46 Facts About Magnus Barefoot

Magnus III Olafsson, better known as Magnus Barefoot, was the King of Norway from 1093 until his death in 1103.

Magnus Barefoot's reign was marked by aggressive military campaigns and conquest, particularly in the Norse-dominated parts of the British Isles, where he extended his rule to the Kingdom of the Isles and Dublin.

Magnus Barefoot raided through Orkney, the Hebrides and Mann, and ensured Norwegian control by a treaty with the Scottish king.

Magnus Barefoot sailed to Wales later in his expedition, gaining the support of Anglesey after aiding against the invading Norman forces from the island.

Magnus Barefoot concluded peace with the Swedes in 1101 by agreeing to marry Margaret, daughter of the Swedish king Inge Stenkilsson.

In return, Magnus Barefoot gained Dalsland as part of her dowry.

Magnus Barefoot entered into an alliance with Irish king Muirchertach Ua Briain of Munster, who recognised Magnus Barefoot's control of Dublin.

Under unclear circumstances, while obtaining food supplies for his return to Norway, Magnus Barefoot was killed in an ambush by the Ulaid the next year; territorial advances characterising his reign ended with his death.

Magnus Barefoot was born around the end of 1073 as the only son of King Olaf Kyrre.

Magnus Barefoot grew up among the hird of his father in Nidaros, de facto capital of Norway at the time.

When Magnus Barefoot became king, he already had a network of support among the Norwegian aristocracy.

Haakon secured support by relieving farmers of taxes and duties, while Magnus Barefoot pursued costly policies and demanded lengthy military service.

Magnus Barefoot was reportedly furious because he could not pardon Egil, a potentially useful, young and resourceful nobleman.

Since piracy increased soon after Sveinke's departure, Magnus Barefoot met him in the Danish province of Halland to request his return to Norway.

Magnus Barefoot's rule was generally marked by Norway's increasing similarity to other European kingdoms.

Magnus Barefoot sought to re-establish Norwegian influence around the Irish Sea.

Magnus Barefoot attempted to install vassal king Ingemund in the Southern Isles in 1097, but the latter was killed in a revolt.

English chronicler William of Malmesbury believed that Magnus Barefoot sought to capture the throne from William II of England.

Magnus Barefoot sailed into the Western Sea in 1098, arriving in Orkney with a large fleet.

Magnus Barefoot is recorded as warring in Sanday, although the exact location is unclear.

Magnus Barefoot then continued to Mann, where the earl Ottar fell in a violent battle; he chased Lagman Godredsson, King of the Isles.

Magnus Barefoot abruptly returned to Mann with his men, leaving the Norman army weak and demoralized.

Magnus Barefoot accepted the offer, which reportedly gave him every island a ship could reach with its rudder set.

Magnus Barefoot gained recognition of his rule in the Southern Isles, including Kintyre after demonstrating that it should be included by sitting at the rudder of his ship as it was dragged across the narrow isthmus at Tarbert.

Magnus Barefoot spent the winter in the Hebrides, while many of his men returned to Norway.

Magnus Barefoot returned to Norway a year later during the summer of 1099, although many of the islands he had conquered were only nominally under Norwegian control.

Swedish king Inge Stenkilsson refuted the claim, and Magnus Barefoot began a campaign in response.

Magnus Barefoot raided his way through the forest villages, and Inge began amassing an army.

Magnus Barefoot had a wooden fort, surrounded by a moat, built on the island of Kallandso in the southern portion of Vanern.

Magnus Barefoot entered Sweden the following year, reconquering the same areas.

Magnus Barefoot again set his course for Ireland in 1101 or 1102, this time probably with a greater army than he had in his previous campaign.

Magnus Barefoot received reinforcements from Orkney on his way to Mann, where he set up a base to survey conditions.

The sagas claim that Magnus Barefoot wintered in Connacht, but since Connacht is incorrectly claimed to be Muirchertach's kingdom the location was corrected to Kincora, Munster by modern historians.

Rosemary Power considered it more likely that Magnus Barefoot would have kept his fleet near Dublin.

Magnus Barefoot was probably allied with Muirchertach during his campaigns against Domnall and the Cenel nEogain in 1103, but Irish sources do not describe their campaigns as successful.

Magnus Barefoot did not take part, but his Dublin subjects fought with Muirchertach.

Magnus Barefoot attempted to assert control over his disordered army, ordering part of his force to seize secure ground and use archery fire to slow the Irish.

When his men said that he proceeded incautiously in his campaigns, Magnus Barefoot is reported to have responded "Kings are made for honour, not for long life"; he was the last Norwegian king to fall in battle abroad.

Magnus Barefoot married Margaret Fredkulla, daughter of Swedish king Inge Stenkilsson, as part of the peace agreement of 1101.

Magnus Barefoot's three sons were born to different women, and he had two known daughters by unidentified women:.

Magnus Barefoot probably died in the vicinity of the River Quoile.

Magnus Barefoot was succeeded peacefully by his three sons: Sigurd, Eystein and Olaf.

Relations between Harald and Magnus Barefoot Sigurdsson soured, and several years later Harald had Magnus Barefoot mutilated and deposed.

Magnus Barefoot was killed during the battle; Sigurd was captured, tortured and executed.

Magnus Barefoot became the subject of at least two Gaelic ballads as the character Manus Mor.

When King Magnus Barefoot was killed in an ambush by the Men of Ulster, his sword was retrieved and sent home.