Haakon IV of Norway - Children and Marriage

Children and Marriage

Haakon had two illegitimate children with his mistress Kanga the Young (who is only known by name) before 1225. They were:

  • Sigurd (died 1252).
  • Cecilia (died 1248). Married lendmann Gregorius Andresson, a nephew of the last bagler king Philip Simonsson in 1241. Widowed in 1246, she married Harald Olafsson, King of Mann and the Isles in 1248. They both drowned the same year on the return voyage to Great Britain.

Haakon married Margrete Skulesdotter on 25 May 1225, daughter of his rival Earl Skule Bårdsson. Their children were:

  1. Olav (born 1226). Died in infancy.
  2. Haakon the Young (1232–1257). Married Rikissa Birgersdotter, daughter of the Swedish statesman Earl Birger in 1251. He was appointed king and co-ruler by his father in 1240, but predeceased his father.
  3. Christina (1234–1262). Married Infante Philip of Castile, brother of Alfonso X of Castile in 1258. She died childless.
  4. Magnus VI of Norway (1238–1280). Married Ingeborg, daughter of Eric IV of Denmark in 1261. Was appointed king and co-ruler following the death of Haakon the Young. Succeeded his father as King of Norway following his father's death.

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