List of wars involving Norway explained

This is a list of wars involving the Kingdom of Norway.

*e.g. result unknown or indecisive/inconclusive, result of internal conflict inside Norway, status quo ante bellum, or a treaty or peace without a clear result.

Pre-unification Viking Age (793–872)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
Viking invasions of England (780-850)Norse Vikings
Kingdom of EnglandViking victory
  • Series of Viking attacks on Christian monasteries in the British Isles
Halfdan the Mild's revolt
(ca. 813)
Halfdan the MildKingdom of DenmarkRevolt successful
  • Denmark is expelled and Vestfold gains independence.
Battle of 839 (839)Norse VikingsPicts
Dál Riata
Norwegian Viking victory
Siege of Paris (845)Norse VikingsViking victory
Viking raid on Nekor[1] [2] [3]
(ca. 859)
Norse VikingsKingdom of NekorViking victory
  • Vikings occupied Nekor for 8 days.
Great Heathen Army's invasion of England (865-878)Norse Vikings
Norse–Gaels
Anglo-Saxon kingdoms:

Kingdom of Strathclyde
Kingdom of Alba

Viking victory
Siege of Dumbarton (870)Norse VikingsBritons of StrathclydeViking victory
  • A fleet of 200 ships transported prisoners to Dublin.
Battle of Thimeon (880)Norse VikingsWest FranciaDefeat
  • Viking Defeat
Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu (881)Norse VikingsWest FranciaDefeat
Siege of Paris (885–886)Norse VikingsWest FranciaStalemate
Battle of Leuven (891)Norse VikingsEast FranciaDefeat
  • Death of Sigfried and Godfried
Æthelwold's Revolt (899–902)Followers of Æthelwold ætheling
Supported by:
Vikings of Northumbria
Kingdom of East Anglia
Followers of Edward the Elder: Defeat
Battle of the Holme (902)Norse VikingsFollowers of Edward the Elder: Viking victory
Siege of Chartres (911)Norse VikingsWest FranciaStalemate

Unification of Norway (860–872)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
Battle of Hakadal
(ca. 860)
VestfoldÁlfheimrVestfold victory
  • Death of Hake Gandalfsson.
Battle of Orkdal
(ca. 870)
VestfoldOrkdalVestfold victory
First Battle of Solskjel
(ca. 870)
VestfoldNordmøre
Romsdal
Vestfold victory
  • Death of the kings of Nordmøre and Romsdal.
Second Battle of Solskjel
(ca. 870)
VestfoldSunnmøre
Firda
Vestfold victory
Götaland Campaign
(ca. 870)
VestfoldGeatsVestfold victory
Battle of Fjaler
(ca. 870)
Earldom of LadeEarldom of SognIndecisive
Battle of Hafrsfjord
(872)
VestfoldHordaland
Rogaland
Agder
Vestfold victory

Kingdom of Norway (872–1319)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
War between King Haakon the Good and the sons of Eirik Bloodaxe
(955-961)
Haakon the GoodThe sons of Eirik Bloodaxe
Denmark
The sons of Eirik Bloodaxe Victory
Ladejarl-Fairhair succession wars
(970-1030)
Fairhair dynasty Ladejarls
Denmark
Victory
Sack of Santiago de Compostela
(968)
Norwegian VikingsVictory
Norwegian-Jomsviking War
(986)
Kingdom of NorwayDenmark
Jomsvikings
Victory
  • Danish fleet defeated
Battle of Maldon
(991)
Kingdom of NorwayAnglo-SaxonsVictory
Norwegian Raid of the Rus
(997)
Norwegian VikingsVictory
Battle of Svolder
(999/1000)
Kingdom of NorwayDenmark
Sweden
Earls of Lade
Defeat
Battle of Vinland (1003)Icelandic and Norwegian VikingsNative warriorsVictory
  • Viking victory and withdrawal.
Battle of Thetford (1004) Norway
Anglo-Saxons
Kingdom of DenmarkAnglo-Norwegian Victory
Battle at Herdaler
(1007/8)
Kingdom of NorwayFinns of HerdalerDefeat
Olav II's landing in Osilia
(1008)
Kingdom of NorwayOsiliansVictory
  • The Osilians are defeated
Battle of Ringmere
(1010)
Norway
Anglo-Saxons
Victory
  • Ango-Norwegian victory
Battle of Vinland (1010)Icelandic and Norwegian VikingsNative warriorsVictory
  • Native attack repelled; Viking withdrawal.
Swedish-Norwegian War
(1015-1018)
Kingdom of Norway Victory
  • Olav II reconquers any land lost to Sweden excluding Jämtland, Härjedalen and Hälsingland, in which Jämtland and Härjedalen wouldn't be recorded as under Norwegian overlordship until 1111.
Olav II's conquest of Norway
(1015-1016)
Kingdom of NorwayKingdom of Sweden
Kingdom of Denmark
Earldom of Orkney
Victory
  • The territorial changes following the Battle of Svolder are reversed, barring Jämtland, which would remain under Swedish overlordship until the 12th century.
Cnut the Great's invasion of England (1016) Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Norway
Kingdom of EnglandDano-Norwegian victory
  • Personal union formed between Denmark and England in 1018.
  • Following Edmund's death on 30 November, Cnut ascends to the throne as the sole king of England.
Battle of the Helgeå
(1026)
Kingdom of Norway
Sweden
Anglo-Danish KingdomDefeat
Battle of Boknafjorden
(1028)
Erling SkjalgssonVictory
  • Death of Erling Skjalgsson
Cnut's invasion of Norway
(1028-1029)
North Sea Empire
Norwegian chieftains
Danish and Norwegian chieftain victory
  • Norway conquered by King Cnut
  • King Olaf II was driven into exile to Kievan Rus
Battle of Stiklestad
(1030)
Peasant ArmyPeasant victory
  • Death of Olaf II
Tryggvi the Pretender's invasion of Norway
(1033)
North Sea EmpireTryggvi the PretenderInvasion failed
  • Death of Tryggvi the Pretender
Norwegian-Wendish War
(1043)
Kingdom of Norway

  • Danish Rebels
Victory
  • Destruction the Viking fort Jomsborg, possibly to destroy the Danish competitors to the throne. Plundering of the Wendish town of Jumne.
Magnus the Good's conquest of Denmark
(1043-1045)
Kingdom of Norway Victory
Invasions of Denmark
(1048–1064)
Kingdom of NorwayDenmarkStalemate
  • Peace agreement, mutual recognition and withdrawal
Swedish–Norwegian War (1063)
(1063/4)
Kingdom of Norway
Kingdom of Sweden
Victory
  • Hadrada defeats Haakon Ivarsson Jarl
  • Norwegian authority strengthened in the Uplands
Revolt in the Uplands
(1064-1065)
Kingdom of NorwayRevolting farmersVictory
  • Small farms and villages burned down by Hadrada. Uplands becomes more integrated into Norway
Invasion of England
(1066)
Kingdom of NorwayEnglandDefeat
First Irish Sea Campaign
(1098)
Kingdom of NorwayEnglandIrish KingdomsVictory
Swedish–Norwegian War (1099–1101) Kingdom of NorwaySwedenInconclusive
  • Through the marriage of Magnus Barefoot and Margaret Fredkulla, Inge's daughter, Norway gains the land of Dalsland. However, due to the marriage being childless, Dalsland never becomes integrated into Norway, and it's returned to Sweden after Magnus died in 1103
Second Irish Sea Campaign
(1101/1102 - 1103)
Kingdom of NorwayEnglandIrish KingdomsDefeat
  • Norway loses control of the Irish Sea region
Norwegian Crusade
(1107–1110)

Kingdom of Norway
Fatimid Caliphate
Almoravid Empire
Taifa of Badajoz
Taifa of Majorca
Barbary pirates of Majorca
Victory
Kalmar Crusade
(1123)
Kingdom of NorwayNorse pagansVictory
  • The pagans converted to Christianity
Civil war era in Norway
(1130–1240)
BirkebeinersBaglersBirkebeiner victory
Norwegian Crusade (1152-1155)
(1152-1155)
Kingdom of Norway Unknown MuslimsVictory
  • Crusaders are victorious.
Valdemar's First Invasion of Norway
(1165)
Kingdom of Norway Kingdom of DenmarkVictory
  • Danes retreated back to Denmark
Valdemar's Second Invasion of Norway
(1168)
Kingdom of Norway Kingdom of DenmarkVictory
  • Danish Leidang fleet forced to retreat.
Age of the Sturlungs
(1220 - 1264)
Kingdom of Norway
Icelandic Gothis
Commonwealth GothisOld Covenant
Campaign in Värmland
(1225)
Kingdom of NorwayVärmlandInconclusive
Battle of the Neva
(1240)
Sweden
Finns
Tavastia
Kingdom of Norway
Novgorod Republic
Karelians
Defeat
Halland War (1256) Norway DenmarkVictory
Scottish–Norwegian War
(1261–1264)
Kingdom of Norway ScotlandIndecisive
War of the Outlaws (1289-1295) Norway
Danish outlaws
DenmarkVictory
Second Swedish Brother's Feud
(1304–1310)
(1304-1308)
Duke Eric and Valdemar
(1308-1310)

Birger Magnusson
Victory

House of Bjelbo (1319-1387)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
Campaign against Ingeborg (1323)[5] Swedish-Norwegian UnionIngeborg of NorwayPeace of Skara
  • Ingeborg is forced to exchange Axvall for the unfortified Dåvö in Västmanland
First Norwegian Noble Rising (1331-1333) Swedish-Norwegian UnionNorwegian noblesNorwegian nobles victory
  • The Norwegian Royal Seal is given to the Norwegian nobels
  • Ivar Ogmundsson is appointed as Royal Seal holder
Second Norwegian Noble Rising (1338-1339) Swedish-Norwegian UnionNorwegian noblesNorwegian nobles victory
  • King Magnus VII made an agreement with the Norwegian nobles
Kalundborg War (1341-1343) Swedish-Norwegian Union DenmarkLübeck
Rostock
Hamburg
Stralsund
Wismar
Greifswald
Victory
Magnus's war against Russia
(1348-1351)[6]
Swedish-Norwegian UnionNovgorodTruce of Dorprat
  • Swedish-Norwegian success in the beginning
  • Swedish-Norwegian failure to keep Nöteborg
Danish-Hanseatic War (1361-1370) First Phase (1361–1365)

Second Phase (1367–1370)

First Phase (1361–1365) Kingdom of DenmarkSecond Phase (1367–1370)

Kingdom of Denmark

Kingdom of Norway

First Phase: Danish VictorySecond Phase: Hanseatic victory
  • The Hanseatic League gains control over several forts in Scania
  • The Hanseatic League became one of the most powerful military and economic powers in Northern Europe
Mecklenburgian invasion of Sweden (1363–1364) Swedish-Norwegian Union Mecklenburg Treaty of Jönköping (1364)
Wars of Deposition against Magnus
(1363–1371)
Norway

Swedish Loyalists
Saxe-Lauenburg
Mecklenburg
Swedish Nobles
Swedish Rebels
Teutonic Order
Confederation of Cologne
Treaty of Edsvik (1371)

Kalmar Union (1397–1523)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
War with the Victual Brothers
(1392–1398)
Victual BrothersVictory
  • Formation of the Kalmar Union.
Dano-Hanseatic War
(1426–1435)
House of Schaumburg
Hanseatic League
Defeat
  • Treaty of Vordingborg
Amund Sigurdsson Bolt Rebellion
(1436)
Amund Sigurdsson Bolt Ceasefire
Graatop Rebellion
(1438)
Hallvard GraatopRebellion Suppressed
Novgorodian-Norwegian war
(1445)
Norway Novgorod RepublicVictory
Krummedige-Tre Rosor feud
(1448 - 1502)
Krummedige family
Denmark
Tre Rosor family
Sweden
Krummedige victory
  • The male Tre Rosor line in Norway becomes extinct.
  • Norwegian monarchy strengthened
  • Prince Christian maintains control over Norway.
War of the Norwegian Succession
(1448–1453)
Denmark
Pro-Danish Norwegians
Sweden
Pro-Swedish Norwegians
Pro-Danish Victory
  • Christian I becomes king of Norway
  • Charles I relinquish the throne of Norway
Dano-Swedish War
(1501–1512)
Sweden
Free City of Lübeck
Norwegian rebels[7]
Victory
Alvsson Rebellion
(1501–1504)
Knut Alvsson (until 1502)
Nils Ravaldsson (from 1502)
Sweden
Rebellion Suppressed
  • Dano-Norwegian ties solidified
Orm Eriksson Tax Revolt
(1519)
Orm Eriksson
Jon Eilivsson
Rebellion Suppressed
Swedish War of Liberation
(1521–1523)
Sweden
Free City of Lübeck
Defeat

Denmark–Norway (1523/1537–1800)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
Christian II's invasion of Norway
(1531–1532)
Christian II Frederick IInvasion failed
  • Christian II imprisoned
Olav Engelbrektsson's Rebellion (1536–1537) Protestants
Denmark
CatholicsProtestant Victory
Icelandic Reformation (1538–1550) Icelandic CatholicsProtestant Victory
  • Jón Arason defeated and captured
  • Collapse of Catholicism in Iceland
Peasant's Rebellion in Telemark (1540) Denmark–Norway Norwegian peasantsRebellion suppressed
Peasant's Rebellion in Agder (1540-1541) Denmark–Norway Norwegian peasantsRebellion suppressed
Dacke War (1542) Kingdom of Sweden
[8]
Landsknechte
Denmark-Norway
Peasants under Nils Dacke peasant militiaVictory
  • Royal power strengthened
  • No further civil wars or major uprisings in Scandinavia
Italian War of 1542–1546 (1542)
Ottoman Empire

Jülich-Cleves-Berg
Denmark-Norway



Brandenburg
Spain
England
Status quo ante bellum
  • Treaty of Speyer (1544)
  • Holy Roman Emperor Charles V recognized Christian III as the rightful king of Denmark and Norway
Livonian War (1558–1583) Livonian Confederation
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Kingdom of Sweden
Zaporozhian Cossacks
Principality of Transylvania
Tsardom of Russia
Qasim Khanate
Kingdom of Livonia
Victory
Campaign of 1559 (1559) DithmarschenVictory
  • Conquest of Dithmarschen
Northern Seven Years' War (1563–1570)
Free City of Lübeck
Poland–Lithuania
SwedenStatus quo ante bellum
Polish–Swedish War (1563–1568) (1563–1568) Poland–Lithuania
Denmark–Norway
Lübeck
SwedenStatus quo ante bellum
Dano-Norwegian attack on Poland (1571) Polish–Lithuanian CommonwealthVictory
  • The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Navy was reduced to half of its previous strength
Danzig rebellion (1575–1577)City of Danzig
[9]
Polish–Lithuanian CommonwealthPeace
The First Turkish Abductions (1607)Defeat
  • Abduction of many Icelanders and Faroese people
Kalmar War (1611–1613) SwedenVictory
Thirty Years' War (1625–1629)Protestant States and Allies Sweden


(1625–1629)


Electorate of the Palatinate
Brunswick-Lüneburg


Brandenburg-Prussia
Transylvania
Hungarian Anti-Habsburg Rebels
Zaporozhian Cossacks
Roman Catholic States and Allies

Spain and its possessions
(1643–1645)

Defeat
The Second Turkish Abductions (1627)Defeat
  • Abduction of many Icelanders
Torstenson War (1643–1645)
Sweden
Defeat
Second Northern War (1657–1660) Habsburg monarchy
Poland–Lithuania
Russia (1656–58)
Brandenburg-Prussia

Sweden
Brandenburg-Prussia
Transylvania
Ukrainian Cossacks
Wallachia
Moldavia
Defeat
Dano-Swedish War (1657–1658) (1657–1658)
Poland–Lithuania
Defeat
  • Decisive Swedish victory; Treaty of Roskilde/Treaty of Taastrup
Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660) (1658–1660)

Brandenburg-Prussia
Poland–Lithuania
Victory
Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–1667)


Bishopric of Münster
Victory
Second Swedish War on Bremen (1666) SwedenDraw
Scanian War (1675–1679)


Brandenburg
Sweden
Status quo ante bellum
Siege of Hamburg (1689) (1689) Denmark–Norway Hamburg
Brunswick-Lüneburg
Brandenburg-Prussia
Peace agreement
  • Dano-Norwegian withdrawal
  • Hamburg pays 300,000 thalers as compensation to Denmark-Norway
Great Northern War (1700–1720) Tsardom of Russia

Poland–Lithuania
Cossack Hetmanate

Hanover

Denmark–Norway

Holstein-Gottorp
Poland–Lithuania
Victory
Rákóczi's War of Independence (1703–1711) Kuruc forces (Kingdom of Hungary)
Principality of Transylvania
Victory
  • Rebellion suppressed
Strilekrigen (1765)Norwegian peasantsRebellion suppressed
Danish–Algerian War (1769–1772) Denmark–Norway Dey of AlgiersDefeat
Royal Life Guards' Mutiny (1771) Royal Life GuardExecution of Struensee
Lofthusreisingen (1786–1787)Norwegian peasantsRebellion suppressed
Theatre War (1788–1789)Inconclusive
Action of 16 May 1797 (1797) (de jure) Inconclusive
Lærdal Rebellion (1800–1802) Norwegian peasantsRebellion suppressed

Colonial Wars (1600–1800)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
Conquest of Koneswaram Temple (1618–1620)[10]

Portuguese CeylonDefeat
Roland Crappé's raids on Portuguese colonies (1619)

Supported by:
Thanjavur Nayak kingdom
Portuguese CeylonPortuguese IndiaDefeat
Action of 19 February 1619 (1619) French pirates
Victory
  • Dano-Norwegian Victory
  • French ships conquered
Siege of Dansborg (1624) (1624)Thanjavur NayakVictory
  • Thanjavur recognizes Tranquebar as Danish
Dano-Mughal War (1642–1698)[11] Denmark–Norway Mughal EmpirePeace treaty
  • Dannemarksnagore ceded to Danish India for 30,000 rupees to be paid over ten years
Conflict between Willem Leyel and Bernt Pessart (1644) Leyel loyalist

Dutch Coromandel

English Madras

Portuguese Carical

Supported by:

Thanjavur Nayak

Willem victory
Siege of Dansborg (1644) (1644)Thanjavur Nayak kingdomInconclusive
Sieges of Tranquebar (1655–1669) (1655–1669)Thanjavur Nayak kingdomVictory
  • Villages of Poreiar, Tillali and Erikutanchery ceded to the Danes
Dano-Dutch Colonial War in Guinea (1660–1664)[12] Denmark–Norway

Fetu tribe
Victory
Gã-Akwamu War (1678)Ga-Adangbe
AkwamuVictory
  • Assult reppeled
Slave insurrection on St. John (1733–1734) Rebel slavesVictory
  • Rebellion suppressed
Danish-Dutch conflict over Greenland (1739)Dutch whalersVictory
  • Dutch presence on Greenland collapses
Cattle War (1756)Thanjavur Maratha kingdom Defeat
Sagbadre War (1784) Ada-Danish Alliance Anlo ConfederacyVictory
  • Return of territory previously acquired by Anlo from the Alliance
  • Construction of Fort Prinzenstein

Napoleonic Wars (1800–1814)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Results
Napoleonic Wars (1800–1815)





Spain
Portugal
(until 1803)
Defeat
English Wars (1801, 1807–1814) Denmark–Norway
French Empire
Spain
United Kingdom
Sweden
Defeat
Franco-Swedish War (1805–1810)Victory

Sweden regains Swedish PomeraniaSweden integrates the Continental System

Gunboat War (1807–1814)Defeat
Peninsular War (1807–1814)

    (Evacuation of La Romana's division)

    Stalemate for Denmark-Norway
    Dano-Swedish War (1808–09) (1808–1809) Denmark–Norway
    France
    Sweden
    Stalemate
    Jørgen Jørgensen's Revolution (1809)
    IcelandVictory
    • Imprisonment of Jørgen Jørgensen
    French invasion of Russia (1812)

    French allies:


    Denmark-Norway

    Defeat
    • Start of the Sixth Coalition
    Dano-Swedish War (1813–1814) (1813-1814)
    French Empire
    Duchy of Warsaw
    Sweden




    Mecklenburg-Schwerin
    Defeat
    War of the Sixth Coalition (1813-1814)
    Kingdom of Prussia


    Sweden
    Spanish Empire
    Kingdom of Portugal


    Saxony


    Baden
    United Netherlands
    Defeat

    Kingdom of Norway (1814–present)

    ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2ResultsPrime MinisterCasualties
    Swedish–Norwegian War
    (1814)
    Norway SwedenDefeat (but Swedish acceptance of the Eidsvoll Constitution)
    World War II
    (1940–1945)

    United States


    France
    Poland


    Denmark
    Norway
    Netherlands
    Belgium
    Luxembourg

    Ethiopia

    Mexico
    Colombia
    Cuba
    Philippines
    Mongolia






    Slovakia
    Victory
    Congo Crisis
    (1960–1964)
    Congo-Léopoldville

    Victory
    Bosnian War
    (1992–1995)
    Victory
    Kosovo War
    (1998–1999)
    UÇK
    Victory
    War in Afghanistan
    (2001 - 2021)
    Afghanistan
    TalibanDefeat
    • Fall of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
    • Taliban retake Kabul
    Libyan Civil War
    (2011)
    NTC
    LibyaVictory
    • The NTC assumed interim control of Libya

    See also

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: The Vikings raided Africa and then took slaves back to Ireland | Smash Company.
    2. Web site: History: The Viking Adventure In Morocco.
    3. Ibn-Adhari, translated in Stefansson, Jon, "The Vikings in Spain. From Arabic (Moorish) and Spanish Sources". In Saga-Book of the Viking Club: Vol. VI Proceedings. University of London King's College, 1909, pp. 40–41.
    4. Web site: Heimskringla: Saga of Olaf Haraldson: Part I. mcllibrary.org. 2018-03-22.
    5. Book: Sundberg, Ulf . Medeltidens svenska krig . Hjalmarson & Högberg . 1999 . 9189080262 . 1st . Stockholm . 135 . Swedish.
    6. Book: Sundberg, Ulf . Medeltidens svenska krig . Hjalmarson & Högberg . 1999 . 9189080262 . 1st . Stockholm . 153–155.
    7. Web site: Knut Alvsson. Store norske leksikon. Erik Opsahl. 1 June 2017. 18 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210118200312/https://snl.no/Knut_Alvsson. live.
    8. Book: Eriksson, Bo . Lützen 1632 . Stockholm: Norstedts . 2007 . 978-91-7263-790-0 . 29–31 . Swedish.
    9. Book: Oakley, Stewart Philip . War and peace in the Baltic, 1560-1790 . 1992 . Routledge . 978-0-415-02472-3 . War in context . London.
    10. Frykenberg . R. E. . Deyell . J. . February 1980 . Tranquebar: A Guide to the Coins of Danish India, Circa 1620 to 1845. By John C. F. Gray. Lawrence, Mass.: Quarterman Publications, 1974. 83 pp. Illustrations. $12.50. . The Journal of Asian Studies . 39 . 2 . 391 . 10.1017/s0021911800162953 . 2024-11-16 . 0021-9118.
    11. Wellen . Kathryn . 2015-09-02 . The Danish East India Company's War against the Mughal Empire, 1642-1698 . Journal of Early Modern History . 19 . 5 . 439–461 . 10.1163/15700658-12342470 . 1385-3783.
    12. Web site: Milhist . 2013-10-27 . Dansk-hollandsk kolonikrig i Guinea - . 2023-12-22 . milhist.dk . da-DK.
    13. Book: Zamoyski, Adam . 2004 . Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March . 17 April 2021 . London . HarperCollins . 978-0-00-712375-9 . 87.