Gille dynasty was a powerful royal house or dynasty which ruled the
Kingdom of Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
during the 12th century. It is very unlikely that the rulers ever referred to the Gille dynasty which is a term coined by modern historians. The term "Gille" is probably derived from the
Middle Irish Gaelic ''
Gilla Críst'', i.e. servant of
Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
.
King
Harald IV of Norway
Harald Gille (Old Norse: ''Haraldr Gilli'' or ''Haraldr Gillikristr'', c. 1102 − 14 December 1136), also known as Harald IV, was king of Norway from 1130 until his death. His byname Gille is probably from Middle Irish ''Gilla Críst'' "servant o ...
started the Gille (or Gylle dynasty), a putative cadet branch of the
Hardrada dynasty
The Hardrada dynasty ( no, Hardrådeætta) was a powerful royal dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles, and the Earldom of Orkney.
The royal house was founded, albeit unknowingl ...
(and by extension the
Fairhair) dynasty. Harald Gille arrived in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
from
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
or the
Hebrides
The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrid ...
and claimed to be the natural son of King
Magnus Barefoot
Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: ''Magnús Óláfsson'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Olavsson''; 1073 – 24 August 1103), better known as Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse: ''Magnús berfœttr'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Berrføtt''), was King of Norway (being Mag ...
whose reign was marked by aggressive military campaigns and conquest, particularly in the Norse-dominated parts of the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
. From historical sources, his claim seems to have been based largely upon stories told by his mother and her family during his youth.
Approximately from the accession of Harald to the throne, the
civil war era in Norway
The civil war era in Norway ( no, borgerkrigstida or ''borgerkrigstiden'') began in 1130 and ended in 1240. During this time in history of Norway, Norwegian history, some two dozen rival kings and pretenders War of succession, waged wars to clai ...
(''Borgerkrigstida'') lasted from 1130 to 1240. His descendants would expand the influence, wealth and power of the dynasty. The royal house replaced the
Hardrada dynasty
The Hardrada dynasty ( no, Hardrådeætta) was a powerful royal dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles, and the Earldom of Orkney.
The royal house was founded, albeit unknowingl ...
in 1135, and was again replaced by scion of the Hardrada dynasty in 1162. The line was briefly restored under
Inge II Baardson, a cognatic descendant of the dynasty, but was replaced again by the
House of Sverre
The House of Sverre ( no, Sverreætten) was a royal house or dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway, hereunder the kingdom's realms, and the Kingdom of Scotland. The house was founded with King Sverre Sigurdsson ...
in 1217.
List of kings and rival kings
The rulers within the royal house would often have a rival who opposed the established king's right to rule the realm and dominions. Here is a list of the rulers during the period the house held the power in Norway:
*
Harald Gille
Harald Gille (Old Norse: ''Haraldr Gilli'' or ''Haraldr Gillikristr'', c. 1102 − 14 December 1136), also known as Harald IV, was king of Norway from 1130 until his death. His byname Gille is probably from Middle Irish ''Gilla Críst'' "servant o ...
: 1130–1136
*
Sigurd II of Norway
Sigurd Haraldsson (Old Norse: ''Sigurðr Haraldsson''; 1133 – 10 June 1155), also called Sigurd Munn, was king of Norway (being Sigurd II) from 1136 to 1155. He was son of Harald Gille, king of Norway and his mistress Thora Guttormsdotter (''Þ ...
Sigurd Munn : 1136–1155
*
Eystein II of Norway
Eystein II (Old Norse language, Old Norse: ''Eysteinn Haraldsson'', Norwegian language, Norwegian: ''Øystein Haraldsson''); c.1125 – 21 August 1157) was king of Norway from 1142 to 1157. He ruled as co-ruler with his brothers, Inge I of Nor ...
(''Øystein Haraldsson'') : 1142–1157
*
Inge I of Norway
Inge Haraldsson (Old Norse language, Old Norse: ''Ingi Haraldsson''; 1135 – 3 February 1161) was king of Norway (being Inge I) from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era ...
Inge the Hunchback (''Inge Krokrygg'') : 1136–1161
*
Haakon II of Norway
Haakon Sigurdsson (1147 – 7 July 1162), also known as Haakon Herdebrei, was List of Norwegian monarchs, King of Norway (being Haakon II) from 1157 until 1162 during the Civil war era in Norway.
Biography
His nickname, ''Herdebrei'', means broad- ...
Haakon Broadshoulder (''Håkon Herdebreid'') : 1157–1162
**
Sigurd Markusfostre
Sigurd Sigurdsson Markusfostre (ca. 1155 – 29 September 1163) was a pretender and rival king during the Civil war era in Norway.
Background
Sigurd Sigurdsson was reportedly a bastard son of King Sigurd II of Norway. He must have been born some t ...
: 1162–1163, rival king
**
Eystein Meyla Eystein Meyla (Øystein Øysteinsson Møyla) was elected a rival King of Norway during the Norwegian Civil War period.
Biography
Eystein was son of King Eysteinn Haraldsson. His nickname ''Møyla'' means maiden, girl, cute woman. His father was ki ...
Eystein the Maiden (''Øystein Møyla'') : 1174–1177, rival king
**
Jon Kuvlung Jon Ingesson Kuvlung (died 1188) was a pretender to the Royal Crown during the civil war era in Norway. He was a rival of the reigning King Sverre of Norway.
Background
Jon Ingesson was claimed to be a son of former King Inge I of Norway, althoug ...
: 1185–1188, rival king
*
Inge II of Norway
Inge II (Norwegian: ''Inge Bårdsson'', Old Norse: ''Ingi Bárðarson''; 1185 – 23 April 1217) 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 w ...
(''Inge Bårdsson'') : 1204–1217
See also
*
Civil war era in Norway
The civil war era in Norway ( no, borgerkrigstida or ''borgerkrigstiden'') began in 1130 and ended in 1240. During this time in history of Norway, Norwegian history, some two dozen rival kings and pretenders War of succession, waged wars to clai ...
References
{{Royal houses of Norway
Gille
Norwegian monarchy
Norwegian people of Irish descent