Norwegian Constituent Assembly

Last updated January 23, 2025

The Norwegian Constituent Assembly (Norwegian : Grunnlovsforsamlingen or Riksforsamlingen) is the name given to the 1814 constitutional assembly that adopted the Norwegian Constitution and formalised the dissolution of the union with Denmark. The meetings took place at the Eidsvoll Manor in the village of Eidsvoll Verk in the Eidsvoll parish in Akershus county, Norway from 10 April to 20 May 1814. In Norway, it is often just referred to as Eidsvollsforsamlingen, which means The Assembly of Eidsvoll.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The Assembly

The election started in February 1814 in Christiania (now Oslo) in order to draft the Norwegian Constitution.

The Assembly gathered at Eidsvoll Manor (Eidsvollsbygningen) and became known as "The Men of Eidsvoll" (Eidsvollsmennene).

They first met on 10 April by Eidsvoll Church before the assembly formally opened the next day. It was intended to be composed of delegates from the entire country but the northernmost parts were not represented because of the long distances and lack of time.^[4]

Wilhelm Frimann Koren Christie was the assembly's permanent secretary. The Assembly agreed upon the text of the Constitution on 17 May 1814 which from the 1820s began to be celebrated as Norway's National Day although the document was actually signed and dated on the 18th. Sverdrup, who was the last president, gave the final speech. The assembly members departed on 20 May with the oath "United and loyal until the mountains of Dovre crumble!".^[5]

Leadership

Over the nearly six weeks that the assembly was meeting, the presidents and vice presidents of the assembly were chosen for one week at a time. The presidents were:

10-17 April: Peder Anker
18-24 April: Diderik Hegermann
25 April-1 May: Jens Schou Fabricius
2-8 May: Christian Adolph Diriks
9-16 May: Christian Magnus Falsen
17-20 May: Georg Sverdrup

Background

Forced in early 1814 to sign the Treaty of Kiel as an ally of France in the later phase of the Napoleonic Wars, the King of Denmark-Norway had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden. The people of Norway, never consulted, objected to the royal sell-out. The vice-roy and heir presumptive of Denmark-Norway, Christian Frederik, took the lead in an insurrection and called a Constitutional Assembly at Eidsvoll. The Norwegian Constitution of 17 May formalised Norway's independence after more than 400 years of union with Denmark. On the same day, Christian Frederik was elected King of Norway. As a result of this, Sweden invaded Norway. After a campaign of two weeks, a peace treaty (The Convention of Moss) was concluded. King Christian Frederik was forced to abdicate, but Norway remained nominally independent and kept its Constitution with only such amendments as were required to allow it to enter into a loose personal union with Sweden. On 4 November, the Storting amended the Constitution accordingly, and elected the Swedish king King Charles XIII as king of Norway. Although the two states retained their separate governments and institutions, except for the king and the foreign service, Norwegians grew increasingly discontented with the union, which had been forced upon them. In 1905 the union was peacefully dissolved, giving Norway its full independence.^[6]^[7]

Rumor about an African servant in a cabinet

In 2014 Aftenposten said that for over 100 years "many newspaper articles and history books" have retold a rumour about a boy in a cabinet. Supposedly in the spring of 1814 a small African boy stayed in a corner cabinet, coming out to attend to the tobacco pipes of the guests of the manor. The presence of such a servant is not mentioned in letters or diary notes of any of the delegates.^[8]

Related Research Articles

The Convention of Moss (Mossekonvensjonen) was a ceasefire agreement signed on 14 August 1814 between the King of Sweden and the Norwegian government. It followed the Swedish-Norwegian War due to Norway's claim to sovereignty. It also became the de facto peace agreement and formed the basis for the personal union between Sweden and Norway that was established when the Norwegian Stortinget (Parliament) elected Charles XIII of Sweden as king of Norway on 4 November 1814. The Union lasted until Norway declared its dissolution in 1905.

Christian Adolph Diriks was a Norwegian lawyer and statesman. He served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly in 1814.

Events in the year 1814 in Norway.

The Meeting of Notables was a meeting that took place before Norway declared independence from Denmark in 1814.

Petter Johnsen Ertzgaard was a Norwegian farmer, elected official and military officer. He served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly at Eidsvoll Manor in 1814.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Henrik Ely</span>

Just Henrik Ely was a Norwegian military officer who served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly during 1814.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peder Hjermann</span>

Peder Hjermann was a farmer and elected official who served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asgaut Olsen Regelstad</span> Norwegian farmer and bailiff

Asgaut Olsen Regelstad was a Norwegian farmer and bailiff who served as a representative at the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814.

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Andreas Rogert was a Norwegian jurist and politician.

Christian Hersleb Horneman was a Norwegian jurist and elected official. He served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly.

Ole Knudsen Tvedten was a Norwegian farmer and district sheriff. He served as a representative at the Norwegian Constituent Assembly in 1814.

Christian Christensen Kollerud was a Norwegian farmer who served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eidsvollsbygningen</span> Building in Eidsvoll, Norway

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eilert Waldemar Preben Ramm</span>

Eilert Waldemar Preben Ramm was a Norwegian military officer and representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly in 1814.

Niels Fredriksen Dyhren was a Norwegian farmer and non-commissioner military officer. He served as a representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly in 1814.

Events in the year 1588 in Norway.

References

Notes

↑ "Grunnlov og union 1814". Det Norske Kongehus (in Norwegian).
↑ "Eidsvoll og Grunnloven 1814". stortinget.no (in Norwegian). 25 May 2023.
↑ Mardal, Magnus A., ed. (10 September 2021). "Eidsvollsforsamlingen". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.
↑ Mardal, Magnus A., ed. (6 June 2024). "Riksforsamlingen på Eidsvoll 1814". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.
↑ Mestad, Ole, ed. (4 January 2023). "Grunnlovas historie". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.
↑ "Grunnlovens Jubileet 1814-2014". Nasjonalbiblioteket (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 16 June 2020.
↑ Holmøyvik, Eirik, ed. (28 May 2023). "Grunnlova". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.
↑ Kagge, Gunnar (8 September 2014). "Historien om den lille gutten i skapet" [The tale of the little boy in the cabinet]. Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 14.

Other sources

Andenæs, Johannes (2006). Statsforfatningen i Norge (in Norwegian). Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215009896.
Frydenlund, Bård (2014). Spillet om Norge. Det politiske året 1814. ISBN 9788205463561.
Gisle, Jon (2010). Jusleksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. ISBN 9788257321048.
Glenthøj, Rasmus; Ottosen, Morten Nordhagen (2014). 1814: Krig, nederlag, frihed. Danmark-Norge under Napoleonskrigene (in Norwegian). Copenhagen: Gads forlag. ISBN 9788712049227.
Holme, Jørn (2014). De kom fra alle kanter - Eidsvollsmennene og deres hus (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen Damm. ISBN 9788202445645.
Hommerstad, Marthe; Ottosen, Morten Nordhagen (2014). Ideal og realitet. 1814 i politisk praksis for folk og elite (in Norwegian). Oslo: Akademika forlag. ISBN 9788232103348.
Ottosen, Morten Nordhagen; Glenthøj, Rasmus (2012). Samfunn i krig. Norden 1808-09 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Akademika forlag. ISBN 9788274775572.

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[1] "Grunnlov og union 1814". Det Norske Kongehus (in Norwegian).

[2] "Eidsvoll og Grunnloven 1814". stortinget.no (in Norwegian). 25 May 2023.

[snl-3] Mardal, Magnus A., ed. (10 September 2021). "Eidsvollsforsamlingen". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.

[snl2-4] Mardal, Magnus A., ed. (6 June 2024). "Riksforsamlingen på Eidsvoll 1814". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.

[snl3-5] Mestad, Ole, ed. (4 January 2023). "Grunnlovas historie". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.

[6] "Grunnlovens Jubileet 1814-2014". Nasjonalbiblioteket (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 16 June 2020.

[7] Holmøyvik, Eirik, ed. (28 May 2023). "Grunnlova". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 23 June 2024.

[8] Kagge, Gunnar (8 September 2014). "Historien om den lille gutten i skapet" [The tale of the little boy in the cabinet]. Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 14.

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