The list of monarchs of Norway (, or ) begins in 872: the traditional dating of the Battle of Hafrsfjord, after which victorious King Harald Fairhair merged several petty kingdoms into that of his father. Named after the homonymous geographical region, Harald's realm was later to be known as the Kingdom of Norway.
Traditionally established in 872 and existing continuously for over 1,100 years, the Kingdom of Norway is one of the oldest states of Europe. During interregna, Norway has been ruled by variously titled regents. The current monarch is King Haakon VIII, who has reigned since 2026.
Several royal dynasties have possessed the Throne of the Kingdom of Norway: the more prominent include the Fairhair dynasty (872–970), the Hardrada dynasty (1046–1135), the House of Sverre (1184–1319), the House of Oldenburg (1450–1481, 1483–1533, 1537–1818, and from 1905), including branches Holstein-Gottorp (1814–1818) and Glücksburg (from 1905), and the House of Bernadotte (1818–1905). During the civil war era (1130–1240), several pretenders fought each other, and as a consequence, some rulers from this era are not traditionally considered lawful kings and are usually omitted from lists of monarchs. Between 1319 and 1905, Norway was at times part of various unions with neighbouring countries, like The First Swedish–Norwegian union, The Kalmar Union, Denmark–Norway, and Sweden–Norway.
Kings of Norway used many additional titles between 1450 and 1905, such as King of the Wends, King of the Goths, Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, Prince of Rügen, and Count of Oldenburg. They called themselves ('King of Norway'), usually with the style "His Royal Majesty". With the introduction of constitutional monarchy in 1814, the traditional style "by the Grace of God" was extended to "by the Grace of God and the Constitution of the Kingdom", but was only briefly in use. The last king to use the by the grace of God style was Haakon VII, who died in 1957. The King's title today is formally ('Norway's King'), with the style "His Majesty".
Key For lists of the prehistoric kings of Norway see List of legendary kings of Norway R Reign I Independent period D Union with Denmark (1537 – 1814 as Denmark–Norway) S Union with Sweden (1814 – 1905 as Sweden–Norway) DS Union with Denmark and Sweden (1397 – 1523 as Kalmar Union) R Interregnum/Regency
Fairhair dynasty
Besides becoming sole king after his father Harold's death, Eric Bloodaxe was king jointly with his father for three years before the latter's death. After Harald's death, Eric ruled as "overking" of his brothers, who also held status as kings and had control over certain regions. Harald Greycloak also ruled as "overking" of his brothers. All dates for the kings of the Fairhair dynasty are approximate and/or just scholarly estimates. Slight differences might therefore occur between different sources. The following table uses the dates given in Norsk biografisk leksikon/Store norske leksikon. R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death I Harald I HalfdanssonHarald Fairhair 872–932 850/860Son of Halfdan the Black and Ragnhild VariousAt least nine sons 932Rogaland Eric I HaraldssonEric Bloodaxe 932–934 895Son of Harald I and Ragnhild Eriksdotter Gunnhild GormsdóttirEight children 952/954England Haakon I HaraldssonHaakon the Good 934–960 915–920Son of Harald I and Tora Mosterstong Never married 960/961Håkonshella (near Bergen) Harald II EricssonHarald Greycloak 961–970 935Son of Eric I and Gunnhild Gormsdóttir Never married 970Limfjord, Denmark
House of Gorm/Earl of Lade
The Danish king Harald Bluetooth had himself hailed as king of Norway after the Battle of Fitjar ( 961). Besides gaining direct control of Viken in south-eastern Norway, he let Harald Greycloak rule the rest of Norway as king, nominally under himself. Harald Bluetooth later switched his support to Harald Greycloak's rival, Haakon Sigurdsson, Earl of Lade, who eventually captured Harald Greycloak's kingdom. Haakon thereafter ruled Norway (except Viken), at first nominally under Harald. All dates are estimates and subject to interpretation. Haakon is generally held as the ruler of Norway from 970 to 995. R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death D Harald Bluetooth970 – 986(de jure) 925/35Son of Gorm the Old and Thyra Tove of the ObotritesFour or six children 987 latestJomsborg R Earl Haakon Sigurdsson965/70–995(de facto) 935TrondheimSon of Sigurd Haakonsson and Bergljot Toresdatter Tora SkagesdatterNine children 995Rimul
Fairhair dynasty (restored) R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death I Olaf I Tryggvason995–1000 968Son of Tryggve Olafsson and Astrid Eiriksdottir Various 1000Svolder
House of Gorm/Earls of Lade (restored)
After the Battle of Svolder, the Danes recaptured Norway under Sweyn Forkbeard. As before, the Danes controlled the petty kingdoms of Viken as vassals, while the two Earls of Lade, Eric Haakonsson and Sweyn Haakonsson, ruled Western Norway and Trøndelag, nominally as earls under Sweyn. Eric is generally held as the de facto ruler of Norway from 1000 to 1015, together with his brother Sweyn, a lesser known figure, with whom he shared his power. R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death D Sweyn Forkbeard1000–1013(de jure) 17 April 963Son of Harald Bluetooth and Tove of the Obotrites (1 & 2) Gunhild of Wenden or Sigrid the HaughtyEight or more children 3 February 1014Gainsborough, Lincolnshire R Earl Eric Haakonsson1000–1015(de facto) 964Son of Haakon Sigurdsson and Gunhild Mieszcosdatter Gytha SvendsdatterOne son 1024England Earl Sweyn Haakonsson1000–1015(de facto) – 970Son of Haakon Sigurdsson and Thora Skagesdatter Holmfrid EriksdatterTwo daughters 1016Russia
St. Olav dynasty
R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death I Olav II HaraldssonSaint Olav(Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae)1015–1028 995RingerikeSon of Harald Grenske and Åsta Gudbrandsdatter Astrid OlofsdotterOne daughter 29 July 1030StiklestadAged 34–35
House of Gorm/Earl of Lade (restored, second time)
R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death D Cnut the Great1028–1035(de jure) 995Son of Sweyn Forkbeard (1) Ælfgifu of NorthamptonTwo children(2) Emma of NormandyTwo children 12 November 1035Shaftesbury R Earl Haakon Ericsson1028–1029(de facto) 998Son of Eric Haakonsson and Gytha Svendsdatter GunhildOne daughter 1029Pentland Firth D Sweyn Knutsson (with Ælfgifu)1030–1035(de facto) 1015Son of Cnut and Ælfgifu of Northampton Never married 1035
St. Olav dynasty (restored)
R NameReign Portrait Birth Marriage(s)Issue Death I Magnus I OlavssonMagnus the Good1035–1047 1024Illegitimate son of Olaf II and Alfhild Never married 25 October 1047ZealandAged 23 D
Hardrada dynasty
R NameReign Portrait Birth, parents Marriage(s)Issue Death I Harald III SigurdssonHarald Hardrada1046–1066 1015Son of Sigurd Syr and Åsta Gudbrandsdatter (1) Elisiv of KievTwo daughters(2) Tora Torbergsdatter (bigamously)Two sons 25 September 1066Stamford Bridge, EnglandAged 50–51 Magnus II Haraldsson1066–1069 – 1049Eldest son of Harald III and Tora Torbergsdatter Never married 28 April 1069NidarosAged 19–20 Olav III HaraldssonOlaf Kyrre1067–1093 1050Youngest son of Harald III and Tora Torbergsdatter Ingerid of DenmarkNo issue 22 September 1093Haukbø, Rånrike (now Håkeby, Sweden)Aged 42–43 Haakon (II) MagnussonHaakon Toresfostre1093–1095 – 1069Illegitimate son of Magnus II Never married 1095DovrefjellAged 25–26 Magnus III OlavssonMagnus Barefoot1093–1103 1073Illegitimate son of Olav III and unknown Margaret FredkullaNo issue 24 August 1103UlsterAged 29–30 Olav (IV) Magnusson1103–1115 1098Illegitimate son of Magnus III and Sigrid Saxesdatter Never married 22 December 1115NidarosAged 16–17 Eystein I Magnusson1103–1123 1088Illegitimate son of Magnus III Ingebjørg GuttormsdatterTwo children 29 August 1123Hustad, RomsdalAged 34–35 Sigurd I MagnussonSigurd the Crusader1103–1130 1089Illegitimate son of Magnus III and Tora (1) Bjaðmunjo MýrjartaksdóttirNo issue(2) Malmfred of KievOne daughter(3) CeciliaNo issue 26 March 1130OsloAged 40–41 Magnus IV SigurdssonMagnus the Blind1130–1135 – 1115Illegitimate son of Sigurd I and Borghild Olavsdatter Christina of Denmark 1133No issue 12 November 1139HolmengråAged 23–23
Gille dynasty
R NameReign Portrait Birth, parents Marriage(s)Issue Death I Harald IV MagnussonHarald Gille1130–1136 – 1102Ireland/HebridesAlleged illegitimate son of Magnus III Ingrid of Sweden 1134One son 14 December 1136BergenAged 32–33 Sigurd II HaraldssonSigurd Munn1136–1155 – 1133Illegitimate son of Harald IV and Thora Guttormsdatter Never married 10 June 1155BergenAged 21–22 Inge I HaraldssonInge the Hunchback1136–1161 – 1135Only son of Harald IV and Ingrid of Sweden Never married 4 February 1161OsloAged 25–26 Eystein II Haraldsson1142–1157 – 1125Shetland/Orkney/HebridesIllegitimate son of Harald IV and Biadoc Ragna NikolasdatterNo issue 21 August 1157Rånrike (now Bohuslän)Aged 31–32 Magnus (V) HaraldssonHelle, Knut (1995). Aschehougs norgeshistorie : 1130–1350. 3 : Under kirke og kongemakt 1130–1350, p. 14. Aschehoug.1142–1145 – 1135Illegitimate son of Harald IV Never married 1145Norway Haakon II SigurdssonHaakon the Broadshouldered1157–1162 – 1147Illegitimate son of Sigurd II and Thora Never married 7 July 1162Sekken, RomsdalenAged 14–15
Hardrada dynasty (restored), cognatic branch
R NameReign Portrait Birth, parents Marriage(s)Issue Death I Magnus V Erlingsson1161–1184 – 1156Son of Erling Skakke and Kristin Sigurdsdatter Estrid Bjørnsdotter (possible)Two daughters 15 June 1184FimreiteAged 27–28
Sverre dynasty
R NameReign Portrait Birth, parents Marriage Death I Sverre Sigurdsson1184–1202 1151BergenAlleged illegitimate son of Sigurd II and Gunnhild Margaret of Sweden1185One daughter 9 March 1202BergenAged 50–51 Haakon III Sverresson1202–1204 – Before 1185Illegitimate son of Sverre Never married 1 January 1204BergenAged 20–21 Guttorm Sigurdsson1204 – 1199Illegitimate son of Sigurd Lavard Never married 11 August 1204NidarosAged 4–5
House of Godwin (Gille dynasty, cognatic branch)
RName Portrait Birth Marriages Death I Inge II Bårdsson1204–1217 1185RissaSon of Bård Guttormsson and Cecilia Sigurdsdotter never married 23 April 1217NidarosAged 31–32
Sverre dynasty (restored)
RName Portrait Birth Marriages Death I Haakon IV Haakonsson1217–1263 1204FolkenborgIllegitimate son of Haakon III and Inga of Varteig Margaret Skulesdatter25 May 1225BergenFour children 16 December 1263KirkwallAged 58–59 Haakon (V) Haakonsson1240–1257 10 November 1232BergenSecond son of Haakon IV and Margaret Skulesdatter Rikissa Birgersdotter 1251OsloOne son 5 May 1257TønsbergAged 24 Magnus VI Haakonsson1257–1280 1 May 1238TønsbergThird son of Haakon IV and Margaret Skulesdatter Ingeborg of Denmark11 September 1261BergenFour sons 9 May 1280BergenAged 42 Eric II Magnusson1273–1299 1268BergenThird son of Magnus VI and Ingeborg of Denmark (1) Margaret of ScotlandSeptember 1281BergenOne daughter(2) Isabel Brucebef. 25 September 1293BergenOne daughter 15 July 1299BergenAged 30–31 Haakon V Magnusson 1299–1319 10 April 1270TønsbergFourth son of Magnus VI and Ingeborg of Denmark (1) Isabelle de Joigny1295No issue(2) Euphemia of Rügen 1299One daughter 8 May 1319TunsbergAged 49 RInterregnum (8 May 1319 – August 1319)Ingeborg of Norway as regent
House of Bjälbo
RName Portrait Birth Marriages Death S Magnus VII ErikssonAugust 1319 – August 1355 (abdicated, de facto) 1316NorwayOnly son of Duke Erik Magnusson and Ingeborg of Norway Blanche of Namur5 November 1335Bohus CastleTwo sons 1 December 1374LyngholmenAged 58 Haakon VI Magnusson