Denmark–Norway

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Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity, union, consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Following the strife surrounding the break-up of its predecessor, the Kalmar Union, the two kingdoms entered into another personal union in 1536 which lasted until 1814. The corresponding adjective and demonym is Dano-Norwegian.

The term Kingdom of Denmark is sometimes used to include both countries in the period 1536–1814, since the political and economic power emanated from Copenhagen, Denmark. The term covers the "royal part" of the Oldenburgs' as it was in 1460, excluding the "ducal part" of Schleswig and Holstein. The administration used two official languages, Danish and German and for several centuries both a Danish and German Chancery existed.^[1]

Three sovereign successor states have subsequently emerged from this unequal union: Denmark, Norway and Iceland.

The term Denmark–Norway has didactic merits and reflects the historical and legal roots of that union. It is adopted from the Oldenburg dynasty's official title. The kings always used the style "King of Denmark and Norway, the Wends and the Goths". The term Sweden-Finland is sometimes, although with less justification, applied to the contemporary Swedish realm 1521–1809. Finland was never a separate kingdom, and was completely integrated with Sweden, while Denmark was the dominant component in a political union.

[edit] History

In the aftermath of Sweden's definite secession from the Kalmar Union in 1521, civil war and Protestant Reformation followed in Denmark and Norway. When things had settled down, the Rigsraad (High Council) of Denmark became weakened, and finally abolished in 1660^[2] when Denmark and Norway became absolutist states and Denmark and Norway became hereditary monarchies. These changes were confirmed in the Lex Regia signed November 14, 1665, stipulating that all power lay in the hands of the king, who was only responsible towards God.^[3] The Norwegian Riksraad was assembled for the last time in 1537. Norway kept its separate laws and some institutions, such as a royal chancellor, and separate coinage and army.

After the Napoleonic Wars and the devastating Gunboat War, Denmark-Norway was defeated and had to cede the territory of mainland Norway to the King of Sweden at the Treaty of Kiel. Norway's overseas possessions were kept by Denmark. But the Norwegians objected to the terms of this treaty, and a constitutional assembly declared Norwegian independence on May 17, 1814 and elected the Crown Prince Christian Frederik as king of independent Norway. Following a Swedish invasion, Norway was forced to accept a personal union, but retained her liberal constitution and separate institutions, except for the foreign service. The Union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved in 1905.

• The Scandinavians were christianized in the 10th–13th centuries, resulting in three consolidated kingdoms.
  • Denmark forged from the Lands of Denmark (including Blekinge, Gotland, Halland and Skåne in modern-day Sweden and Southern Schleswig in modern Germany)
  • Sweden forged from the Lands of Sweden (Svealand, most of Götaland and Finland Proper)
  • Norway forged from various petty kingdoms (including Båhuslen, Herjedalen, Jemtland and Idre & Särna) plus overseas possessions of Shetland and the Orkneys (both annexed in 875), Faroe Islands (annexed 1035), Greenland and Iceland (annexed 1261-1262).

• The three kingdoms then united in the Kalmar Union of 1397-1521, after which the Union was split in two halves:
  • "Denmark-Norway" (including overseas possessions in the North Atlantic as well as the island of Saaremaa in modern Estonia)
  • "Sweden" (including Finland)

• In the mid 17th century, the Treaty of Brömsebro 1645 and Treaty of Roskilde 1658 permanently transferred some provinces from Norway and Denmark to Sweden.

• After the Napoleonic Wars, the Nordic Countries were reorganized into three personal unions:
  • Denmark with Schleswig and Holstein (dissolved in 1864; included former overseas provinces of Norway)
  • Sweden and Norway (dissolved in 1905)
  • Russia with the Grand Duchy of Finland (terminated in 1917)

[edit] References