Traditionally the Norwegian kings had been elected by the several things held around the country. This practise often led to there being several kings at the same time. After the civil wars in the 12th century, Erling Skakke introduced a new law that there would be only one king, and that the oldest surviving son of the previous king should inherit the throne. At the same time, Erling introduced a system where the most powerful men in the country would meet with the power to veto a candidate if they found him to be unsuitable.
Erling's son Magnus V had no heirs.
| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir | Reason | Ceased to be heir | Reason | Monarch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heir apparent | Son | 15 June 1184 | Father became king | c. 1200 | died | Sverre | ||
| Håkon | Heir apparent | Son | c.1200 | Elder brother died | 9 March 1202 | Became king | Sverre | |
| Guttorm | Heir presumptive | Nephew | 9 March 1202 | Uncle became king | 1 January 1204 | Became king | Håkon III |
During the reign of Inge II there was never any clear heir, and after his death several relatives claimed the throne. At a church meeting in 1223 it was decided that the church was backing the candidacy of Håkon Håkonsson. There was no heir until his first son was born in 1226.
| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir | Reason | Ceased to be heir | Reason | Monarch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olav | Heir apparent | Son | 1226 | Born | 1229 | Died | Håkon IV | |
| Heir apparent | Son | 19 November 1232 | Born | 5 May 1257 | Died | Håkon IV | ||
| Magnus | Heir apparent | Son | 5 May 1257 | Older brother died | 16 December 1263 | Became king | Håkon IV | |
| Olav | Heir apparent | Eldest son | 1262 | Born | 1267 | Died | Magnus VI | |
| Eric | Heir apparent | Son | 1268 | Born | 9 May 1280 | Became king | Magnus VI | |
| Håkon | Heir presumptive | Younger brother | 9 May 1280 | Brother became king | 15 July 1299 | Became king | Eric II | |
| Magnus | Heir presumptive | Grandson | 1316 | Born | 8 May 1319 | Became king | Håkon V | |
| Heir apparent | Eldest son | 1339 | Born | 15 August 1343 | Treaty (brother became king) | Magnus VII | ||
| Olav | Heir apparent | Only son | 1370 | Born | 29 July 1380 | Became king | Håkon VI |
Hereditary Kingdom of Norway#Unions with Denmark and SwedenNorway became an elected kingdom, and joined several unions with Sweden and Denmark. However, the tradition arose that during his own lifetime the King would choose an heir among his sons and have him hailed as such, strongly influencing the electing council's choice.
| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir | Reason | Ceased to be heir | Reason | Monarch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick | Heir elect | Son | 1536 | Elected | 1 January 1559 | Became king | Christian III | |
| Heir elect | Son | 1610 | Elected | 2 June 1647 | Died | Christian IV |
| Monarch | Heir | Relationship to monarch | Became heir (Date; Reason) | Ceased to be heir (Date; Reason) | Next in line of succession |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederik III | Crown Prince Christian | Son | 14 November 1665 King's Law established | 9 February 1670 Father died, became king | Prince Jørgen, brother |
| Christian V | Prince Jørgen | Brother | 9 February 1670 Brother became king | 2 October 1671 Son born to king | Anna Sophie, Hereditary Electress of Saxony, sister |
| Crown Prince Frederik | Son | 2 October 1671 Born | 25 August 1699 Father died, became king | Prince Jørgen, 1671–1672, uncle | |
| Prince Christian Vilhelm, 1672–1673, brother | |||||
| Prince Jørgen, 1673–1675, uncle | |||||
| Prince Christian, 1675–1695, brother | |||||
| Prince Carl, 1695–1697, brother | |||||
| Prince Christian, 1697–1698, son | |||||
| Prince Carl, 1698–1699, brother | |||||
| Frederik IV | Prince Carl | Brother | 25 August 1699 Brother became king | 10 December 1699 Son born to king | Prince Vilhelm, brother |
| Crown Prince Christian | Son | 10 December 1699 Born | 12 October 1730 Father died, became king | Prince Carl, 1699–1701, uncle | |
| Prince Frederik Karl, 1701–1702, brother | |||||
| Prince Carl, 1702–1703, uncle | |||||
| Prince Jørgen, 1703–1704, brother | |||||
| Prince Carl, 1704–1723, uncle | |||||
| Prince Frederik, 1723–1730, son | |||||
| Christian VI | Crown Prince Frederik | Son | 12 October 1730 Father became king | 6 August 1746 Father died, became king | Princess Louise, 1730–1745, sister |
| Prince Christian, 1745–1746, son | |||||
| Frederik V | Crown Prince Christian | Son | 6 August 1746 Father became king | 3 June 1747 Died | Princess Sophie Magdalene, sister |
| Princess Sophie Magdalene | Daughter | 3 June 1747 Brother died | 29 January 1749 Son born to king | Princess Louise, 1747, aunt | |
| Princess Vilhelmine Karoline, 1747–1749, sister | |||||
| Crown Prince Christian | Son | 29 January 1749 Born | 14 January 1766 Father died, became king | Princess Sophie Magdalene, 1749–1753, sister | |
| Prince Frederik, 1753–1766, half-brother | |||||
| Christian VII | Hereditary Prince Frederik | Half-brother | 14 January 1766 Half-brother became king | 28 January 1768 Son born to king | Sophie Magdalene, Crown Princess of Sweden, half-sister |
| Crown Prince Frederik | Son | 28 January 1768 Born | 13 March 1808 Father died, became king | Prince Frederik, 1768–1791, uncle | |
| Prince Christian, 1791, son | |||||
| Prince Frederik, 1791–1797, uncle | |||||
| Prince Christian, 1797, son | |||||
| Prince Frederik, 1797–1805, uncle | |||||
| Prince Christian Frederik, 1805–1808, first cousin | |||||
| Frederik VI | First cousin | 13 March 1808 First cousin became king | 7 February 1814 First cousin abdicated, real union dissolved and independance of Norway | Prince Ferdinand, 1808, brother | |
| Prince Frederik, 1808–1814, son | |||||
Kingdom of Norway (1814)
| |||||
| Monarch | Heir | Relationship to monarch | Became heir (Date; Reason) | Ceased to be heir (Date; Reason) | Next in line of succession |
| Prince Frederik of Denmark, 1814, son | Son | 17 May 1814 Father elected as king | 10 October 1814 Father abdicated, personal union with Sweden established | Prince Ferdinand of Denmark, uncle | |
| In personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden (Sweden–Norway); House of Holstein-Gottorp (1751–1818) | |||||
| Monarch | Heir | Relationship to monarch | Became heir (Date; Reason) | Ceased to be heir (Date; Reason) | Next in line of succession |
| Karl II | Crown Prince Karl Johan | Adopted son | 4 November 1814 | 5 February 1818 | Prince Oscar, Duke of Södermanland, son |
| In personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden (Sweden–Norway); House of Bernadotte (1818–1905) | |||||
| Monarch | Heir | Relationship to monarch | Became heir (Date; Reason) | Ceased to be heir (Date; Reason) | Next in line of succession |
| Karl III Johan | Son | 5 February 1818 Father became king | 8 March 1844 Father died, became king | None, 1818–1826 | |
| Prince Karl, Duke of Skåne, 1826–1844, son | |||||
| Oscar I | Crown Prince Karl, Duke of Skåne | Son | 8 March 1844 Father became king | 8 July 1859 Father died, became king | Prince Gustaf, Duke of Uppland, 1844–1852, brother |
| Prince Oscar, Duke of Östergötland, 1852, brother | |||||
| Prince Oscar, Duke of Östergötland, 1854–1859, brother | |||||
| Karl IV | Prince Oscar, Duke of Östergötland | Brother | 8 July 1859 Brother became king | 13 September 1872 | Prince Gustaf, Duke of Värmland, son |
| Oscar II | Crown Prince Gustaf, Duke of Värmland | Son | 13 September 1872 Father became king | 7 June 1905 Father deposed, personal union dissolved | Prince Oscar, Duke of Gotland, 1872–1882, brother |
| Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Skåne, 1882–1905, son | |||||
| After the personal union with Sweden; House of Glücksburg (1905–present) | |||||
| Monarch | Heir | Relationship to monarch | Became heir (Date; Reason) | Ceased to be heir (Date; Reason) | Next in line of succession |
| Haakon VII | Crown Prince Olav | Son | 18 November 1905 Father elected as king, confirmed by referendum | 21 September 1957 Father died, became king | None, 1905–1937 |
| Prince Harald, 1937–1957, son | |||||
| Olav V | Crown Prince Harald | Son | 21 September 1957 Father became king | 17 January 1991 Father died, became king | None, 1957–1973 |
| Prince Haakon, 1973–1991, son | |||||
| Harald V | Crown Prince Haakon | Son | 17 January 1991 Father became king | Incumbent | Princess Märtha Louise, 1991–2004, sister |
| Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 2004–present, daughter | |||||