Union of Sweden and Norway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway Förenade konungarikena Sverige och Norge De forenede Kongeriger Norge og Sverige
1814–1905
Union mark and diplomatic flag 1844–1905 Coat of arms
Sweden and Norway in 1905
Status	Personal union
Capital	Stockholm & Christiania[a]
Common languages	Swedish, Danish, Norwegian[b], Western Sami languages
Religion	Protestant (Lutheran) Christianity
Government	Constitutional monarchies
King
• 1814–1818	Charles XIII/II
• 1818–1844	Charles XIV/III John
• 1844–1859	Oscar I
Legislature	Legislatures:[d]
• Swedish legislature	Swedish Parliament
• Norwegian legislature	Parliament of Norway
Historical era	19th century
• Treaty of Kiel	14 January 1814
• Charles XIII elected king of Norway	4 November 1814
• Constitution of Norway amended	4 November 1814
• Monetary union	16 October 1875
• Norway declares independence	7 June 1905
• Union dissolved	13 August 1905
• Oscar II renounces claims to Norway	26 October 1905
Area
1905	774,184 km2 (298,914 sq mi)
Population
• 1820	3550000[c]
• 1905	7560000[c]
Currency	Sweden: Riksdaler, (1814–1873) Krona (1873–1905) Norway: Speciedaler, (1814–1875) Krone (1875–1905)
Preceded by Succeeded by History of Sweden (1772–1809) Kingdom of Norway (1814) Sweden Norway
a. ^ The king resided alternately in Stockholm (mostly) and Christiania (usually some months of each year). He received ministers from both Sweden and Norway in Union council, or separately in only Swedish or Norwegian councils. The majority of the Norwegian cabinet ministers convened in Christiania when the king was absent. b. ^ The written Norwegian language ceased to exist in the first half of the 16th century and was replaced by Danish. Written Danish was still used during the union with Sweden, but was slightly norwegianized in the latter half of the 19th century. In 1885, the Parliament of Norway accepted Landsmål as an official written language at par with Danish. c. ^ 1820: 2,585,000 in Sweden, and 970,000 in Norway. 1905: 5,260,000 in Sweden, and 2,300,000 in Norway. d. ^ The Swedish Parliament was a diet composed of four estates until 1866. That year it became into a bicameral legislature. The Parliament of Norway was a unicameral legislature. In the Norwegian parliament the cabinet needed support from the majority.

The Union of Sweden and Norway (Swedish: Svensk-norska unionen; Norwegian: Den svensk-norske union), officially called the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, was a special partnership between the separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. These two countries shared the same king, but they kept their own laws, governments, and armies. The Union lasted from 1814 to 1905.

Even though they shared a king, the two countries were quite independent. They had their own constitutions, laws, and even their own money. The kings usually lived in Stockholm, Sweden's capital. This is also where other countries had their embassies.

How the Union Started

The Union of Sweden and Norway began in 1814. This happened after a big war in Europe called the Napoleonic Wars.

Treaty of Kiel and Its Impact

In 1814, a peace agreement called the Treaty of Kiel was signed. This treaty said that Denmark had to give Norway to Sweden. But Norway did not want to be ruled by Sweden.

Norway's Fight for Independence

The people of Norway wanted to be independent. They quickly wrote their own constitution on May 17, 1814. They also chose their own king, Christian Frederik.

Sweden did not agree with this. Sweden's Crown Prince, Charles John, led his army into Norway. This led to a short war between Sweden and Norway.

Joining the Union

The war ended with an agreement called the Convention of Moss. Norway agreed to join a union with Sweden. But Norway insisted on keeping its new constitution.

On November 4, 1814, the Norwegian Parliament (called the Storting) changed the constitution slightly. They then elected the Swedish king, Charles XIII, as their king. This officially created the Union of Sweden and Norway.

Life in the Union

For most of the Union's time, Sweden and Norway lived together peacefully. They shared a king and worked together on some things.

Separate Countries, Shared King

Even though they were in a union, Sweden and Norway remained separate countries. They each had their own:

• Laws and governments
• Armies and navies
• Churches
• Money systems

The king was the only thing they truly shared. He would spend most of his time in Stockholm, Sweden. But he would also visit Christiania (now Oslo), Norway's capital, for a few months each year.

Economic Cooperation

Over time, Sweden and Norway started to work together more on money matters. In 1875, they joined the Scandinavian Monetary Union. This meant they used the same type of money, the krona and krone, which had the same value. This made trade easier between the countries.

Growing Tensions and Dissolution

As the years passed, Norway wanted more independence. They felt that Sweden had too much control, especially in foreign affairs.

Norwegian Desire for More Control

Norway's economy grew, and its people felt stronger. They wanted their own foreign policy and their own consuls (officials who represent a country abroad). Sweden's king, Oscar II, was also the king of Norway. He controlled foreign policy, which upset many Norwegians.

The Flag Dispute

One of the issues was the flag. From 1844, both countries used a "union mark" in the corner of their flags. This mark showed they were united. But many Norwegians wanted to remove this mark from their merchant flag. They saw it as a symbol of Swedish dominance. In 1899, Norway removed the union mark from its merchant flag.

Norway Declares Independence

By the early 1900s, the disagreements became very serious. On June 7, 1905, the Norwegian Parliament declared that King Oscar II was no longer the King of Norway. They said the Union was dissolved.

Peaceful Separation

Sweden was not happy about this. There was a risk of war. But both sides wanted to find a peaceful solution. They held talks in Karlstad, Sweden.

On October 26, 1905, King Oscar II officially gave up his claim to the Norwegian throne. This marked the end of the Union of Sweden and Norway. Norway then chose its own king, Prince Carl of Denmark, who became King Haakon VII.

The peaceful end of the Union is often seen as a good example of how countries can separate without fighting. A peace monument was built in Karlstad in 1955 to remember this event.

Images for kids

• 

  Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of France, Crown Prince of Sweden in 1810 and Norway in 1814, and King of Sweden and Norway in 1818. Portrait by Joseph Nicolas Jouy, after François-Joseph Kinson

• 

  King Charles XIII (Charles II in Norway)

• 

  Christian Frederik, hereditary prince of Denmark and Norway, King of Norway May–October 1814, and King of Denmark (as Christian VIII) 1839–48. Portrait by Johan Ludwig Lund 1813

• 

  Count Johan Caspar Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg, who warned Christian Frederik

• 

  Oscar Wergeland: The Norwegian Constitutional Assembly in 1814

• 

  Christian Magnus Falsen, at 32, was credited as being the constitution's father.

• 

  Swedish Crown Prince Charles John (Bernadotte), who staunchly opposed Norwegian independence, only to offer generous terms of a union

• 

  Map of Norway and Sweden in 1847, by Peter Andreas Munch

• 

  King Charles XIV John (Charles III John in Norway). Portrait by Fredric Westin

• 

  Poster promoting Scandinavism between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark

• .

  King Oscar II

• 

  Swedish and Norwegian flags in 1899, after the removal of the union badge from the merchant flag of Norway

• 

  The peace monument of Karlstad was erected on the city square in 1955, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the dissolution of the union.

See also

In Spanish: Unión entre Suecia y Noruega para niños