Ragnvald (Sweden)

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Ragnvald (* around 1100, † around 1130) was king in Sweden at the beginning of the 12th century.

His life dates and his parents are not known. He is mentioned in the Äldre Västgötalagens Kungakrönika (royal chronicle of the Vestgöta law) from 1240. There is said that he king between Inge II. And I. Sverker was. It cannot be verified that he is identical to Inge I's son of the same name . But the fact that he became king suggests that he was of royal descent. Belonging to the Stenkils family or to the old Uppsala kings is considered. He had the daughter Ingrid Ragnvaldsdatter and was the father-in-law of King Harald Gille of Norway. In a marginal note, the epithet "knaphövda" was added to Ragnvald's name in the royal chronicle in a significantly younger manuscript, probably taken from another source. Saxo Grammaticus does not mention his name, but the fact that the Svear, when Gauten elected the Danish king's son Magnus Nilsson as king, elected their own king, whom the Gauten killed. Magnus Nilsson does not appear in the royal chronicle of the Västgötalag.

After Inge II's death came a decade of turmoil and fighting between the pretenders to the throne. There is little reliable news from this period.

According to a copy from the 15th century, he is said to have ridden to "Karlasby" on his tour ( Eriksgata ) without being held hostages, as the law provided . He is said to have been killed by the lagman and the peasants. This Karlasby is identified as the parish of Karleby sokn in the municipality of Falköping , where a ting is proven at least in the 15th century. According to another text from the 15th century, he is said to have been murdered in "Gaasamosa". “Gaasamosa” is identified with “Gåsamossen”. There are several places in Västergötland with this name, but near Karleby there is a “Gårmossen” in the parish “Asle sokn”. What led to the murder cannot be determined. It could have been the contrast between Västergötland and Svealand, but dynastic conflicts are also possible. Magnus Nilsson has been blamed for this. But news of self-government with republican tendencies after his death rather suggests that the landscape was striving for independence, which reached very far into the Middle Ages.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Lindkvist p. 46.
  2. ↑ Gillingstam

literature

personal data
SURNAME Ragnvald
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ragnvald Knaphövde
BRIEF DESCRIPTION swedish king
DATE OF BIRTH around 1100
DATE OF DEATH around 1130