Rigsraadet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rigsraadet (Eng. The Council of the Realm or The Council of the State - here often named "Privy Council"), a common name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ruled the countries together with the kings from late Middle Age to the 17th century. Norway had a Council of the Realm (Riksrådet) that was abolished by the Danish king in 1536. In Sweden the parallel Council gradually came under the influence of the king during the 1600s.
As for the Council of Denmark its members seem have developing from being the councillors of the king to being representatives of the magnates and noblemen. From the 1320s it clearly appears as a force and from the 1440s it is the permanent opponent of the royal power.
The Council only consisted by noblemen who were appointed by the king or sometimes by their class companions. Until the Reformation 1536 the bishops were automatically members. So were the supreme officials (today the “cabinet ministers”) while the lower ranking “ministers” did not have any formal right to membership. The “backbenchers” of the council took part in the daily negotiations of the problems and the administration, voted and took on diplomatic tasks. Most of them were squires who also had to look after their lands.
As a whole it was the role of the Council to rule together with the king, to control him and to manage the affairs of State well. The councillors were seen as a guarantee towards the nobility (and in theory also towards “the people”) that everything was done right. The Council took over the rule in the space that appeared by a succession or at interregna. It led the negotiations over the creation of a new haandfæstning and in theory it also had to call for a rebellion against kings who did not keep their promises, a right that was used 1523. However in the 16th century it was not quite unusual that the councillors to some degree identified with the State rejecting too extravagant demands from the Danish gentry. The background of this normally was that they themselves represented the Danish answer to the peerage.
The number of councillors was not laid down. Normally it was about 20 but from time to time deaths might reduce their number wherefore it was supplied by mass creations. Not until 1648 it was finally fixed to 23.
The authority of the council was indisputable and within some limits the kings also tried to co-operate. However most of the kings neglected some of the rules and for instance foreign questions presented many loopholes. The many military defeats of the 17th century and especially the growing economic problems and conservatism of the nobility also weakened the prestige of the Council and the king gradually tried to strengthen his own influence. At the introduction of absolute monarchy 1660 the Council was abolished.
The word ”Rigsråd” was revived in Denmark in the 19th century. 1854-1866 it was used about a special federal council dealing with all common legislative questions of Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein, from 1863 of Denmark and Schleswig alone. It had hardly other things in common with its old namesake than the title. The loss of Schleswig 1864 made it redundant and it was abolished by the new constitution two years later.
