Erling Vidkunsson was born into a noble family of Bjarkøy which held lands principally in northern Norway. From his father, Vidkun Erlingsson (ca 1260–1302), Erling inherited Bjarkøy and from his mother Gyrid Andresdottir, a descendant of the son of King Inge Stenkilsson of Sweden, he inherited land at Sudreim (Old Norse Suđrheimr) located at Sørum in Romerike.
He received the position of High Justiciar (drottsete) of the country. He was Lord of Bjarkoy and Giske and was probably the most important and wealthy Norwegian noble of his era. The ancestral seat was in Hålogaland, in the region of Tromsø.
Erling Vidkunsson became the largest holder of noble estate in Norway.
In 1319, Magnus IV of Sweden, a child three years old, succeeded to the Norwegian throne. A regency was set up for the young king, with Erling"s regency extending from 1323-1332.
The regency-like system continued also because Magnus primarily resided not in Norway, but in neighboring Sweden. Magnus was acclaimed as hereditary king of Norway at the Haugating in Tønsberg in August 1319 under the regency of his mother, Ingeborg Håkonsdotter.
In February 1323, the Norwegian regency council rebelled against Queen Ingeborg.
During the years 1323-1331, Erling Vidkunsson led the Norwegian State Board of Royal Authority (norske riksstyret medical kongelig myndighet) and held the title of drottsete until Magnus was declared to have come of age at 15. By 1343, Norway desired to be more independent of Sweden. Although the young prince was nominally under regency of his father, Norway received a level of independence and the administration continued under Vidkunsson.
Later when the young king was sent to Norway, Vidkunsson was to lead his education.
Many of Norway"s highest nobles for the next three centuries would be descended from Erling Vidkunsson. Vidkunsson"s only son Bjarne Erlingsson predeceased him.
Gyrid Erlingsdottir married Eiliv Eilivsson of Naustdalsætten (Old Norse Naustdalr) and Gjertrud Erlingsdottir who married Otte Rømer, received the Sørum land.
