# Swedish jarls

Swedish jarls were powerful noblemen in Sweden around the 12th and 13th centuries. There usually was only one holder of the title at a time, second only to the King of Sweden.
For special occasions, regional jarls outside of Sweden could be nominated as well. An example of this is Jon Jarl, who allegedly conducted pirate operations against Novgorod in the east.

## History

According to Procopius, the Heruli, after having raided the European continent for several generations, returned to Scandinavia in 512 as a result of military defeats. As their old territory was now occupied by the Danes, they settled next to the Geats in present-day Sweden. No elaborate theory exists to explain how the word came to be used as a title. Arguably, their knowledge in interpreting runes also meant they were gifted in martial arts and, as they gradually integrated, eril or jarl instead came to signify the rank of a leader. As described in the Icelandic sagas, such as Rígsthula, a jarl was a sort of chieftain next in rank to the king in the function of Marshal or Duke of the King's Army. Under any circumstance, when jarls are finally mentioned in medieval documents, it clearly was a title signifying a leader ranked directly under the king.
In Swedish history, Jarls are described as either local rulers or viceroys appointed by a king, ruling one of the historical Swedish provinces, such as Västergötland, Östergötland, or Svitjod. In Norway, the jarls apparently kept this role and the kings attempted to introduce one in each county (fylke) before the title was used exclusively on the Orkney Islands in the 14th century. Swedish jarls were powerful men, such as Birger Brosa, Ulf Fase, and Birger Jarl (original patronym Magnusson), and often the true rulers of the Swedish kingdom. After the death of Birger Jarl, the title was replaced by that of a duke (Swedish: hertig) in the 13th century. The first duke was Birger Jarl's son Magnus (later known as Ladulås).

## Jarls of Sweden

* Birger Brosa (died 1202), jarl in 1174–1202
* Johan Sverkersson (c. 1201 – 1222), appointed jarl in 1202 at the age of one
* Jon Jarl (died c. 1206), mentioned in Erik's Chronicle
* Knut Birgersson (died 1208), jarl to Sverker the Younger, killed at the Battle of Lena
* Folke Birgersson [sv], 1208–1210, killed in 1210 at the Battle of Gestilren
* Karl the Deaf (Karl Döve; died 1220), killed at the Battle of Lihula
* Ulf Fase (died 1247), jarl from c. 1220 and possibly until his death
* Birger Magnusson (c. 1210 – 1266), jarl in 1248–1266

## Regional jarls
### Jarls of Västergötland

* Ulf Tostesson
* Ragnvald Ulfsson (c. 1010–20), later jarl of Staraja Ladoga and Ingria. Father of king Stenkil of Sweden.

### Other

* Jon Jarl (possibly several ones)
* Roger I of Sicily (Jarl Rogeirr)

## In popular culture

* In the History Channel's historical drama television series Vikings, actor Thorbjørn Harr plays the character of Jarl Borg, a Jarl of Götaland.
* In the video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the rulers of the various cities and their respective regions, called within the game as the nine holds, are known as Jarls.
* In the NRK television series Norsemen, there are two jarls: Jarl Varg, the primary antagonist of the show, and Jarl Bjorn, a character in Season 3.