Magnus II of Norway
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Magnus II king of Norway from 1066 until 1069.
In the summer of 1066 Harold Haardraade prepared for his illfated expedition to England. Before his departure he made Magnus, his son, regent, and caused him to be crowned King of Norway. His younger son, Olav, accompanied him on the expedition. Olav was left in charge of part of his army while Harold advanced. Not expecting oposition, Harold's army traveled light in the warm weather, without the protection of their brynies. When Harold arrived at Stamford Bridge Harold, King of England’s force fell upon them. Rather than retreating, Harold sent for Olav and his reinforcements. Before Olav's forces arrived the Norse forces were defeated and Harold fatally wounded. Although a success for the English, the battle set the stage for the defeat later that summer of English forces by William the Conqueror.
At that time, the Kingdom of Norway was looked upon as a property of the king. As such it would be divided among his heirs, like any other private estate under Ancient Norwegian Property Laws. Retreating from England, Olav, Harold’s son spent the winter of 1066-1067 in the Orkneys and returned to Norway in the spring of 1067, claiming his portion of the estate. Magnus was to rule the northern half of the country and Olav the southern. This division is the beginning of a long series of partitions of the kingdom between the sons and heirs of the ruling king.
| Preceded by: Harald Hardraade | King of Norway 1066–1069 | Succeeded by: Olaf Kyrre ReferencesHistory of the Norwegian People by Knut Gjerset, The MacMillan Company, 1915 |