Magnus III of Norway

Magnus Barefoot (1073-1103), son of Olav Kyrre, was king of Norway from 1093 until 1103. His surname, Barfot, means barefoot or bareleg and is commonly attributed to him wearing Scottish kilts. This, however, is a myth; Magnus could not have worn the kilt as the kilt did not exist until several hundred years after his death. Instead, it is likely that he wore a form of the tunic preferred by the Gaels that went down no further than the kneecap, while the Norse were more accustomed to a longer tunic that went as far down as the ankles.

In 1098, he conquered the Orkney Islands and the Hebrides.

In 1101, he married Margareta, the daughter of his former enemy Inge Stenkilsson, king of Sweden. Their sons were Olav Magnusson, Øystein Magnusson and Sigurd Magnusson (later known as Sigurd Jorsalfar). After his death, Harald Gille and Sigurd Slembedjakn both claimed to be his illegitimate sons (and thus heirs to the throne).

Magnus died in battle in Ireland in 1103.

External links

• Magnus Barefoot's Saga, from Heimskringla (English translation): http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Heimskringla/barefoot.html