302 Norway and the Norwegians 



Magnus' son, is interesting as the father of Margaret, 

 the Scottish princess, who is known in history as the 

 Maid of Norway. He reigned from a.d. 1280-1299. He 

 was succeeded by his brother Hakon Magnusson (Hakon 

 v.), who reigned from a.d. 1299-1309. Hakon left only 

 a daughter Ingeborg, and thus the house of Sverri 

 became extinct in the male line. Ingeborg was married 

 to a Swede, Erik, Duke of Sondermanland, the heir to 

 the throne of Sweden. Their son INIagnus, who is known 

 as Magnus Smelx, Magnus ' the Luxurious,' became King 

 of both Sweden and Norway, and the union of Norway 

 to other Scandinavian lands began (1319). 



This union was broken again when Magnus was 

 deposed in 1355, and Hakon his son elected King of 

 Norway. Hakon's father continued for some years to 

 govern Sweden. But at last the Swedish nobles deter- 

 mined to offer the crown to Albert, Duke of Mecklen- 

 burg (1363). The troubles which ensued upon this 

 placing of a German upon the throne of Sweden be- 

 long to the history of that country. 



Hakon, the son of Magnus, married Margaret, the 

 daughter of Waldemar, the Kinc; of Denmark — that 

 illustrious Queen Margaret whose reign shines out 

 as a brief period of prosperity in the troubled history 

 of the Scandinavian countries. The son of these two 

 was Olaf, under whom the crown of Norway was 

 united with that of Denmark ; and this union proved 

 the permanent one. Eventually, after Olaf had died 

 (1387), his mother Margaret was made first regent, 

 and then sole monarch of both these countries. And 

 when the Swedes, growing tired of Albert and of his 

 German proclivities and German favourites, expelled 



