Frederik Stang

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This article is about the Prime Minister, for the Minister of Justice, see Fredrik Stang.

Frederik Stang (1808-1884) was a Norwegian lawyer, public servant, and politician who served as Norway's first prime minister.

Frederik Stang entered the study of law at the age of 16 and graduated by the time he was 20. At 22, he accepted a position as lecturer of law at the University of Oslo. During this time, he published a seminal text on Norwegian constitutional law. He went over to private practice in 1834, where he distinguished himself as a trial attorney, especially in supreme court cases.

In 1846, Stang became the most senior civil servant in the newly formed (and no longer existent) Domestic Ministry. He served in this position until 1856, and his tenure was characterized by tireless efforts to modernize Norway's economic infrastructure. In addition to improving the road network, harbors, canals, and lighthouses, he was in great measure responsible for Norway and Scandinavia's first railroad, from Oslo to Eidsvoll. He also worked hard to elevate the importance and function of agriculture in Norway, initiating the formation of a university-level school of agriculture, commissioned travelling agrarians, and encouraged better breeding among Norwegian farm animals.

In 1861, Stang was appointed to the Norwegian cabinet. His time as a political leader was characterized by considerable discord within the Norwegian parliament and between Norway and the Swedish government.

In 1865, Stang founded the Norwegian Red Cross society.

Until 1873, the king of the personal union between Sweden and Norway governed Norway through two cabinets: one in Stockholm and another, led by a viceroy in Kristiania, now Oslo. After the viceroy position had been vacant for some time, the post of prime minister for Norway was instituted in 1873, and Frederik Stang was appointed. Although there was also a prime minister in Stockholm, the one in Norway had the most influence over state affairs.

In spite of his great efforts to reconcile opposing political forces in his time, his own party was reduced to a minority position during his tenure. In a gesture of spite, the parliament cut his pension in half in 1881; the citizens of Oslo raised money to make up for the shortfall, and he donated this to a foundation to advance the study of law.

Frederik Stang's name is often misspelled Fredrik Stang, who was his grandson and also a famous jurist.

Preceded by: Hans Christian Petersen

Prime Minister of Norway 1861–1880

Succeeded by: Christian August Selmer