Denmark-Norway
Denmark-Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity, union, consisting of the kingdoms of
Denmark and
Norway, including the Norwegian 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. he 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.
Encyclopedia
Denmark-Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity, union, consisting of the kingdoms of
Denmark and
Norway, including the Norwegian 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.
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
Geats". 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.
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 Privy Council of Denmark became weakened, and finally abolished in 1660. The Norwegian Privy Council 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. Being a hereditary kingdom, Norway's status as separate from Denmark was important to the royal dynasty in its struggles to win elections as kings of Denmark.
After the
Napoleonic Wars, Denmark-Norway was defeated and had to cede the territory of Norway proper to the King of
Sweden, formally effected at the Treaty of Kiel. Norway's overseas possessions were kept by Denmark.
...
...
,
Faroe Islands ,
Greenland and
Iceland .
- The three kingdoms then united in the Kalmar Union of 1397-1521, after which the Union was split in two halves:
- After the Napoleonic Wars, Scandinavia was reorganized into three personal unions:
