Knut Haakonsson
Knut Haakonsson (Knut Håkonsson, Old Norse Knútr Hákonarson) (c. 1208–1261) was a Norwegian nobleman and claimant to the throne during the Civil war era in Norway. Biography Haakonsson was born the son of jarl Haakon the Crazy (Håkon Galen) and Swedish noble-woman Kristina Nilsdotter. His father had been leader of the Norwegian army and steward of the kingdom during the short reign of King Guttorm of Norway. His maternal grandfather was Eric the Saint who reigned as King Eric IX of Sweden. After the death of his father in 1214, Knut and his mother returned to Västergötland, Sweden where she married Swedish nobleman, Eskil Magnusson. In 1223 the archbishop of Nidaros stated in a council of the realm that it was known by all that Knut was the lawfully begotten heir of Earl Haakon the Crazy, perhaps implying that he would have inherited the title of earl possibly of Värmland which his grandfather had held. In 1226, upon the death of Sigurd Ribbung, Knut was chosen as the new pretender of the Ribbung party. The Ribbunger forces were soon beaten militarily. Knut resigned his pretender crown and made peace with King Haakon IV of Norway in 1227. He subsequently married