Magnus V of Norway (1156-16 January 1184) was King of Norway from 7 July 1162 to 15 June 1184, succeeding Haakon II and preceding Sverre.
Biography[]
Magnus Erlingsson was born in Etne, Hordaland, Norway in 1156, the son of the Norwegian landowner Erling Skakke. In 1161, on the death of Inge I of Norway, he was named King, and he seized power in 1162 after killing King Haakon II of Norway in battle. He fought off numerous pretenders to the throne amid the Norwegian Civil War, but, in 1177, Sigurd Munn's long-lost son Sverre arrived in Norway and claimed the throne for himself. Sverre killed Erling Skakke in battle at Kalvskinnet in Nidaros in 1179, and Magnus himself died at the Battle of Fimreite on 15 June 1184. He drowned when his ship was sunk in the decisive naval battle.