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Jarl is a rank of the nobility in
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
. In
Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
, it meant "
chieftain A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribe, tribal society or chiefdom. Tribe The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia. Tribal societies are sometimes categori ...
", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. ''Jarl'' could also mean a sovereign
prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
. For example, the rulers of several of the
petty kingdoms of Norway The petty kingdoms of Norway ( nb, smårike) were the entities from which the later Kingdom of Norway was founded. Before the unification of Norway in 872 and during the period of fragmentation after King Harald Fairhair's death, Norway was divi ...
had the title of ''jarl'' and in many cases they had no less power than their neighbours who had the title of king. It became obsolete in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
and was replaced by
duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
(''hertig''/''hertug''/''hertog''). The word is etymologically related to the English
earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
.


Etymology

The term ''jarl'' has been compared to the name of the
Heruli The Heruli (or Herules) were an early Germanic people. Possibly originating in Scandinavia, the Heruli are first mentioned by Roman authors as one of several "Scythian" groups raiding Roman provinces in the Balkans and the Aegean Sea, attacking b ...
, and to runic ''
erilaz ''Erilaz'' or ''Erilaʀ'' is a Migration period Proto-Norse word attested on various Elder Futhark inscriptions, which has often been interpreted to mean " magician" or "rune master",* viz. one who is capable of writing runes to magical effect. How ...
''. Proto-Norse ''eril'', or the later
Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
, came to signify the rank of a leader.


Norway

In later medieval Norway, the title of ''jarl'' was the highest rank below the king. There was usually no more than one ''jarl'' in mainland Norway at any one time, and sometimes none. The ruler of the Norwegian dependency of
Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
held the title of ''jarl'', and after
Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
had acknowledged Norwegian overlordship in 1261, a ''jarl'' was sent there, as well, as the king's high representative. In mainland Norway, the title of ''jarl'' was usually used for one of two purposes: * To appoint a ''de facto'' ruler in cases where the king was a minor or seriously ill (e.g. '' Håkon Galen'' in 1204 during the minority of king Guttorm,
Skule Bårdsson Skule Bårdsson or Duke Skule (Norwegian: Hertug Skule) (Old Norse: Skúli Bárðarson) ( – 24 May 1240) was a Norwegian nobleman and claimant to the royal throne against his son-in-law, King Haakon Haakonsson. Henrik Ibsen's play '' Kongs- ...
in 1217 during the illness of king
Inge Bårdsson 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 ...
). * To appease a pretender to the throne without giving him the title of king (e.g. ''Eirik'', the brother of king Sverre). In 1237, ''jarl'' Skule Bårdsson was given the rank of
duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
(''hertug''). This was the first time this title had been used in Norway, and meant that the title ''jarl'' was no longer the highest rank below the king. It also heralded the introduction of new noble titles from continental Europe, which were to replace the old Norse titles. The last ''jarl'' in mainland Norway was appointed in 1295. Some Norwegian jarls: * Skule Tostesson, killed by peasants near Haverö church in the 12th century. *
Erling Skakke Erling Skakke (1115 – 18 June 1179) was a Norwegian Jarl during the 12th century. He was the father of Magnus V, who reigned as King of Norway from 1161 to 1184. Biography Erling Ormsson was born at Etne in the county of Hordaland, Norway. He w ...
, father of king
Magnus V Magnus Erlingsson ( non, Magnús Erlingsson, 1156 – 15 June 1184) was a king of Norway (being Magnus V) during the civil war era in Norway. He was the first known Scandinavian monarch to be crowned in Scandinavia. He helped to establish primoge ...
*
Alv Erlingsson Alv Erlingsson (''Alv Erlingsson den yngre'', died 1290) was a Norwegian nobleman, earl of Sarpsborg and governor of Borgarsyssel. Alv Erlingsson was born at Tanberg in Norderhov, Buskerud. Alv Erlingsson was the son of Erling Alvsson of Tanbe ...
, earl of
Sarpsborg Sarpsborg ( or ), historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg. Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neigh ...
and governor of Borgarsyssel. *
Haakon the Crazy Haakon the Crazy (Old Norse: ''Hákon galinn'', Norwegian: ''Håkon Galen'') 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 cr ...
* the
Jarls of Orkney Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of Orkney and Shetland, which comprise the Northern Isles of Scotland. Originally Scandinavian Scotland, founded by Norse invaders, the status of ...
* the Jarls of Møre * the
Jarls of Lade The Earls of Lade ( no, ladejarler) were a dynasty of Norse '' jarls'' from Lade (Old Norse: ''Hlaðir''), who ruled what is now Trøndelag and Hålogaland from the 9th century to the 11th century. The seat of the Earls of Lade was at Lade G ...


Sweden

The usage of the title in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
was similar to Norway's. Known as jarls from the 12th and 13th century were
Birger Brosa Birger Brosa Old Norse: ''Birgir Brósa'' (died 9 January 1202) was jarl of Sweden from 1174 to 1202. Biography He was a son of Bengt Snivil and a member of the powerful House of Bjälbo. In the medieval texts he is either called the '' jarl o ...
,
Jon Jarl {{Infobox noble , name = Jon Jarl , title = Earl , image = , caption = , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession = {{ill, Earl of Sweden, ...
,
Folke Birgersson Folke is a parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated in the Blackmore Vale, approximately south-east of Sherborne. The parish has an area of and is made of the villages of Folke and Alweston, and the hamlet of Bishops Down. ...
,
Charles the Deaf Charles the Deaf ( sv, Karl Döve) from the House of Bjelbo (''Folkungaätten'') was the jarl of Sweden during 1216–1220. Biography His father was magnate Bengt Snivil. He was the brother of Magnus Minnesköld and jarl Birger Brosa and father ...
,
Ulf Fase Ulf Fase (died 1247) was the jarl of Sweden (c. 1221-47) . Biography Ulf Fase was probably the son of jarl Charles the Deaf (''Karl Döve'') and member the house of Folkung (''Folkungaätten''). After jarl Charles had been killed during th ...
, and the most powerful of all jarls and the last to hold the title,
Birger Jarl Birger Jarl, also known as ''Birger Magnusson'' (21 October 1266), was a Swedish statesman, ''jarl'', and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, whi ...
.


Denmark

In Denmark the ''jarl'' was the king's deputy, as
Ulf Jarl Ulf Thorgilsson, commonly known as Ulf Jarl, was a Danish jarl of Skåne and regent of Denmark. Ulf was the son of Thorgil Sprakling and the father of King Sweyn II of Denmark and thus the progenitor of the House of Estridsen, which would rule Denm ...
(died in 1026) was to
Canute the Great Cnut (; ang, Cnut cyning; non, Knútr inn ríki ; or , no, Knut den mektige, sv, Knut den Store. died 12 November 1035), also known as Cnut the Great and Canute, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway ...
, king of England, Denmark and Norway. The last ''jarl'' of Southern Jutland,
Canute Lavard Canute Lavard ( Danish: Knud Lavard; cognate with English Lord) (12 March 1096 – 7 January 1131) was a Danish prince. Later he was the first Duke of Schleswig and the first border prince who was both a Danish and a German vassal, a position ...
(died in 1131), became the first Danish ''hertug'' (
duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
), with the title "Hertug af Slesvig" ("
Duke of Schleswig The following is a list of earl, jarls and dukes, who ruled over Schleswig respectively Southern Jutland (Sønderjylland). First jarls/dukes Houses of House of Estridsen, Estridsen and House of Schauenburg, Schauenburg (1080–1460) House of ...
"). Thus the title ''hertug'' (duke) came to replace the old Norse title ''jarl''.


Iceland

Only one person is known to have ever held the title of Jarl in Iceland. This was
Gissur Þorvaldsson Gissur Thorvaldsson (1208 – 12 January 1268; Modern Icelandic: ; Old Norse: ) was a medieval Icelandic chieftain or ''goði'' of the Haukdælir family clan, and great-grandson of Jón Loftsson. Gissur played a major role in the period of ...
, who was made Jarl of Iceland in 1258 by King
Haakon IV of Norway Haakon IV Haakonsson ( – 16 December 1263; Old Norse: ''Hákon Hákonarson'' ; Norwegian: ''Håkon Håkonsson''), sometimes called Haakon the Old in contrast to his namesake son, was King of Norway from 1217 to 1263. His reign lasted for 46 y ...
to aid his efforts in bringing Iceland under Norwegian kingship during the
Age of the Sturlungs The Age of the Sturlungs or the Sturlung Era ( is, Sturlungaöld ) was a 42–44 year period of violent internal strife in mid-13th century Iceland. It is documented in the Sturlunga saga. This period is marked by the conflicts of local chieftai ...
. He held the title until his death in 1268.Jesse L. Byock (2001), ''Viking Age Iceland'', Penguin Books, p. 350


Notes


References

* {{refend Medieval Norway Medieval Sweden Men's social titles Norwegian noble titles Swedish noble titles