() is a residence, estate, or farmland that has belonged to or still belongs to the

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

n monarchs or royal families.

History

During the

Viking Age The Viking Age (about ) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonising, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. The Viking Age applies not only to their ...

and early Middle Ages, the nations of Scandinavia were organized as frail political unions, a system which often led to conflicts and internal turmoil. To remain in control, the Scandinavian kings would frequently travel throughout their kingdoms to keep oversight. Kongsgård would then function as temporary residencies for the kings and were often fortified and gradually developed into larger main estates. Throughout the late Middle Ages, many royal estates were re-enforced with castles. Over time, the kings were able to unify their countries and consolidate their power, ruling instead from a single seat or capital.

Norwegian Kongsgård estates

The first

King of Norway The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty king ...

, King Harald Fairhair, ordered his earls and their hersir to construct estates and farms along the Norwegian coast that would belong to the king and the hird. King Harald would establish the significant Kongsgård estate Alrekstad in

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

which functioned as his seat of power. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, King Eystein I of Norway would relocated Alrekstad estate in Bergen, building a new fortified palace where Bergenhus fortress is presently located. Other Kongsgård estates include: * Oslo Kongsgård estate * Avaldsnes Kongsgård estate * Kongsgård estate at Fitjar * Kongsgård estate at Seim, Hordaland * Værne Kloster * Utstein Abbey

Danish Kongsgård estates

* Corselitze * Børglum Abbey

Swedish Kongsgård estates

* Husby (estate) * Karlberg Palace * Kaknäs * Uppsala öd

Faroese Kongsgård estates

* Kirkjubøargarður at Kirkjubøur

References