() 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
See also
*
Kaiserpfalz
The term ''Kaiserpfalz'' (, "imperial palace") or ''Königspfalz'' (, "royal palace", from Middle High German ''phal ne'' to Old High German ''phalanza'' from Middle Latin ''palatia'' luralto Latin ''palatium'' "palace") refers to a number o ...
*
Konungsåren
References
{{Castles in Denmark
Royal residences in Norway
Viking Age populated places
Medieval history of Norway
Palaces in Norway
Castles in Denmark
Monarchy of Denmark
Monarchy of Sweden
Castles in Sweden
Royal residences in Denmark
Royal residences in Sweden