Inge II of Norway (1185-23 April 1217) was King of Norway from 1204 to 23 April 1217, succeeding Guttorm and preceding Haakon IV.
Biography[]
Inge was the son of the nobleman Bard Guttormsson, a descendand of Tostig Godwinson, and he was also the maternal grandson of King Sigurd Munn. Inge was an early supporter of King Sverre of Norway and the Birkebeiners, and he ruled Trondelag uder King Guttorm of Norway. When Guttorm died in 1204, Inge was elected to be the new King, while Earl Haakon the Crazy led his army. In 1206, Inge was nearly killed when the Baglers attacked a wedding party, swimming across the freezing Nidelva River to freedom. In 1208, he made peace with the Bagler pretender Philip Simonsson, who relinquished his claim to the throne in exchange for control of eastern Norway. Inge died in Nidaros in 1217 and was succeeded by Haakon IV of Norway, Haakon III of Norway's illegitimate son; Inge's half-brother Skule Bardsson became Haakon IV's commander and later his rival.