Convention of Moss facts for kids

The Convention of Moss (also known as Mossekonvensjonen) was a special agreement signed on August 14, 1814. It was like a ceasefire and a peace treaty all in one. This agreement was made between the King of Sweden and the government of Norway.

It happened after a short war between Sweden and Norway in 1814. Norway wanted to be an independent country. The Convention of Moss led to a personal union between Sweden and Norway. This union started when the Norwegian Parliament (called the Stortinget) chose Charles XIII of Sweden as their king on November 4, 1814. The union lasted for a long time, until Norway decided to end it in 1905.

Why Did It Happen?

In 1814, Denmark–Norway was on the losing side of the Napoleonic wars. Because of this, a deal called the Treaty of Kiel was made on January 14, 1814. This treaty said that Norway would be given to the King of Sweden.

But the people of Norway wanted to decide their own future. So, they held a meeting at Eidsvoll and created their own rulebook, the Constitution of Norway, on May 17, 1814. They even chose their own king, Prince Christian Frederik.

However, the real ruler of Sweden, Crown Prince Charles John, did not agree that Norway should be independent. He started a military attack on July 2, 1814. The Swedish army was much stronger. They had more soldiers, better equipment, and were led by Charles John, who was a very skilled general.

The fighting started on July 26 with a quick Swedish navy attack. The Norwegian ships got away, but they didn't join the rest of the war. The main Swedish army crossed the border and surrounded the Fredriksten fortress. Another group of 6,000 Swedish soldiers landed near Fredrikstad. The town gave up the next day.

The Norwegian army tried to push back against the Swedes. Their goal was to make Sweden accept Norway as a free nation and start talks. This plan worked! When talks began on August 7, Charles John agreed to accept Norway's democratic constitution. The peace talks finished in Moss on August 14, 1814, for Norway, and in Fredrikstad on August 15, 1814, for Sweden.

What Were the Main Points?

The Convention of Moss quietly changed the rules of the earlier Treaty of Kiel. It created a new union where Sweden and Norway were more equal. The agreement had four main parts:

• The agreement was made between the Swedish Crown Prince (for the Swedish King) and the Norwegian government. Sweden did not see Christian Frederik as the true King of Norway. So, Christian Frederik was not officially part of the deal. Instead, two of his ministers, Niels Aall and Jonas Collett, signed for Norway.
• The Norwegian Parliament had to meet by late September or early October to agree to the convention.
• The King of Sweden accepted Norway's constitution. Only small changes were allowed to make the union with Sweden work. All changes had to be approved by the Norwegian Parliament.
• Christian Frederik had to give up his claim to the Norwegian crown. He also had to leave the country after he called the Parliament meeting.

The Moss Ironworks main office, where the Convention of Moss was agreed upon and signed.

The biggest disagreement was about Christian Frederik giving up his throne. He had to agree to this. They also needed to find words that showed the union was happening because of the Moss agreement, not just the Kiel Treaty. Norway insisted that the Swedish king would not be called the King of Norway until the Storting (Parliament) officially elected him.

The Norwegian Council of State (Det Norske Statsrådsalen) would take over running the country for a while. They would sign decisions with "highest authority." This wording was important to Norwegians. It meant that the King of Sweden did not become King of Norway on January 14.

Many Norwegians were surprised by what their government agreed to. When Swedish General Magnus Björnstjerna, who led the Swedish talks, arrived in Christiania, Norway, he was not welcomed warmly. Norwegians were also upset with their own leaders and felt their army hadn't done enough.

But over time, people's opinions changed. The Convention of Moss was much better for Norway than the Treaty of Kiel. Norway was no longer treated like a conquered land. Instead, it was an equal partner in a union of two independent countries. The main ideas of the Norwegian Constitution were accepted. Christian Frederik's actions in 1814 really helped Norway join the union with Sweden as an equal. Norway kept its own parliament and its own government, only sharing a king and foreign service with Sweden.

This was the last war between Sweden and Norway. It was also Sweden's last war ever.

See also

• Union between Sweden and Norway
• Treaty of Kiel
• Norway in 1814
• Swedish-Norwegian War (1814)
• Constitution of Norway