Editing Haakon IV (section)

===Involvements abroad===
Relations were hostile with both Sweden and Denmark from the start of his reign. During Haakon's rivalry with Earl Skule, Skule sought the support of [[Valdemar II of Denmark]], but any aid was made impossible after Valdemar's capture by one of his vassals. Since the Danes wanted overlordship of Norway and supported the [[Guelphs and Ghibellines|Guelphs]] (those supporting the Pope over the Holy Roman Emperor), Haakon in turn sought closer ties with the Ghibelline Emperor Frederick II, who sent ambassadors to Norway. As Haakon had gained a powerful reputation due to the strength of his fleet, other European rulers wanted to benefit from his friendship. Despite the struggle between the Pope and the Emperor, Haakon was able to maintain friendships with both. According to an English chronicler, the Pope wanted Haakon to become Holy Roman Emperor.<ref>Per G. Norseng: [http://snl.no/H%C3%A5kon_4_H%C3%A5konsson_%28den_gamle%29 Håkon 4 Håkonsson] (in [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]) [[Store Norske Leksikon]], retrieved 18 March 2013</ref> It has been suggested that Haakon hesitated to leave Norway due to the Mongol threat.<ref>Orfield & Boyer, 2002, pp. 137–138.</ref>

Haakon pursued a foreign policy that was active in all directions (although foremost to the west and south-east).<ref name="helle197"/> In the north-east, the relationship with [[Novgorod Republic|Novgorod]] had been tense due to a dispute over the right to tax the [[Sami people]], as well as raiding from both Norwegian and Karelian sides. Eventually, the [[Mongol invasion of Rus']] drove Prince [[Alexander Nevsky]] to negotiations with Haakon that likely strengthened Norwegian control of [[Troms]] and [[Finnmark]].<ref name="helle198">Helle, 1995, p. 198.</ref> An embassy from Novgorod one time asked for the hand of Haakon's daughter [[Christina of Norway, Infanta of Castile|Christina]], but Haakon refused due to the Mongol threat.<ref>Bagge, 1996, pp. 121–122.</ref> With Norwegian ships from the port of Elven were active in the waters south of Sweden and into the [[Baltic Sea]], Norway increasingly relied on Baltic grain from [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeck]]. This trade was halted in the late 1240s by the plundering of Norwegian ships in Danish seas by ships from Lübeck. In 1250, Haakon made a peace and trade agreement with Lübeck, which eventually also opened the city of Bergen to the [[Hanseatic League]].<ref name="NBL"/><ref name="helle197">Helle, 1995, p. 197.</ref> During the conflict, Haakon had reportedly been offered control over the city by Emperor Frederick II.<ref name="helle198">Helle, 1995, p. 198.</ref> In any case, Haakon's policy regarding Northern German ports largely derived from his strategy of attempting to exploit the internal turmoil in Denmark after the death of King Valdemar II in 1241.<ref name="helle197"/>

In Scandinavia, Haakon regularly met with neighbouring rulers in the border-area around Elven from the late 1240s through the 1250s. He sent grand fleets as embassies; some reportedly numbered over 300 ships.<ref name="helle197"/> Haakon also reconciled with the Swedes when he his son Haakon the Young married [[Rikissa Birgersdotter|Rikissa]], a daughter of Swedish leader [[Birger Jarl|Earl Birger]].<ref name="OrfBoy138"/> Haakon sought to expand his kingdom southwards of Elven into the Danish province of [[Halland]]. He thus looked for alliance with the Swedes, as well as ties with opponents of the ruling line of monarchs of Denmark. In 1249, Haakon allied with  Earl Birger for a joint Swedish-Norwegian invasion into Halland and [[Scania]], but the agreement was eventually abandoned by the Swedes (''see'' [[Treaty of Lödöse]]). Haakon claimed Halland in 1253, and finally invaded the province on his own in 1256, demanding it as compensation for the looting of Norwegian ships in Danish seas. But he renounced this claim in a 1257 peace agreement with [[Christopher I of Denmark]]. Haakon thereafter negotiated a marriage between his only remaining son, Magnus, and Christopher's niece [[Ingeborg of Denmark, Queen of Norway|Ingeborg]].<ref>Helle, 1995, pp. 197–198.</ref> Haakon's Nordic policies initiated the build-up to the later [[personal union]]s (called the [[Kalmar Union]]), that in the end had dire consequences for Norway as it did not have the economic and military resources to persevere and maintain Haakon's aggressive policies.<ref name="NBL"/>

More distantly, Haakon sought an alliance with [[Alfonso X of Castile]] (a potential next Holy Roman emperor) chiefly as it would guarantee new supplies of grain to Castile in light of rising prices in [[Kingdom of England|England]], and possibly giving access to Baltic grain through Norwegian control of Lübeck. Alfonso in turn sought to expand his influence in Northern Europe, as well as to gain Norwegian naval assistance for the campaign or crusade he had proposed in Morocco<ref name="josoc17"/><ref>O'Callaghan, 1993, p. 202.</ref> (seeing that the [[Al-Andalus|Iberian Moors]] received backing overseas from North Africa).<ref name="helle198"/> Haakon could thus potentially also fulfill his papal vow of crusade, although he likely did not intend to.<ref name="josoc17">O'Callaghan, 2011, p. 17.</ref> He sent an embassy to Castile in 1255. A Castilian ambassador to Norway returned with the embassy, and proposed to establish the "strongest ties of friendship" with Haakon.<ref name="josoc203"/> At the request of Alfonso, Haakon sent his daughter Christina to Castile to marry one of Alfonso's brothers. However, Christina died four years later without children, which marked the effective end of the short-lived alliance,<ref name="josoc17"/><ref name="josoc203">O'Callaghan, 1993, p. 203.</ref> and the proposed crusade fell into the blue.<ref name="helle199"/>