1814
THE ENORMITY OF 1814
WHY 1814 – IN 1814?
The upheavals of 1814 were the result of several factors:
The world: Notions of
freedom and power politics The Nordic region: War,
years of want and Sweden’s desire for Norway
Norway: Increased self- identity and domestic
NORWAY IN JANUARY 1814
• Poor peasant society
• Under Danish rule
TURNING POINTS IN 1814
1. Treaty of Kiel: 14 January 1814
2. Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll: 10 April – 20 May 3. Convention of Moss: 14 August
4. Revised Constitution and Union with Sweden: 4 November
1814
The Treaty of Kiel
14 January 1814
THE PEACE OF KIEL, 14 JANUARY
Karl Johan and Sweden attacked and defeated Denmark
THE TREATY OF KIEL
SCOPE FOR REVOLT
“Sweden was not immediately able to seize the prize that Denmark had been compelled to
surrender.”
(Jens Arup Seip)
REVOLT FROM ABOVE
The Danish successor to the throne Christian
Frederik mobilized Norwegian revolt
against the Treaty of Kiel in February 1814
MEETING OF NOTABLES AT EIDSVOLL, 16 FEBRUARY
“Nobody has more Right now to the Norwegian Crown than I or any other Norwegian.”
Georg Sverdrup
ELECTIONS TO THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
Extraordinary day of prayer, 25
February:
1. Oath of
independence in the churches 2. Election of
representatives
1814
Constituent
Assembly
at Eidsvoll
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY, 10 APRIL – 20 MAY
112 representatives were gathered at
Eidsvoll for 40 days to draft a Norwegian constitution.
CHAIN OF EVENTS:
12 to 19 April: Constituent Assembly elected committees and debated important questions of principal.
20 April to 3 May: Most important work done in the committees – in
particular the Constitution Committee, which drafted proposals on what the Constitution should l0ok like.
4 to 11 May: Draft constitution deliberated in plenary session, with voting done article by article.
12 to 20 May: A committee examined the adopted text of the Constitution in order to give it the “finishing touches”. The
Constitution was adopted as a complete document on 16 May. The Constitution was signed on 17 May and Christian Frederik was
THE CONSTITUTION
Sovereignty of the people Separation of powers
Human and civil rights
INDEPENDENCE OR UNION?
• The Constituent
Assembly also had to clarify Norway’s
relations with Sweden.
“The Independence Party”
“The Union Party”
“NORWAY’S OLD THRONE IS
RESURRECTED”
1814
The Convention of Moss
14 August 1814
ALONE IN EUROPE
SHORT-LIVED WAR
Karl Johan back from the campaign in Europe Went to war with
Norway on 26 July to secure the prize from Kiel
Swift Swedish advance and Norwegian retreat
PEACE PROPOSAL AND NEGOTIATIONS
• 7 August: Karl Johan pledged to respect the 17 May Constitution in a new peace proposal
• 10–14 August:
Negotiations on
THE CONVENTION OF MOSS
Peace treaty signed in Moss on 14 August
1814
The November
Constitution
THE STORTING CONVENED FOR THE FIRST TIME
The first extraordinary Storting
• The Storting met for the the first time on 7 October 1814
• Christian Frederik
abdicated on 10 October
• Formally, it was the
Storting that was to vote
NEGOTIATIONS ON THE CONSTITUTION
THE 4 NOVEMBER CONSTITUTION
INTO A NEW UNION
FREEDOM AS A GIFT?
Ever since 1814, historians and others have debated what really happened in 1814.
• “Freedom as a gift”
• Domestic processes
CHRISTIAN FREDERIK
Saviour and hero, or tool and socialite?
