Unions with Denmark and Sweden

Tour de Norvege Tour de Norvege

Unions with Sweden and Denmark 1319-1536

Arne Solli Associate Professor Department of History

The farm: Identity and production “Bruk” = Family holding

“Bygd” = settlements “Tun” (“Gardstun”)

• Old English “Tun” • Old German “Zun” • Old Irish “Dún” • -> modern English “Town”

1 “Sætring" = Transhumance farming Social and economic groups

• “Bruk” = Family holding • “Gard” = 1 or more family holdings, “gard”=fenced. • “Tun” = The group of houses of a farm • “Bygd” = 2 or more “Gard”

Chronological framework, major (political) events Kyrkjebakken: The “centre” of the parish • 1319 Union with Sweden No villages • 1349-50 Black Death • 1380 De facto union Swe, Den, Nor. • 1397 Erik crowned in all the countries • 1523 Sweden and Denmark separate kings. Norway elects the Danish king. • 1536 ”ledemot” (a leg) of Denmark. • 1537 Reformation • 1660 Absolutism • 1814 Constitution (Sep. from Denmark, Union with Sweden)

Why 1319? Scandi navian • What happens? kings 1300- 1500

2 Kalmar union The Kalmar Union, 1397-1448/1523

Eric of Pomeria

Why is 1319 and 1397 ”important”? Black Death

• Henrik Wergeland: ”Firehundreårsnatten” ”The 400 year long night” (1397-1814) – Nationalism, romantics • (Re-)Construction of the Norwegian nation in the 19th c.

Folktale: “Jostedalsrypa” – Deserted farms Grouse of Jostedal • Example: Jæren.

3 A demographic crisis Consequences: Demography

• Population decline • Population fall: by indirect methods 1349-> • Primary source: 1520 tax lists • At minimum 1350- • Fact: 2/3 of farms unoccupied 1520 • Estimate: ½ - 2/3? of population wiped out • Population growth • Deeper crisis in Norway? Why? 1520-> • Due to the Hanseatic hegemony? (Old view)

Consequences: Economy Hanseatic hegemony

• Farming -> • Kontor (Office) Fishing • Bryggen in • Grain –> Bergen Animal • Lübeck, principal • Hanseatic city hegemony • 1000 inhab.

Consequences: Social structure Conseqences: Political changes

• Norwegian born nobility ”deceased”, • Unions biologically and politically – Sweden • Diminishing social differences? (Social – Kalmar union equal peasants) • Denmark-Sweden-Norway (1397-1523) • Denmark-Norway (1523-1814) • Riksrådet (Council of realm) increased power to abt. 1450 – Riksrådet: nobles and church (bishops) • Growing local government (local justice)

4 Consequences – short/long run Consequences – social groups

Demograpy Economy Politically Cultural Peasants Church Nobility Merchant King s

½ population Production Short Positive + +The died? fall +power term Hanse +Fish +vacant Permanent Hanseatic Unions Norwegian Long run land depopulation dominance written +local +landrent +fish government language Negative - Income Died out Hanseatic +animal reduction landrent dominance landrent

Administration Why is 1536 “important”?

• Len (Fief) • What happened? • Lensherre, Lensmann (Lord luitanant) • Castle len (“fief”) Hovedlen (Chief len) • Smålen - minor fiefs • Fogd

1536: Norway a ”Ledemot” = danish The events in 1536 colony • 1533: King FrederikI dies • "Efterdi at Norges rike nuså • Because Norway now is so forringeter både av makt og poor, both politically and • Son: Prince Christian III a protestant formue, og Norges rikes economically and the people of • Council of realm catholic majority innbyggereikke alene formå at Norway cannot hold a king. • 1536: Coup d’état, January 1536 by underholde demen herreog Therefore – hereafter they will konge... da skal det herefter be subject to the king of archbishop Olaf Engelbrektsson. væreogblive under Danmarks Denmark, just as the other • Archbishop O. E. failed, escapes krone, liksomet av de andre provinces; Jylland, Fyn and 1537 lande, Jylland, Fyn eller Sjælland, and hereafter neither Sjælland er, og herefter ikke be nor in name be a separate • The Norwegian council of realm fell væreeller heteintet kongerike kingdom, but a ”ledemot” (a apart for seg, men et ledemot av leg/colony/province) of Danmarks rike og under Denmark and the Danish king Danmarks krone til evig tid." for ever more.

5 Did George Lucas read Norwegian Abt. 1500: The New beginning: History? Economy • Lord Vincent Lunge • Fishing. Increasing european demand • Christian III • Olav Engelbrektsson – To: Spain, Portugal, Italy (The last rebel) • Early 16th century – Timber export and sawmills – To: England, Scotland and the Netherlands • 16th century: Hanseatic League – decreasing power • Formation of a ”Norwegian” merchant capitalist class

Sawmills – ”oppgangssag” Fishing: cod, stockfish, bacalà

• Fishing/drying: Lofoten • Staple: Bergen • Market: Europe (Hanseatics)

Conclusions • 1319 and 1536 is “not” important from a late medieval perspective • 1319 and 1536 is ”important” seen from a 1814, 1905 or 1972/1994 perspective (EU) – 1319-1814 : Loosing independence – 1814-1905 : Gaining new independence – 1972/1994: No to EU. Fear of loosing indep. • Sjølvråderett – ”Right to govern our selves” (A “No to EU”-argument).