| Sverresborg | |
|---|---|
| Bergen, Norway | |
 Sverresborg at night. | |
| Type | Medieval fortress |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Norway |
| Site history | |
| Built | Ca. 1184 |
| In use | Ca.1184-today |
| Materials | Stone |
| Battles/wars | Civil war Battle of Vågen World War II |
Sverresborg (Norwegian: Sverresborg i Bergen) is a fortress and former castle situated in the Norwegian city of Bergen. [1] [2]
It was built by King Sverre Sigurdsson (ca. 1150–1202) in the mid 1180s, 250 meters northeast of Bergenhus fortress. King Sverre Sigurdsson also had a Sverresborg built in Trondheim. It is thought that the fortress had an outer wall of stone and inner buildings of wood. Sverris saga mentions that 600 men and 40 noble women lived in the fortress ca. 1207.
Sverresborg was the site of several battles during the Civil war era in Norway. The castle fell to the baglers and was destroyed, but was rebuilt by Håkon Jarl. The baglers destroyed it a second time and it has been rebuilt several times. Much of the remaining structures are from the 17th century. The site was reinforced by King Håkon Håkonsson after the great fire of 1248. The medieval fort remained until the mid-16th century. Directly underneath Sverresborg lies the residence of the master of the ramparts (Vollmesterboligen), the oldest of which go back to the 18th century. The master of the ramparts was in charge of the maintenance and upkeep of the fortifications and buildings. In August 1665, the fortress participated in the Battle of Vågen. The last known expansions took place during the Napoleonic wars. [3]
In the 1830s a park was laid out in the area and in 1911 a petty officers school was established for Bergen Brigade (Bergenske Brigades Underoffiserskole). During World War II the German occupants established two anti aircraft batteries in the fortress. After the war, Sverresborg used as the execution site in connection with treason settlement. Seven German and one Norwegian war criminals were executed in Sverresborg in 1946. [4]
The fortress has not fulfilled an operative capacity since World War II, but is still used by the military of Norway for office and training facilities. The area is today under the command of the commandant of Bergenhus Fortress and is a military area, but open to the public. [5]
Sverre Sigurdsson was the king of Norway from 1184 to 1202.
Inge II was King of Norway from 1204 to 1217. His reign was within the later stages of the period known in Norwegian history as the age of civil wars. Inge was the king of the birkebeiner faction. The conclusion of the settlement of Kvitsøy with the bagler faction in 1208 led to peace for the last nine years of Inge’s reign, at the price of Inge and the birkebeiner recognising bagler rule over Viken.
Sigurd Haraldsson, also called Sigurd Munn, was king of Norway from 1136 to 1155. He was son of Harald Gille, king of Norway and his mistress Thora Guttormsdotter. He served as co-ruler with his half-brothers, Inge Haraldsson and Eystein Haraldsson. His epithet Munn means "the Mouth" in Old Norse. He was killed in the power-struggle against his brother, Inge, in an early stage of the civil war era in Norway.
Haakon Sverresson was King of Norway from 1202 to 1204.
Guttorm Sigurdsson was the king of Norway from January to August 1204, during the Norwegian civil war era. As a grandson of King Sverre, he was proclaimed king by the Birkebeiner faction when he was just four years old. Although obviously not in control of the events surrounding him, Guttorm's accession to the throne under the effective regency of Haakon the Crazy led to renewed conflict between the Birkebeiner and the Bagler factions, the latter supported militarily by Valdemar II of Denmark.
Tønsberg Fortress was a medieval fortress and castle, located in Tønsberg, Norway which was defended by the fortress for over 300 years.
The Bagli Party or Bagler was a faction or party during the Norwegian Civil Wars. The Bagler faction was made up principally of the Norwegian aristocracy, clergy and merchants.
Sverresborg or Sverre Sigurdsson's castle was a fort and residence built in the medieval city of Nidaros by King Sverre Sigurdsson. The fortification was built in support of Sverre Sigurdsson's struggle against his rival King Magnus Erlingsson to claim the throne of Norway. The site now forms part of the Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum, an open-air museum for the region of Trøndelag.
Bergenhus fortress is a fortress located in Bergen, Norway. Located at the entrance of Bergen harbour, the castle is one of the oldest and best preserved stone fortifications in Norway.
Sigurd Magnusson was a Norwegian nobleman who campaigned against King Sverre of Norway during the Civil war era in Norway.
Inge Magnusson or Inge Baglar-king was from 1196 to 1202 the Bagler candidate for pretender to the Norwegian throne during the Civil war era in Norway.
Philip Simonsson was a Norwegian aristocrat and from 1207 to 1217 was the Bagler party pretender to the throne of Norway during the civil war era in Norway.
Haakon the Crazy was a Norwegian jarl and Birkebeiner chieftain during the civil war era in Norway. Håkon Galen was born no later than the 1170s and died in 1214. His epithet "the crazy" or "the mad" can also be translated as frenzied, furious or frantic and probably refers to ferociousness in battle.
The Bagler Sagas are kings' sagas relating to events which occurred between 1202–17 and are a primary source of Norwegian history during this period. There are two versions, one shorter and one longer, which are in modern editions usually printed as one saga. The authors of both versions are unknown. There are indications that both of them were Icelanders, although this cannot be said for certain.
Christina Sverresdatter was a medieval Norwegian princess and titular queen consort, spouse of co-regent Philip Simonsson, the Bagler party pretender to the throne of Norway.
The civil war era in Norway began in 1130 and ended in 1240. During this time in Norwegian history, some two dozen rival kings and pretenders waged wars to claim the throne.
Christ Church on Holmen was the main medieval era cathedral of Bergen, Norway. Its site was near Haakon's hall (Håkonshallen) and Bergenhus Fortress .
The Battle of Florvåg was a naval battle that was fought on 3 April 1194 between King Sverre Sigurdsson, leader of the Birkebeiner party, and Sigurd Magnusson, the Eyjarskeggjar party pretender. Although there had been previous revolts during Sverre's reign following his usurpation of the throne in 1184, the revolt in support of Sigurd Magnusson became far more threatening than the attempts of previous pretenders. In a larger context, the battle was part of the century-long civil war era in Norway.
The Last King is a 2016 Norwegian historical drama, directed by Nils Gaup. The story, inspired by true events, centers on the efforts of the Birkebeiner loyalists to protect the infant, Haakon Haakonsson, the heir to the Norwegian throne after the death of his father, King Haakon Sverresson. The film is set during the civil war era in Norway during the 13th-century.
60°24′00″N05°19′12″E / 60.40000°N 5.32000°E
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Also See: Castles in Norway | ||
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