The Comb-Maker's Son Who Took a Throne

A comb-maker's stepson took the throne of Norway. His enemies spent eighteen years saying his blood was fake — and they were never able to prove it either way. The Viking Age had ten rungs between a free farmer and the king's right hand. Every one could be climbed by reputation, oath, and violence. The last one couldn't be climbed at all — it was inherited. Norse law held that a konungr had to be king-born, traced back through the Yngling line to Yngvi-Freyr and to Odin himself. No amount of deeds crossed that line. Then Sverre Sigurdsson did. 00:00 The claim 02:03 Level 1 — Karl 03:58 Level 2 — Drengr 04:55 Level 3 — Hersir 05:52 Level 4 — Jarl 06:47 THE WALL — Royal blood 08:29 THE EXCEPTION — Sverre Sigurdsson 10:09 Level 5 — Jarl of the first rank 11:10 Level 6 — Great jarl 11:42 Level 7 — Lendmann 12:16 Level 8 — Hird 13:05 Level 9 — Stallari 13:52 Level 10 — The king's right hand #vikings #history #norse