakke/ The Sharp" of Studla (svenska)

Erling Ormsson Skakke

Son of Orm Kyrpinga-Orm Sveinsson and Ragnhild Sveinkesdatter