Sigurd the Crusader

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(Redirected from
Sigurd I of Norway
)
"Sigurd Jorsalfar" redirects here. For the incidental music and orchestral suite by Edvard Grieg, see Sigurd Jorsalfar (Grieg).

Sigurd the Crusader
Magnus IV (ill.)
Names
Sigurd Magnusson
Regnal name
Sigurd I
HouseHardrada
FatherMagnus III of Norway
MotherTora (concubine)

Sigurd Magnusson (1089

King of Norway (being Sigurd I) from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his half-brother Øystein (until Øystein died in 1123), has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway. He is otherwise famous for leading the Norwegian Crusade (1107–1110), earning him the eponym "the Crusader", and was the first European king to participate in a crusade personally.[2][3]

Early life

Sigurd was one of the three sons of King

illegitimate sons of the king with different mothers. The three half-brothers co-ruled the kingdom from 1103 to avoid feuds or war. Sigurd ruled alone after Olaf died in 1115 and Øystein in 1123.[4]

Before being proclaimed King of Norway, Sigurd was styled as

Olav received such prestigious titles. Sigurd passed the Earldom of Orkney on to Haakon Paulsson.[5]

Many historians have viewed Sigurd and Øystein's rule as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway. The state flourished economically and culturally, allowing Sigurd to participate in the Crusades and gain international recognition and prestige.[citation needed]

Expedition with Magnus III

Coin thought to represent the co-rule of Øystein and Sigurd, and thus dated to before 1115

In 1098, Sigurd accompanied his father, King Magnus III, on his expedition to the

consummated
.

When King Magnus was ambushed and killed in Ulaid by an Irish army in 1103, the 14-year-old Sigurd returned to Norway along with the rest of the Norwegian army, leaving his child-bride behind. Upon arriving in Norway, he and his two brothers, Øystein and Olav, were proclaimed kings of Norway and jointly ruled the kingdom together for some time. The expeditions conducted by Magnus were somewhat profitable to the Kingdom of Norway, as the many islands under Norwegian control generated wealth and a workforce. However the Hebrides and Man quickly re-asserted their independence after Magnus' death.[6]

Norwegian Crusade

Main article: Norwegian Crusade
Route of the Norwegian Crusade taken by Sigurd the Crusader. Red: Sea, Green: Land.

In 1107, Sigurd led the

Magnus III, to Ireland and islands in the seas around Scotland
.

Sigurd fought in

Mediterranean islands and Palestine. He often fought the enemies amongst his loyal soldiers and relatives; they were continually victorious and vastly successful, gaining considerable amounts of treasure and booty. However, the loot probably never reached Norway, as Sigurd left almost everything he had gained in Constantinople. On his way to Jerusalem (Jorsala) he visited the Norman King Roger II of Sicily in his castle at Palermo.[7]

Upon arriving in the

patriarch of Jerusalem, Ghibbelin of Arles, a splinter was taken from the True Cross and given to Sigurd after the siege as a token of friendship and as a relic for his heroic participation in the crusades. Thereafter, King Sigurd returned to his ships and prepared to leave the Holy Land. They sailed north to the island of Cyprus, where Sigurd stayed for a time. Sigurd then sailed to Constantinople (Miklagard) and entered the city through the gate called the Gold Tower, riding in front of his men. He stayed there for a while, meeting and spending much time with Emperor Alexios I Komnenos
.

Return to Norway

Before leaving Constantinople, Sigurd gave all of his ships and many treasures away to Emperor Alexios. In return, the emperor gave him many strong horses for him and his fellow relatives. Sigurd planned to return to Norway over land, but many of his men stayed behind in Constantinople to serve the emperor as part of his

Niels of Denmark
, who eventually gave him a ship to sail to Norway.

Upon returning to Norway in 1111, Sigurd returned to a flourishing and prosperous kingdom. King Øystein had created a solid and stable country, and the church gained wealth, power, and prestige. During Sigurd's reign, the tithe (a 10% tax to support the church) was introduced in Norway, which significantly strengthened the church in the country. Sigurd founded the diocese of Stavanger. He had been denied a divorce by the bishop in Bergen, so he installed another bishop further south and had him perform the divorce.[8]

Sigurd made his capital in Konghelle (in the vicinity of

Old Norse deities.[9]

Death

According to the kings' saga

Inge I of Sweden. They had a daughter, Kristin Sigurdsdatter
. He left no legitimate sons.
Kingdom of Norway in the 12th century and early 13th century.[12][13][14]

Primary sources

Most of the information gathered about the saga of Sigurd and his brothers is taken from the Heimskringla,[15] written by Snorri Sturluson around 1225. Scholars still debate the accuracy of this work. Sigurd is also mentioned in various European sources.

In theatrical works and poetry

In the 19th century, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson wrote a historical drama based on the life of the king, with incidental music (titled Sigurd Jorsalfar) composed by Edvard Grieg. The Scottish poet William Forsyth wrote 'King Sigurd the Crusader', illustrated by Edward Burne-Jones in 1862.[16]

Notes

  1. ^ "Sigurd 1 Magnusson Jorsalfare". Norsk Biografisk Leksikon (in Norwegian). 30 June 2022.
  2. ^ Literally "Jerusalem-farer", but commonly translated into English as "the Crusader".
  3. ISBN 0812213637
    .
  4. ^ Per G. Norseng. "Sigurd Jorsalfare". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  5. ^ Claus Krag. "Sigurd 1 Magnusson Jorsalfare, Konge". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  6. JSTOR 30007421
    .
  7. S2CID 143449956
    .
  8. ^ This was allegedly the reason he was able to marry the woman, Cecilia.
  9. ^ Knut Are Tvedt. "Konghelle". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  10. ISSN 1457-2362
    .
  11. ISBN 978-0-521-47299-9
  12. ^ Nils Petter Thuesen. "Magnus 4 Sigurdsson Blinde, Konge". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  13. ^ Knut Peter Lyche Arstad. "Gilchrist Harald 4 Gille, Konge". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  14. ^ "Saga of Magnus the Blind and of Harald Gille". Heimskringla. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf". Heimskringla. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  16. ^ "King Sigurd the Crusader (in "Good Words for 1862," p. 248)". The Met. Retrieved 27 August 2023.

Other sources

Related reading

External links
Sigurd Jorsalafar
Cadet branch of the Fairhair dynasty
Born: c. 1090 Died: 26 March 1130
Regnal titles
Preceded by Earl of Orkney
1098–1103 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
King of the Isles

1102–1103 		Succeeded by
Olaf Magnusson (1103–1115)
Eystein I
(1103–1123) 		Succeeded by
Harald IV
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