Alv Erlingsson (''Alv Erlingsson den yngre'', died 1290) was a Norwegian

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant " chieftain", partic ...

Sarpsborg Sarpsborg ( or ), historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg. Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neigh ...

and governor of Borgarsyssel. Alv Erlingsson was born at Tanberg in

Norderhov Norderhov is a former municipality located within Ringerike in Buskerud county, Norway. Municipality Norderhov municipality was established on January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). According to the 1835 census the municipality had a pop ...

Buskerud Buskerud () is a former county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark and Vestfold. The region extends from the Oslofjord and Drammensfjorden in the southeast to Har ...

. Alv Erlingsson was the son of Erling Alvsson of Tanberg (ca. 1230–1283) and grandson of Alv Erlingsson of Tanberg (ca. 1190 – ca. 1240). Tanberg (''Tornberg'') was an old manor which was considered to have been among the oldest farms in

. His grandmother was Ingeborg Baardsdatter of

Rein Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding. They are long straps that can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband. Use fo ...

, sister of Duke Skule Bårdsson. Alv Erlingsson was also a second cousin of King

Magnus VI of Norway Magnus Haakonsson ( non, Magnús Hákonarson, no, Magnus Håkonsson, label= Modern Norwegian; 1 (or 3) May 1238 – 9 May 1280) was King of Norway (as Magnus VI) from 1263 to 1280 (junior king from 1257). One of his greatest achievements was the ...

. With his father's death in 1283, Alv Erlingsson inherited Sarpsborg and served as governor of Borgarsyssel which today makes up the county of

Østfold Østfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in southeastern Norway. It borders Akershus and southwestern Sweden (Västra Götaland County and Värmland), while Buskerud and Vestfold are on the other sid ...

. Alv Erlingsson had a central role in Norwegian national governance following the death of King Magnus VI in 1280. King Magnus's heir, Eirik Magnusson was a minor and unable to take government control in his own hands. A guardianship board was established which would rule the kingdom on behalf of the king until he was of age. Alv was not included in the formal guardianship government, but had much power as governor of Borgarsyssel. It is said he was a favorite of Ingeborg of Denmark, Queen of Norway, yet he committed countless acts of

piracy Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

throughout his life including making an attack on her son, Duke Håkon later

Haakon V of Norway Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) ( non, Hákon Magnússon; no, Håkon Magnusson, label= Modern Norwegian) was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319. Biography Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, Ki ...

. The first construction of

Akershus Fortress Akershus Fortress ( no, Akershus Festning, ) or Akershus Castle ( no, Akershus slott ) is a medieval castle in the Norwegian capital Oslo that was built to protect and provide a royal residence for the city. Since the Middle Ages the fortress ha ...

was started around the late 1290s by King Haakon V in response to earlier attack on

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

by Alv Erlingsson. His actions included seizing and robbing Danish and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

vessels. Alv Erlingsson was eventually exiled for his acts. In the spring of 1290 Alv was caught on the coast of

Scania Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous with Skå ...

by Danish forces. By order of the King of Denmark, Alv was sentenced to death and was executed outside

Helsingborg Helsingborg (, , , ) is a city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edit ...

In modern literature

Alv Erlingsson plays an important role in the early parts of

Sigrid Undset Sigrid Undset () (20 May 1882 – 10 June 1949) was a Norwegian- Danish novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. Undset was born in Kalundborg, Denmark, but her family moved to Norway when she was two years old. In 1924 ...

's ''

The Master of Hestviken ''The Master of Hestviken'' is a tetralogy about medieval Norway written by Sigrid Undset. It was originally published in Norwegian as two volumes ''Olav Audunssøn i Hestviken'' and ''Olav Audunssøn og Hans Børn'', from 1925 to 1927. Hestvike ...

'' series, based on the writer's meticulous research in historical sources. The tetralogy's protagonist Olav Audunsson, as a violent young man outlawed and forced into exile, takes service with Alv Erlingsson whom he met in Denmark, and comes back with him to Norway at the time of Erlingsson's prominence in the Kingdom's affairs. Audunsson is depicted as speaking of him with boundless admiration:

"(...) I was a happy man the day I met with Earl Alf - when I took the oath to him on the hilt, I almost thought I had come home.(...) We would follow him - if he bade us sail across the smoking lake of hell - every man he looks at when he laughs. These yellow eyes of his shine like gems. Small he is, and low - I am a head taller, I wis - and broad as the door of a house, shaggy and brown and curly haired; ay, the Tornberg race comes of a King's daughter and a bear, they say. And Earl Alf has the strength of ten men and the wits of twelve. And there are not many men, I ween, who are not glad and thankful to obey him - nor many women either-".

In later parts, Olav Audunsson keeps steadfast to the Earl also after his downfall, and loyally follows him into exile in Sweden, to the great detriment of Audunsson's own personal affairs - until Alv Erlingsson himself releases him from his oath, to return to Norway and reclaim his ancestral manor of Hestviken and his long-suffering bride. Also many years later, the protagonist cherishes the Earl's memory:

(...) You must know, sir, that I was Alf Erlingsson's liegeman in my youth, and I swore by God and by my patron saint, when I heard the earl had died in banishment, that never would I swear any other allegiance on the hilt of my sword, and least of all to the man who made him an outlaw" .e. King Haakon V">Haakon_V.html" ;"title=".e. King Haakon V">.e. King Haakon V
Sigrid Undset Sigrid Undset () (20 May 1882 – 10 June 1949) was a Norwegian- Danish novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. Undset was born in Kalundborg, Denmark, but her family moved to Norway when she was two years old. In 1924 ...
, "In The Wilderness", Part Two, Ch. 8.

In modern literature

References

Related reading