Guttorm of Norway - Revolt and Death

Revolt and Death

The appointment of the warlike and power-hungry Haakon the Crazy (called "the mad dog" by the Bagler) to key positions contributed to conflicts within the Birkebeiner, and a worsening of relations with the Bagler. Haakon's elevation led the Bagler to believe that there was not much hope of peace with the Birkebeiner. The Bagler therefore travelled to Denmark and united around Erling Stonewall, an alleged son of former king Magnus Erlingsson, whom elements of the party had attempted to proclaim as king in 1203. Their revolt was actively supported by Valdemar II of Denmark, who sought to regain the ancient Danish overlordship of Viken, in Norway.

Valdemar arrived in Viken in June with more than 300 ships, and Erling performed a trial by ordeal before the king in Tønsberg. In turn, the Danish king gave 35 ships to Erling, and together with Philip Simonsson (another Bagler rival), he swore allegiance to Valdemar. Although Philip's claim to the throne was supported by both Valdemar and the church, in the end, the Bagler proclaimed Erling as king and Philip as earl at Haugating and Borgarting (things of the southeastern parts of Norway), and the Bagler quickly gained control of Viken. Guttorm was in turn proclaimed king (konungstekja) by the Birkebeiner at Øyrating in Trondheim in the spring or early summer. While Haakon the Crazy was in the process of gathering an army to fight the Bagler, likely at a second purely military assembly at Øyrating, Guttorm suddenly became ill and died on 11 August. He was buried at the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.

In the longer version of the Bǫglunga sǫgur, it is insinuated that Guttorm's illness and death were caused by Swedish-born Christina Nilsdotter, who married Haakon the Crazy shortly after Guttorm's death. Modern historians consider this claim to be dubious, derived from rumours spread by the Birkebeiner in connection with the sudden death of Haakon Sverresson some months earlier. The same source claims that Haakon was poisoned, allegedly by Sverre's widow Margaret, Christina's aunt. Haakon the Crazy's bid to succeed Guttorm as king foundered because he was not trusted and had made powerful opponents. Guttorm's death was followed by low-intensity civil war between his successor Inge Bårdsson and the Bagler, until a settlement was reached between Inge, Haakon and the new Bagler pretender Philip Simonsson in 1207, which for some years divided the kingdom.