Norway Heads

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Norway Heads of State and Territorial Leaders

Also see Norway Ministers

Circa 821-ca- 834 Queen Regnant Åsa Haraldsdottir of Agder
Her small kingom comprised of  Vestfold, Romerike and Vingulmark. According to the sagas of the Yngling clan, she was mother of Halfdan the Black and grandmother of Harald Fairhair. She was daughter of King Harald Granraude of Agder and a reputed beauty. King Gudrød the Hunter of Borre in Vestfold proposed marriage to her after the death of his first wife, but her father refused the marriage. Gudrød Veidekonge then killed her father and her brother, abducted her and married her. One year later, she became the mother of Halfdan the Black. One year after this, Åsa took her revenge and had her servant kill her husband. She left the kingdom of Borre to her stepson Olaf Geirstad-Alf and took her own son with her to the kingdom of Agder, her birth country, where she took power. Åsa ruled Agder for twenty years, and after this she left the throne to her son. He also demanded half of his father's kingdom from his halfbrother. There are theories that queen Åsa is the woman buried with the famous Oseberg ship from 834, but this is not confirmed. She lived (født circa 800 død circa 834)

 

1030-35 Regent Dowager Queen Alfiva 
Also known as Lady Ælfgify of Northamton she was regent for her, and Knud the Great’s son, King Svend of Norway.
Her rule there was extremely harsh, and her reputation for tyrannical cruelty was unparalleled, eventually provoking an uprising which removed her from power in 1035. When Knud died she returned to England, and persuaded the nobles to recognize her other son Harold 'Harefoot' as King in 1037 but no records of her from then on have been found.

 

1136-70 Politically Influential Queen Ingrid Ragnvaldsdatter

1280-84 Regent Dowager Queen Ingeborg Eriksdatter
After the death of her husband, Magnus the Lawmaker (1238-63-80) she acted as regent for her son, Erik II (1268-99). She was the first Norwegian Queen to be crowned.

1319-24/30 Regent Dowager Duchess Ingebjørg Håkonsdotter of Södermaland (Sweden)
1319-26 County Sheriff of Norra Halland
1319-23 Regent of Norway
1330-50 Regent of Södre Halland
Also known as Ingeborg, she had her son Magnus VII proclaimed king in succession of her father, Håkon V of Norway, and ruled together with the council of state. After her husband, Duke Erik av Södermanland, Östergötland and Gotland had died in inprisonment, and his brother Birger had been deposed, she had her son elected as King of Sweden in 1319 with her grand-mother Helvig as regent here (she had first been regent in 1290). In 1321 the Regency Council’s chairman resigned and handed over the State Seals to her, which she possessed until a new chairman was elected the year after. She was Lady (Frue) in her own right of Vest-Gautland, Nord-Halland and Värmland in Sweden. Her son, Magnus VII Eriksson of Norway was king of Norway (1318-55), Sweden (1319-63) and of Skåne (1332-60). His son, Håkon of Norway was married to Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Ingeborg was deposed as regent because of her despotic rule, but continued as regent for her younger sons Håkon and Knut Porse in Southern Halland She lived (1301-60).

1343-55 Regent Queen Blanka af Namur in Parts of Norway
When her son, Håkon IV was named King of Norway, with her husband King Magnus of Sweden and Norway (1316-19-64-74) was named regent and appointed her to rule parts of Norway while he stayed in Sweden. Håkon came of age in 1355 and Magnus was engaged in wars with their oldest son, Erik, who died of the plauge in 1359, his cousin Albrecht of Mecklenburg and the Swedish magnates. Even though he was most probably gay, they semed to have a good relationship. She had been given Tønsberg Castle and Fief, some estates  by the Göta River, The Castle of Lindholmen på Hisingen at the time of their marriage in 1335 and she received the Castle of Bohus and Marstrand with Älvsyssel in 1353. She was daughter of Jean de Dampierre and Countess Marie d'Artois, and lived (circa 1320-63)
 

1380-87 Regent Dowager Queen Margrethe I of Norway
1387-1412 Reigning Queen (Mistress and Husband) of Denmark, Sweden and Norway
She was the youngest daughter of King Valdemar IV of Denmark. At the age of ten, in 1363, Margrethe was married to King Håkon VI of Norway, son of Magnus II of Sweden and Norway. Their son Olaf, born in 1370, was elected King Olaf II of Denmark in 1375 at the death of Margrethe's father, with her as regent. After her husband's death shortly after her son also became Olaf IV of Norway. After Olaf's death in 1387 the Estates in Denmark elected her as Fullmighty Husband and Mistress for life. The following year she became regent of Norway. In 1388 the Swedish nobility dethroned their king King, Albrecht of Mecklenburg, and elected Margrethe as their reigning Queen instead. She lived (1353-1412).

1420 De-facto Regent Queen Philippa of England of Sweden
1423-25 Regent of Denmark and Norway
She had big parts of Sweden as her dowry and she acted as her husband's representative in the country. During his stay abroad from 1423 she was regent in Denmark. She lived (1394-1430)

1448 Holder of the "Royal Authority" Dowager Queen Dorothea af Brandenburg of Denmark and Norway
1481-90 Regent of Slesvig-Holsten (Schleswig Holstein)
The "royal authority" was vested in her after the death of her first husband, Christoffer III of Bavaria. She contrasigned and authorized the decisions made by the Council of State which reigned the country. Later same year she married the new king Christian I of Oldenborg and often acted as regent during his many many warfares. She also had Abrahamstrup, Kalundborg,Lolland-Falster Slesvig and Holsten, Närke and Värmland (Sweden) as security for loans she granted her husband. Later regent for son, Frederik, (later king) in the Dukedoms. She lived (1430-90)
.

1772-84 De-facto Regent Dowager Queen Juliane-Marie of Braunschwieg-Wolfenbüttel of Denmark and Norway
She initiated a coup d'etat against the "Premier" count Struense who had an affair with Queen Caroline-Mathilde of England and had total influence on the insane King Christian VII. Her son, Heditary Prince Ferdinand and Premier Høegh-Guldberg became official leaders of the Government with her as the power behind the scenes. In 1784 they were removed by her stepson, Crown Prince Frederik (VI) . Juliane-Marie lived (1729-96)
.

2004- Hereditary Princess Ingrid Alexandra
The daughter of Crown Prince Håkon she is second in line for the succession to the Norwegian throne.

 

 

Territorial Lady of the Estate of Giske

1264-1307 Fru Margaretha Nikolausdatter of Giske
Her father, Nikolaus Pålsson, was the last male and direct heir of the ancient and very powerful noble Giske-family which had reigned over one of the most important estate in Norway since 900s. She was married to Bjarne Erlingsson of Bjarkøy - another powerful estate, who was given a prominent position in the governing of the realm, 1277 he was appointed baron, 1280 Chairman of the Council of Regency for king Erik. Their son, Anders Bjarnesson, had predeceased them, and Bjarne was succeeded by their granddaughter.

1313-... Fru Kristin Andersdatter of Giske and Bjarkøy
She inherited the very important estate from her grandparents, Margaretha Nikolausdatter and Bjarne Erlingsson, but did not have any children and was probably unmarried by her death. Giske was inherited by Bjarne's nephew, Erling Vidkunsson, who was married by Elin Toresdatter, daughter of baron Tore Håkonsson. Erling was first succeeded by his son, Bjarne Erlingsson, and then by his daughter, Ingebjørg.

.... Fru Ingebjørg Erlingsdatter of Giske and Bjarkøy
The daughter of Erlings Vidkunsson, she succeeded her brother, Bjarne Erlingsson, as owner of the important estate - which covered around 10% of the privately owned land in Norway. She was married to Sigurd Havtorsson. Succeeded by their son Håkon Sigurdsson. He had no children, and therefore his widow, Sigrid Erlendsdatter of the Losna-family, inherited the "gods".....

1410-25 Fru Sigrid Erlendsdatter of Giske and Bjarkøy
She inherited the major estate after the death of her husband, Håkon Sigurdsson. She later married the Swede, Magnus Magnusson, and they engaged in a inheritance-dispute with heir of her late husband's sister, Agnes Havtorsdatter, Sigurd Jonsson, who was declared the rightful heir in 1425. Sigurd had many high posts in the realm, as regent of the kingdom and in 1448 he was in question as candidate for the position of king - he was a descendant of Håkon 5, trough the female line. He married the daughter of a German count, Filippa von Everstein-Polle. He was succeeded by his son, Hans Sigurdsson, who died unmarried in 1464. Not until 1460 the inheritance was settled among the decendants of Sigurd's. 

1520-33 Fru Inger Ottesdatter Rømer of Giske
She took possession of the estate, taking the law in her own hand, and against the interest of the rightful heirs, the aunt and niece of the last owner, Karl Knutson, who had been awarded with the estate in 1515 for his faithful service to the king in 1515, but died in battle in 1520.

1533-37 Fru Karine Alvsdatter Tre Rosor of Giske
She was the aunt of the last rightful owner, Karl Knutson, and the estate was transferred to her after she won a courtcase against Inger Ottesdatter Rømer, who had wrongfully taken possession of it, when Karl died. She was succeded by her niece's daughter.

1537-82 Fru Gyrvhild Fadersdatter Sparre of Giske
Also known as Gørvel, she was daughter of Bothild, the sister of Karl Knutson. She was married three times, first to Per Nilsson Grip, secondly to Truid Ulfstad and last to Lage Brahe. Her only child, Nils Ulfstad, died young. She remained in Skåne until her death in 1605, but already in 1582 she had given Giske and all her other estates in Norway to the king, and was richly compensated - among other with all the income of the estate of the Convent of Børringe  in her own lifetime. She became County Sheriff of Vefre and Høgby, Verpinge, Borgeby, Frosteherred, Börrerup, Sørby, Skøtsherred, Hiøgby and Lindholm all in Skåne. She lived (circa 1509-1605)

1537-82 Fru Gyrvhild Fadersdatter Sparre of Giske
Daughter of Bothild, the sister of Karl Knutson. She was married three times, first to Per Nilsson Grip, secondly to Truid Ulfstad and last to Lage Brahe. Her only child, Nils Ulfstad, died young. She remained in Skåne until her death in 1605, but already in 1582 she had given Giske and all her other estates in Norway to the king, and was richly compensated - among other with all the income of the Estate of the Convent of Børringe in her own lifetime. 

1730-36 The Administrator of Giske
She was widow of Nils Rasmussen Smit and married secondly to Christian Sæd.


1805-12 Owner Anne Kristine Danholm of Giske
After the death of her husband, Christoffer Hagerup, 1804, the estate was put on auction to meet the debts, but she was able to buy the property. In 1812 she transferred it to her son-in-law,Peter Elias Rønneberg, who was first married to her daughter, Charlotte Marie Hagerup and secondly to Ulrikke Antonette Jalles. 

1872 Owner Jenny Rasmine Strøm of Giske
She inherited the property and she divided the estate into smaller parcels and sold it to local farmers. She was married to the lensmann Hans Møller. 

Last update 24.02.14