Christina of Norway facts for kids

Christina Sverresdatter (Norwegian: Kristin Sverresdatter; died 1213) was a Norwegian princess from the Middle Ages. She was married to Philip Simonsson, a leader of the Bagler party who claimed to be king of Norway. Their marriage helped bring peace during a time of civil war in Norway.

Biography of Christina

Christina was the daughter of King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway. Her mother was Margaret of Sweden, the queen.

Her father, King Sverre, died in 1202. Her mother, Queen Margaret, then returned to Sweden. Christina, however, had to stay in Norway.

In 1209, Christina married Philip Simonsson, a powerful Norwegian nobleman. Sadly, she died in 1213 while giving birth to their first child, a son. The baby also passed away soon after.

A Marriage for Peace

Christina's marriage was very important. It was planned to help bring peace between two main groups fighting in Norway: the Baglers and the Birkebeiners. Norway was in a period of civil war at this time.

By 1208, neither side seemed able to win the war. So, Bishop Nikolas Arnesson and other church leaders helped them make a peace deal. This agreement was made at a place called Kvitsøy.

As part of the deal, Inge II of Norway, the Birkebeiner candidate for king, agreed to let Philip rule the eastern part of Norway. In return, Philip gave up his claim to be the main king. He agreed that King Inge would be his overlord. To make this agreement strong, Philip was to marry Christina, King Sverre's daughter.

Christina in Film

A fictional version of Christina, named Kristin, was shown in the 2016 film The Last King. The actress Thea Sofie Loch Naes played her.

Norway's Civil War Era

The civil war period in Norwegian history lasted from 1130 to 1240. During this time, different royal sons often fought each other for power.

Why the Wars Happened

There were several reasons for these conflicts:

• Unclear Rules: Norway did not have clear laws about who should become king next. This often led to arguments.
• Social Issues: The way society was organized also played a role in the fighting.
• Church vs. King: There was also a struggle between the Church and the King over who had more power.

The Main Groups

Over time, two main groups formed during these wars:

• The Baglers: This group often had support from the Church and wealthy landowners.
• The Birkebeiners: This group was often made up of people who were poorer or from rural areas.

Each group would usually choose a royal son to be their leader. This leader would then try to take power from the king of the other group.

Olympic Mascot

Håkon and Kristin were the mascots for the 1994 Winter Olympics. These Olympic Games were held in Lillehammer, Norway. Håkon was named after Haakon IV of Norway, a famous Norwegian king. Kristin was named after Christina of Norway, the princess you just read about!