Queen of Sweden Brigida Haraldsdotter Gille of Norway

Brigida Haraldsdatter Gille, af Norge

• Brigida Haraldsdotter, was the illegitimate daughter of King Harald IV of Norway. Her mother is unknown, but she was possibly Tora Gudmundsdotter, long-term lover of her father and the mother of King Sigurd Munn. Her Irish first name was the same as that of her father's Irish mother, Brigida O'Brien (d. 1138). According to legend, she was first married to King Inge the Younger, but this is not considered possible; likely, her first marriage was to the Swedish earl Karl Sunesson. She was married to Prince Magnus Henriksen of Denmark, son of her stepmother Princess Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter of Sweden and Ingrid's first husband, Prince Henrik Skadelår of Denmark. Her spouse claimed the Swedish throne through his mother in 1160-61, during which time she was called Queen Birgitta of Sweden for one year. After his death in 1161, she remarried the Swedish jarl Birger Brosa of Bjelbo.
• BRIGIDA (-22 Oct, bur Riseberga Abbey). Snorre records that "King Harald Gille's daughter Brigida" was first married to "the Swedish king Inge Halsteinson, and afterwards to Earl Karl Sonason, and then to the Swedish king Magnus", noting that she and King Inge Haraldson were cousins by the mother's side, and "at last [she] married Earl Birger Brose"[475]. It is not chronologically possible for Brigida to have married Inge Halsteinson King of Sweden, who died in 1118. Europäische Stammtafeln appears to suggest that Brigida was the daughter of King Harald by his wife Ingrid[476]. However, this is extremely improbable assuming that Brigida's second marriage is correct, as it would mean that Magnus Henriksson would have been her uterine half-brother. This appears to be the first example of the name Brigida (or derivatives) being used in the Scandinavian royal families. The name, more commonly associated with Ireland at that time, suggests that Brigida's mother may have been a Gaelic concubine of King Harald's, and that maybe she was born before her father travelled to Norway, although there is no proof that this is correct[477]. Brigida could not have been more than a child at the time of her marriage to Karl Sunasson. The Saga of King Sverre records that "Earl Birgi Brossa" had married "Brigit", the sister of King Sverre's father[478]. m firstly KARL Sunasson Jarl in Västergötland, son of SUNE Ivarsson & his wife Astrid Ogmundsdatter (-after 1137). m secondly MAGNUS Henriksson, King in Östergötland, son of HENRIK "Skadelårs/the Lame" of Denmark & his wife Ingrid Ragnvaldsdatter of Västergötland (-killed in battle [near Örebro] 1161, bur Vreta Abbey). m thirdly (after 1161) BIRGER Brosa Jarl in Sweden [Folkunga%C3%A4tten], son of BENGT Folkason "Snivel" Jarl in Sweden (-9 Jan 1202). - http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORWAY.htm#BrigidaM1KarlSunasonM2Ma...

Married

• Married: (after 1161) as her third husband, BRIGIDA of Norway, widow firstly of KARL Sunasson Jarl in Västergötland, and secondly of MAGNUS Henriksson, King in Östergötland, daughter of HARALD "Gille" King of Norway & his [first/second] wife (-[Riseberga Abbey] 22 Oct ). Snorre records that "King Harald Gille's daughter Brigida" was first married to "the Swedish king Inge Halsteinson, and afterwards to Earl Karl Sonason, and then to the Swedish king Magnus", noting that she and King Inge Haraldson were cousins by the mother's side, and "at last [she] married Earl Birger Brose. It is not chronologically possible for Brigida to have married Inge Halsteinson King of Sweden, who died in 1118. She must have been an infant at the time of her marriage to Karl Sunasson. The Saga of King Sverre records that "Earl Birgi Brossa" had married "Brigit", the sister of King Sverre's father.

Projects MedLands, Swedish Nobility

BIRGER "Brosa" (-9 Jan 1202). He is named as the son of Bengt in the 14th century Varnem Abbey genealogy. Jarl in Sweden 1174. “Byrgerus dux magnus et Karolus fratres eius” witnessed a charter dated under which “Kanutus…Rex Sweorum atque Gotthorum” donated property to the monks of Juleta kloster. “ B. dux…M. frater ducis B et filius eius Eskillus…” witnessed a charter dated under which “Kanutus…Sweorum rex” donated property to the monks of Juleta kloster. “Byrgo Sweorum et Guttorum dux…Philippus frater meus, Magnus et Karolus fratres ducis…” witnessed a charter dated under which “K…Sweorum rex filius Herjcjs itjdem regis” donated property to Nydala kloster. The Saga of King Sverre records the death of "Earl Birgi Brosa" in the same year as Sverre King of Norway[14]. The Icelandic Annals record the death in 1202 of "Birgerus comes in Suecia". married (after 1161) as her third husband, BRIGIDA of Norway, widow firstly of KARL Sunasson Jarl in Västergötland, and secondly of MAGNUS Henriksson, King in Östergötland, daughter of HARALD "Gille" King of Norway & his [first/second] wife (-[Riseberga Abbey] 22 Oct ). Snorre records that "King Harald Gille's daughter Brigida" was first married to "the Swedish king Inge Halsteinson, and afterwards to Earl Karl Sonason, and then to the Swedish king Magnus", noting that she and King Inge Haraldson were cousins by the mother's side, and "at last [she] married Earl Birger Brose"[16]. It is not chronologically possible for Brigida to have married Inge Halsteinson King of Sweden, who died in 1118. She must have been an infant at the time of her marriage to Karl Sunasson. The Saga of King Sverre records that "Earl Birgi Brossa" had married "Brigit", the sister of King Sverre's father.

Birger & his wife BRIGIDA had seven children:

• FILIP Birgersson (-killed in battle [Akerhus] 4 Jan 1200). Snorre names (in order) "Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke and Magnus" as the four sons of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife[18]. Jarl in Sweden. The Saga of King Sverre names "Philippus son of Earl Birgi" at a meeting of the Birkibeins at Borg
• KNUT Birgersson (- killed in battle Lena 31 Jan 1208). Snorre names (in order) "Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke and Magnus" as the four sons of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife[21]. Jarl in Sweden. m ---. The name of Knut´s wife is not known.
• INGEGÄRD Birgersdotter (- after 1210). Snorre names (in order) "Ingegerd…married to the Swedish king Sorkver [and] a second daughter…Kristin and a third Margaret" as the daughters of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife[22]. m as his second wife, SVERKER II Karlson "den yngre" King of Sweden, son of KARL I King of Sweden & his wife Christine Stigsdatter [Hvide] (-killed in battle Gestilren 17 Jul 1210, bur Alvastra Abbey).
• FOLKE Birgersson (- killed in battle Gestilren 17 Jul 1210). Snorre names (in order) "Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke and Magnus" as the four sons of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife[23]. Jarl in Sweden. m ---. The name of Folke´s wife is not known.
• MAGNUS Birgersson Snorre names (in order) "Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke and Magnus" as the four sons of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife
• KRISTINA . Snorre names (in order) "Ingegerd…married to the Swedish king Sorkver [and] a second daughter…Kristin and a third Margaret" as the daughters of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife[29].
• MARGARETA . Snorre names (in order) "Ingegerd…married to the Swedish king Sorkver [and] a second daughter…Kristin and a third Margaret" as the daughters of "Earl Birger Brose" & his wife

Source - Projects MedLands - http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SWEDISH%20NOBILITY.htm#BirgerBrosad...

Brigida Haraldsdatter

Life

Birth year and place of birth unknown; Died after 1202, bur. in Riseberga monastery in Närke, Sweden; mentioned 1130-1202
This article was printed in the Norwegian biographical lexicon. More recent articles can be found in the Store Norwegian Encyclopedia. Norwegian King's Daughter. Parents: The father was the Norwegian king Harald 4 Gille (dead 1136), the mother unknown. Married 1) to Swedish Earl Karl Sunesson (mentioned 1137); 2) with the Swedish prisoner Magnus Henriksson (dead 1161), son of the Danish royal offspring Henrik Skadelår and Ingerid Ragnvaldsdatter (later Harald Gilles queen); 3) after 1161 with the Swedish Earl Birger Bengtsson Brosa (death 1202).

Brigida's marital history illustrates a common feature of the 11th century Nordic politics, characterized as having been in contention in all three kingdoms: Women of royal marriage were married as part of political alliances across national borders, and as wives and mothers they even came to to be central to the politics of the time.

Brigida's mother is not named in the sources, but may have been Tora Gudmundsdatter, King Harald Gilles's regular wife for several years and mother of King Sigurd Munn. Brigida himself was hardly born until after 1130 and in no case until Harald came to Norway in the latter part of the 1120s.

According to the Norse saga tradition (Morkinskinna, Heimskringla) Brigida's first husband was the Swedish king Inge Halstensson, but this is chronologically impossible in that Inge last died around 1130 and Brigida was no older than she could have seven children after 1161. However, It is probably true that she was the wife of the Swedish Earl Karl Sunesson before she more surely married the Danish royal offspring Magnus Henriksson, who claimed the throne in Sweden in the 1150s and conquered it in 1160. After Magnus' fall in 1161, Brigida married the powerful Swedish earl Birger Bengtsson Brosa, King Knut Eriksson's right hand. With him she had four sons and three daughters. Her daughter Ingegjerd was later married to the Swedish king Sverker 2.

In 1174, the Norwegian prisoner Øystein Møyla sought Earl Birger and Brigida in Östergötland because, as allegedly the son of King Øystein, Harald Gilles's son, he counted her as his father's sister. He got some men and good money from Earl Birger to take up the fight against King Magnus Erlingsson in Norway.

When Sverre, who called himself the son of King Sigurd Munn, came east across the sea from the Faroe Islands in 1176, he also sought to exploit the alleged kinship with Brigida, but she and her husband would not support any other Norwegian prison claims than Øystein Møyla. After Øystein's fall in 1177, this changed. As the remnants of the birch bark flock now searched across the border to Sweden, the earl Birger advised them to take Sverre to a new leader and royal subject, and this was followed by a letter from King Knut and Birger to Sverre, promising him and the birch bones support in the battle for the Norwegian throne. The support from Sweden was crucial to Sverre's progress, explaining that Birger and Brigida's son Philip entered Sweden's service and died as his earl in 1200.

There were obvious political reasons why Øystein Møyla and Sverre received Swedish support. Their opponent, King Magnus Erlingsson, was allied with the Danish king Valdemar 1, who also supported the rival Swedes' royal family in Sweden. This gave King Knut Eriksson and his earl interest in helping out rival Norwegian prisoners. Brigida was exploited as a point of contact from both sides due to her relationship, but at the same time we believe that she herself, as king's daughter and spouse of two or three politically leading men, had acquired a position that gave political influence.

Brigida survived the earl of Birger and died even in Riseberga monastery in Närke, which Birger had founded. The day of death was according to Lund Cathedral's gift book on October 22, but we do not know the year of death.

It is not quite certain when Brigida was born, but it may not be until Harald Gille came to Norway until the end of the 1120s. She also had seven children with Birger Brosa, and the couple married at the earliest in 1161; this also makes it hard to believe that she may have been born especially much earlier than 1130. She was probably very young when she married Karl Suneson, but this marriage is likely to actually enter. The marriage to Magnus Henriksson is better documented, and about the marriage to Birger Brosa there is no doubt. From: http://lokalhistoriewiki.no/index.php/Brigida_Haraldsdotter

For a discussion of some questions related to her marriages, see Leo van de Pas, soc.genealogy.medieval, June 21, 2012.

Links

• https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birgitta_Haraldsdotter
• http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigida_Haraldsdatter
• https://sok.riksarkivet.se/Sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=16949
• https://nbl.snl.no/Brigida_Haraldsdatter
• http://www.nad.riksarkivet.se/sbl/artikel/18235, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (art av Nat. Beckman.), hämtad 2013-07-06.
• http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00280163&tree=LEO
• http://www.toveogflemming.dk/tove/per05409.htm
• https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/Brigida_Haraldsdotter
• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORWAY.htm

Sources

• Brigida Haraldsdatter i Norsk biografisk leksikon
• Sturlasson: Heimskringla, Haraldssønnenes saga
• V ÄSTERGÖTLANDS LAGMÄN
• ALGOTSSÖNER OCH FOLKUNGAR, Om biskop Bynolf Algotssons anfäder och samtida släktingar, by Bo J Theutenberg - http://www.theutenberg.se/pdf/Tornetaggen.pdf
• Magnus Henriksson, Swedish king 1160 – 61
• Birger Bengtsson Brosa, Swedish Earl 1174 – 1202, with whom she had four sons and three daughters.
• Brigida Haraldsdatter, Wikipedia - https://no.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigida_Haraldsdatter
• Birger Brosa, http://www.nad.riksarkivet.se/sbl/artikel/18235, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (art av Nat. Beckman.), hämtad 2013-07-06.
• NFH, del 2–3, 1855–57
• Sverris saga, utg. av G. Indrebø, 1920
• N. Beckman: “Birger Bengtsson Brosa”, i SBL, bd. 4, 1924
• Morkinskinna, utg. av F. Jónsson, København 1932
• Ágrip, utg. og overs. av G. Indrebø, Norrøne bokverk, bd. 32, 1936
• H. Gillingstam: “Karl Sunesson”, i SBL, bd. 20, 1975
• Heimskringla III, utg. av B. Aðalbjarnarson, Íslenzk fornrit, bd. 28, Reykjavík 1979
• Fagrskinna, utg. av B. Einarsson, Íslenzk fornrit, bd. 29, Reykjavík 1985