Bagler

The Bagler (Old Norse: Baglar, meaning "crozier men") were a faction during the Norwegian Civil War era (1130-1217). They primarily represented the aristocracy, landowners, and the established church, generally opposing the Birkebeiner faction who drew support from the peasantry and landless classes. The Bagler party was formed in Viken (the Oslofjord area) in 1196, during the reign of King Sverre Sigurdsson, in response to his increasingly authoritarian rule and challenges to the church's authority.

The Baglers sought to replace Sverre, and later his successors, with their own pretenders to the throne, claiming legitimate descent from previous Norwegian kings. Key Bagler pretenders included Inge Magnusson, Erling Steinvegg, and Philippus Simonsson. The conflict between the Baglers and the Birkebeiners was characterized by intermittent warfare, shifting alliances, and periods of relative peace. The Baglers generally held sway over the Viken region, while the Birkebeiners were stronger in Trøndelag and other parts of Norway.

The Bagler party ultimately dissolved after the death of Philippus Simonsson in 1217 and the subsequent agreement between the Birkebeiner king Håkon Håkonsson and the Bagler claimant's brother-in-law, Earl Skule Bårdsson. This agreement, facilitated by the mediation of the church, brought an end to the era of large-scale civil war in Norway and helped to consolidate Håkon Håkonsson's rule, marking a significant turning point in Norwegian history.