User:GusGusBrus/Norwegian Crusade (1152-1155)

Norwegian Crusade (1152)
Depiction of St. Rögnvald
Date 1152-1155 Location The Levant and the Mediterranian Result Crusader victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Norway Earldom of Orkney	Unknown Muslims
Commanders and leaders
Rögnvald Kali Kolsson William the Old Magnus Erlingsson Erling Skakke Eindride the Young Jon Petterson Fot	Unknown
Strength
15 ships	Unknown

Background

The Norwegian crusade in 1152, which is seen as a late wave of the Second Crusade, occured during the earl’s visit to Norway in 1150. According to the sagas, Earl Ragnvald was invited to Norway by the supporters of the King, Inge Haraldsson during increasing internal pressure between the three brothers and co-rulers Inge, Eystein and Sigurd. This was according to the sagas an attempt to strengthen the bond between Ragnvald and Inge’s faction so that the earl “might be a dearer friend of Inge than of his brother”.

In the summer of 1150, Ragnvald and King Inge met at the kings court. During Ragnvalds stay a man named Eindride ‘the Young’ who was a noble and a lendman and had for a long times served in the Varangian Guard in Constantinople who brought back news from the Holy Land where its thought that he mentioned the loss of Edessa and the possibilty of a Second Crusade. Eindride said to the Earl of Orkney: “it would best suit such men as you are to be there on account of your great accomplishments, and you will be honoured above all others wherever you come among noblemen".

His speech convinced Ragnvald to pick up the cross and go on a crusade. Erling Skakke was also present, and held a long speech in support of a crusade and along with many nobles he agreed to partake in his Crusade. It was also arranged that all participants should use two years to prepare for the crusade by building ships and gathering supplies. Amoung the participants were the lendmen Jon Petterson Fot and Eindride the Young along with the bishop of Orkney, William the Old.

The Crusade

The Norwegian Crusaders sailed from Norway with 15 large ships before setting sail towards Palestine. On the way there they would encounter and capture a Muslim ship named dromund off the coast of Spain. On their way they would also travel to southern France where they would make a stop at Narbonne and encounter Ermengarde, Viscountess of Narbonne known for her patronage of troubadours. When they arrived to the Holy Land in the spring of 1154 the Second Crusade was already over. During a battle against Arab Muslims around Sicily, Erling Skakke was cut in the neck with a sword during the boarding of a Muslim ship. This caused him from then on to tilt his head to one side ("skakke" means slanted). Which led to him recieving the nickname "Eling Skakke".