Philipp Simonsson

Philipp Simonsson († summer 1217 on Løvøya in Borre (now part of Horten )) was a Norwegian king of the Bagler Party .

His parents were the feudal man Simon Kåresson († 1189) and Margrete or Ingjerd Arnesdotter. In 1209 he married Kristin Sverresdatter († 1213), daughter of King Sverres and his wife Margrete Eriksdotter (around 1155-1209). He was the grandson of Ingrid Ragnvaldsdatter (around 1100 – around 1170) and nephew of Bishop Nikolas Arnason of Oslo.

Philip was the last Bagler king, but not the last opposing king. After him came Skule Bårdsson . He ruled from 1207 until his death in 1217. According to a comparison in 1208, he ruled Opland and most of Viken as sovereign . He was related to both the Swedish and Norwegian royal families and the powerful noble families in Vestlandet . The mother is mentioned in the Heimskringla Margarete, in the Morkinskinna Ingjerd. She was the daughter of the feudal man Arne Kongsmåg zu Stårheim († around 1170) and the daughter of the Swedish King Ragnvald († around 1130). She had previously been married to King Harald Gille . Inge Krogrygg emerged from this marriage .

After the death of King Håkon Sverresson on New Year's Day 1204, the baglers in Denmark gathered again and were supported by the Danish King Waldemar II . In 1204 Waldemar moved with a large fleet to Viken, which he wanted to bring back under Danish rule. Philipp accompanied him. He and the Bishop of Oslo Nikolas wanted to make him Bagler King. But the baglers chose Steinvegg instead of Erling . Philip became his Jarl . According to Danish annals, both swore the Danish king the feudal oath. This restored the Danish sovereignty over Viken.

In the following years Jarl Philipp undertook a number of campaigns against the Birkebeiner as a military leader . When Erling died in 1207, Philipp took over the management of the baglers. He was elected king at Borgarting with the support of Bishop Nikolas and the population, but against the wishes of the army, which would have preferred one of Erling's underage sons to be king. This choice indicates that the population was no longer willing to continue to support military actions, which would have been expected in the case of an underage king under military tutelage. The same war weariness could also be felt among the Birkebeinern, as the population and the bishop opposed the professional military. Both then led to the peace of Kvitsøy in 1208 .

A letter from Philipp Simonsson. It represents the oldest surviving Norwegian royal letter.

The driving forces behind the Peace of Kvitsøy were Archbishop Tore Gudmundsson and Bishop Nikolas. Power in the country was divided. Philipp got Oplandet and Viken from Svinesund to Rygjarbit. Another subject of the comparison was the marriage between Philipp and Kristin Sverresdatter. According to the Böglunga sögur, Kristin is said to have placed the condition that Philip had the title of king and that Bishop Nikolas had promised her this. However, King Inge Bårdsson did not agree to this, and his greater military presence in the negotiations ensured that Philip should give up the title of king and issue the king's seal and be in a relationship of loyalty to Inge. The conflict was apparently even brought before the Pope without a final decision being made there. Philip continued to use the title of king and did not hand over the royal seal. The Icelandic annals also regularly refer to him as king. This brought peace between the Birkebeiner Empire and the Bagler Empire. The government center was in Oslo. The oldest original Norwegian royal letter that has survived comes from Philipp.

Philipp had a child with Kristin who only lived a few days. When Inge Bårdson died in 1217 and Håkon Håkonsson was elected as his successor, Philip demanded rule over half of Norway. But shortly afterwards he died and the baglers joined Håkon.

Remarks

↑ Rygjarbit was the name for the border between Viken and Agder in the Middle Ages and thus the border between West Norway and East Norway and between the legal districts of Eidsivating (after 1150 Borgarting) and Gulating and between the diocese of Oslo and the diocese of Stavanger. After 1277 Rygjarbit is no longer mentioned in the sources. The exact location is controversial. It is often assumed that it was Gjernestangen . Another version sees the border in today's border between the Fylke Telemark and Aust-Agder , i.e. the municipalities of Kragerø and Risør .
↑ For example Skálholts- Annálar to the year 1207: “… hofz Philippus Vikveria konungr. Birki beinar gafv upp borgina j Biorgyn fyrir Bauglum. Þa kom Hakon konungs son a valld Bagla. siþan gaf Philippus konungr han i volld Þoris erki byskvps. ... "

literature

Narve Bjørgo: Article “Filippus Simonsson” in: Norsk biografisk leksikon , accessed on November 5, 2010.

predecessor	Office	successor
Erling Steinvegg	King of Norway (Baglerkönig) 1207–1217	Skule Bårdsson

personal data
SURNAME	Philipp Simonsson
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Filippus Simonsson
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Norwegian king of the Bagler Party
DATE OF BIRTH	12th Century
DATE OF DEATH	1217
Place of death	Løvøya , hoarding

[Erl_1-1] Rygjarbit was the name for the border between Viken and Agder in the Middle Ages and thus the border between West Norway and East Norway and between the legal districts of Eidsivating (after 1150 Borgarting) and Gulating and between the diocese of Oslo and the diocese of Stavanger. After 1277 Rygjarbit is no longer mentioned in the sources. The exact location is controversial. It is often assumed that it was Gjernestangen . Another version sees the border in today's border between the Fylke Telemark and Aust-Agder , i.e. the municipalities of Kragerø and Risør .

[Sa-2] For example Skálholts- Annálar to the year 1207: “… hofz Philippus Vikveria konungr. Birki beinar gafv upp borgina j Biorgyn fyrir Bauglum. Þa kom Hakon konungs son a valld Bagla. siþan gaf Philippus konungr han i volld Þoris erki byskvps. ... "