Ingrid Ragnvaldsdatter, Queen of Norway

• Daughter of Kong av Sverige Ragnvald Ingesson Knaphövde and Ingegerd

Queen Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter (Old Norse Ingiríðr Rögnvaldsdóttir) was a Swedish-born royal lady and queen consort of Norway in the 12th century. She played a prominent part in many of the events of the early civil war era in Norway and the early stages of the Swedish civil wars. She was married four times, and left a large number of children, many of whom went on to play a prominent role in Swedish and Norwegian history.

Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter was born between 1100 and 1110. She was the daughter of Ragnvald Ingesson, only known son and heir of king Inge I of Sweden. Ragnvald, however, died early and never succeeded as king. Who raised Ingrid is not fully known. History has not recorded her mother's name nor background.

We hear of her the first time when she was married with lord Henry Skadelaar, son of Svend Svendsen of Denmark, himself one of the numerous bastard sons of king Sweyn II of Denmark, and unsuccessful pursuer to the throne in the sense that when he was at a point of getting elected, he died. Svend's son Henry was a cripple and not considered for kingship. Instead he was a schemer and plotter, having then plenty of enemies and problems. Three sons of Henry and Ingrid are recorded.

Henry died in 1134 at the battle of Fotevik, and Ingrid soon after married the Norwegian king Harald Gille. By him, Ingrid had a son, the later king Inge Haraldsson of Norway. When king Harald was murdered in 1136, Ingrid played a prominent part in having her son, Inge, and her step-son, Sigurd, proclaimed co-rulers, and in waging the ensuing war against the attempted usurper, Sigurd Slembe. She remained one of the most important advisors of king Inge throughout his reign.

Her third husband was Ottar Birting (Óttarr birtingr), a prominent lendmann, but she was again widowed when he was killed in Nidaros at some point in the 1140s. (ca. 1146).

Between her third and fourth husband, Ingrid bore a child, Orm, out of wedlock, by an otherwise unknown man called Ivar Sneis.

Ingrid is known to have intrigued for her eldest son Magnus to obtain the Swedish throne, in Ingrid's opinion her late father's rightful inheritance. She has gone to record as having suggested to her son Magnus to employ the man who killed Sverker I of Sweden (source: Lagerqvist).

Ingrid's fourth and last husband was Arne Ivarsson of Stårheim, another prominent lendmann, who was subsequently called Arne Kongsmåg (In-law of the king). In the saga Heimskringla, Ingrid is last mentioned in 1161 when she and her husband followed the newly proclaimed king Magnus Erlingsson and his father, jarl Erling Skakke, into exile in Denmark.

Ingrid's name can be found in a wide variety of spellings in the modern Scandinavian languages and English. Her first name, in Old Norse Ingiríðr, is rendered as Ingrid or Ingerid. Her patronym, in Old Norse Rögnvaldsdóttir, can be rendered as Ragnvaldsdotter, Ragvaldsdotter or Ragnvaldsdatter.

Children with Henrik Skadelår

• Magnus II , King of Sweden 1160-116,
• Ragnvald, Swedish national earl
• Burits

Children with Harald Gille

• Inge , King of Norway, 1136 -1161

Children with Ivar Sneis (Ívarr sneis)

• Orm Ivarsson,

Children with Arne Ivarsson av Stårheim (Árni Ívarsson á Stoðreimi)

• Filip i Herdla (Philippus í Herðla)
• Nikolas (Nikolás Árnason), bishop and co-founder of the Baglarna family group
• Inge (Ingi Árnason)
• Margrete (Margrét Árnadóttir), who became the mother of the bagel king Filip Simonsson

Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter, From Wikipedia

Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter of Sweden (Old Norse: Ingiríðr Rögnvaldsdóttir) (born 1100/1110- d. after 1161 AD) was born a member of the Swedish royal family, became a member of Danish royalty by marriage and later was Queen Consort of Norway as the spouse of Harald IV of Norway. Married four times, Ingrid had a number of children who played a prominent role in Swedish and Norwegian history.

Biography

Ingrid Ragnvaldsdotter was born between 1100 and 1110. History has not recorded either the name nor background of Ingrid's mother. She was the daughter of Ragnvald Ingesson, the only known son and heir of King Inge I of Sweden. However, Ragnvald died early and never succeeded as king. [2]

Ingrid first married Henry Skadelaar (Henrik Svendsen Skadelår), son of Svend Svendsen of Denmark, who was one of the bastard sons of King Sweyn II of Denmark. Svend Svendsen was an unsuccessful pursuer to the throne, who died when he was at a point of being elected as king. Henry Skadelaar was crippled and not considered a candidate for kingship. Instead he was a frequent schemer and plotter, generating a number of enemies. Three sons of Henry and Ingrid are recorded, including King Magnus II of Sweden. Ingrid is known to have intrigued for Magnus to obtain the Swedish throne, in Ingrid's opinion her late father's rightful inheritance. She reportedly suggested that her son Magnus employ the man who would kill Sverker I of Sweden.[3] Henry Skadelaar died on June 4, 1134 at the Battle of Fotevik in the Bay of Fotevik near Vellinge in Skåne.

Ingrid soon after married King Harald IV of Norway. By him, Ingrid had a son who later became King Inge I of Norway. When King Harald was murdered in 1136, Ingrid played a prominent part in having her son, Inge, and her stepson, Sigurd, proclaimed co-rulers, and in waging the ensuing war against the attempted usurper, Sigurd Slembe. She remained one of the most important advisors of King Inge throughout his reign. [4]

Her third husband was Ottar Birting (Óttarr Birtingr), a prominent lendmann, but she was again widowed when he was killed in Nidaros at some point in the 1140s.

Between her third and fourth husband, Ingrid bore a child out of wedlock, Orm Ivarsson, by an otherwise unknown man called Ivar Sneis.

Ingrid's fourth and last husband was Arne Ivarsson of Stårheim, (Árni Ívarsson á Stoðreimi), another prominent lendmann with whom she had four children. Arne Ivarsson was subsequently called Kongsmåg meaning in-law of the king.

As an advisor to her son King Inge, Ingrid played a prominent part in many of the events of the early civil war era in Norway. On 3 February 1161, King Inge was defeated and killed, leading his men into battle against King Haakon II of Norway. In the saga Heimskringla, Ingrid is last mentioned when she and her husband left Norway for exile in Denmark.

Notes on Her Name

Ingrid's name can be found in a wide variety of spellings in the modern Scandinavian languages and English. Her first name, in Old Norse Ingiríðr, is rendered as Ingrid or Ingerid. Her patronym, in Old Norse Rögnvaldsdóttir, can be rendered as Ragnvaldsdotter, Ragvaldsdotter or Ragnvaldsdatter.

By Henry Sweynson (Henrik Skadelår)

King Magnus II of Sweden (Magnus Henriksson) - who arranged the murder of Saint Eric IX of Sweden, and possibly also Sverker I of Sweden; was himself murdered; and was regarded a usurper afterwards

Jarl Ragnvald Henriksson (Ragvald Henriksson) - Riksjarl of Sweden during his brother's brief reign

Burits Henriksson (also Buris/Boris; likely 1130–1167, murdered), Earl of Jutland, in 1166 married with a daughter (b. 1150) of Luitgard of Stade and Hermann II, Count of Winzenburg.

by Harald Gille (Haraldr Gilli)

King Inge I of Norway (Ingi Haraldsson)

by Ivar Sneis (Ívarr Sneis)

Orm Ivarsson (Ormr konungsbróðir) (illegitimate) - prominent leader during the reign of Magnus V of Norway (Erlingsson), and after the death of Erling Skakke, next to the king in power.

by Arne Ivarsson of Stårheim (Árni Ívarsson á Stoðreimi)

Philip of Herdla (Philippus í Herðlu)

Bishop Nicholas Arnesson (Nikolás Árnason) - co-founder of the Bagler party

Inge Arnesson (Ingi Árnason)

Margrete Arnesdotter (Margrét Árnadóttir), who became mother of the Bagler king Philip Simonsson

Links

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p11299.htm#i112989
• http://tawnyb.familytreeguide.com/getperson.php?personID=I1772&tree...
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Ragnvaldsdotter
• http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Ingerid_Ragnvaldsdatter/utdypning
• https://archive.org/details/andersonkroghgen00hans/page/72

Sources

• Ingerid Ragnvaldsdatter (Store norske leksikon)
• Ingerid Ragnvaldsdatter– utdypning (Store norske leksikon)
• source: Lagerqvist
• Gilchrist Harald 4 Gille (Store norske leksikon)
• Lagerqvist, Lars O Sverige och dess regenter under 1000 år (Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Förlag AB. 1982)