Valdemar II of Denmark
At the death of King Håkon III of Norway in January 1204, no heirs were known. Håkon was therefore succeeded by his 4-year-old nephew Guttorm Sigurdsson who subsequently died in August 1204. Members of the Bagler party became convinced that Erling Steinvegg was a son of King Magnus V of Norway and made him a candidate for the Norwegian throne. King Valdemar II of Denmark attempted to influence the outcome of the Norwegian succession by leading a Danish fleet of over 300 ships and army to Viken in support of Erling as pretender to the Norwegian throne. Erling Steinvegg succeeded at the iron test to show that he was of royal descent. To prove his ancestry, Erling undertook the ordeal in the presence King Valdemar II of Denmark and subsequently received 35 ships as a gift of him. Afterwards, Erling was taken by the king to Haugating in Tønsberg and declared to be king of Norway.