Haakon the Young facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haakon the Young |
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Seal of King Haakon the Young
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| Junior king of Norway | |
| Reign | 1 April 1240 – 5 May 1257 |
| Senior king | Haakon IV |
| Born | 10 November 1232 Bergen |
| Died | 5 May 1257 (aged 24) Tønsberg |
| Burial | St. Hallvard's Cathedral |
| Spouse | Rikissa Birgersdotter |
| Issue | Sverre Magnus Haakonsson |
| House | Sverre |
| Father | Haakon IV of Norway |
| Mother | Margaret Skulesdatter |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Haakon Haakonsson the Young (born November 10, 1232 – died May 5, 1257) was a Norwegian prince. He was the son of King Haakon IV of Norway. Haakon the Young was given the title of king on April 1, 1240. However, he was always under his father's rule. People called him "Haakon the Young" to tell him apart from his father, who was sometimes called "Haakon the Old."
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Becoming a Young King
Haakon was born in Bergen, Norway, on November 10, 1232. He was the second son of King Haakon IV and Queen Margaret Skulesdatter. His older brother had died when he was a baby.
In 1239, Queen Margaret's father, Duke Skule Bårdsson, started a rebellion against King Haakon IV. This event marked the end of a long period of civil wars in Norway. To make sure his family would still rule if he died in battle, King Haakon IV made his seven-year-old son, Haakon the Young, a co-ruler.
Hailed as King
This important event happened at a special meeting called a thing in Nidaros (today known as Trondheim) on April 1, 1240. The same ceremony was repeated in Bergen on April 12. King Haakon IV then stopped Skule's rebellion. Skule himself was killed by the king's men on May 24 of the same year.
Making Haakon the Young the next king was a new step for Norway's monarchy. King Haakon IV had an older son named Sigurd, but he was not chosen. This showed that being born inside or outside of marriage was starting to matter more for who could become king.
Not Fully Crowned
Even though Haakon the Young was called "king," his father was still the main ruler. This was clear at King Haakon IV's coronation in 1247. During the ceremony, Haakon the Young carried the crown in the procession, but he was not crowned himself. This showed that he was a king, but his father was the senior king.
Marriage and Family
In 1251, Haakon the Young married Rikissa Birgersdotter in Oslo. Rikissa was from Sweden. Her father was Earl Birger Magnusson, who was the real ruler of Sweden at the time. Her brother was the young Swedish king, Valdemar Birgersson.
This marriage was a way for King Haakon IV to create a strong friendship between Norway and Sweden. This alliance was mainly aimed at their rival, Denmark. Haakon and Rikissa had one son, who they named Sverre.
His Final Days
Haakon the Young joined his father in military actions against Denmark in 1256 and 1257. During these times, the Norwegian kings attacked the Danish area of Halland.
In the spring of 1257, Haakon the Young became very ill in Konghelle. He was getting ready to travel to Oslo but had to stop his journey in Tønsberg. He stayed at a monastery there. A Spanish doctor, who was part of a group visiting Norway, tried to help him. However, Haakon's illness got worse, and he died in Tønsberg on May 5, 1257.
His body was taken to Oslo and buried in St. Hallvard's Cathedral.
What We Know About Him
Most of what we know about Haakon the Young comes from the Saga of Haakon Haakonsson. This story was written by Sturla Þórðarson in the 1260s. The saga describes Haakon the Young as being "of somewhat over medium height, well-shaped, handsome of countenance, with pretty hair and beautiful eyes. He was a strong man, unusually fast and agile. He was the best horseman there was in Norway at that time."
After Haakon the Young's death, his wife Rikissa went back to her father in Sweden. Their young son Sverre stayed in Norway with his grandfather, King Haakon IV. Sverre was not seen as the next in line for the throne. Instead, Haakon the Young's younger brother, Magnus, became king in 1257. Sverre died young in 1261.
