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Death of Norwegian King Magnus V (1184)
On June 15, 1184, Norwegian King Magnus V Erlingsson was defeated and killed by Sverre Sigurdsson's Birkebeiner in the naval Battle of Fimreite in So…
Timeline
- 1181–1183Western Norway · NorwayAfter Magnus V ascended the throne as a child in 1161, royal power was long controlled by his father Erling Skakke and his noble alliance. In the 1180s, the Birkebeiner led by Sverre Sigurdsson repeatedly raided the mountains and coast; though Magnus's side held key towns such as Bergen, his rule grew increasingly shaky.
- 1184Fimreite · Sogn og FjordaneMagnus led his fleet in pursuit of Sverre to Fimreite in Sognefjord, where the two sides fought a decisive naval battle. The Birkebeiner won against the odds; Magnus fell in the melee, and his supporters' fleet was heavily damaged. This battle directly ended Magnus's royal line's rule in Norway.
Sources
- Magnus V Erlingsson https://www.britannica.com/biography/Magnus-V-Erlingsson
- Battle of Fimreite https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fimreite