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Norwegian head of state in absence of the monarch
The
governor-general of Norway
(
Danish
:
Rigsstatholder
or
Swedish
:
Riksstathallare
, both meaning 'lieutenant of the realm' (see
stadtholder
)), was the appointed head of the
Norwegian Government
in the absence of the monarch, during the
union with Denmark
and
Sweden
.
Etymology
[
edit
]
(
Norwegian
:
Stattholder
) means "steward". Its component parts literally translate as "place holder," or as a direct cognate, "stead holder", it was a term for a "
steward
" or "
lieutenant
". However, this is not the word for the military rank of lieutenant, which is
løytnant
in Norwegian.
Governors-general appointed by the kings of Norway and Denmark
[
edit
]
The office of Governor-general of Norway was established in
1556
and was occupied with occasional interruptions until
1814
.
The Governor-general was normally at the same time
Lensherre
(Governor) of
Akershus len
(after 1662; Akershus amt), and was the highest authority in the country.
[1]
| No.
|
Portrait
|
Governors-general
|
Took office
|
Left office
|
Time in office
|
| -
| | Munk, Christen
Christen Munk
(
c.
1520?1579)
under King
Christian III
and
Frederick II
| 1556
| 1572
| 15?16 years
|
| 1
| | Huitfeldt, Povel
Pouel Ottesen Huitfeldt
(
c.
1529?1592)
under King
Frederick II
| 1572
| 1577
| 4?5 years
|
| 2
| | Munk, Ludvig
Ludvig Munk
(
c.
1532?1602)
under King
Frederick II
| 9 July 1577
| 1583
| 5?6 years
|
| 3
| | Gyldenstjerne, Axel
Axel Gyldenstjerne
(
c.
1537?1603)
under King
Christian IV
| 1588
| 1601
| 12?13 years
|
| 4
| | Friis, Jørgen
Jørgen Friis
(
c.
1543?1616)
under King
Christian IV
| 1601
| 1608
| 6?7 years
|
| 5
| | Kruse, Enevold
Enevold Kruse
(
c.
1554?1621)
under King
Christian IV
| 1608
| 1618
| 9?10 years
|
| 6
| | Juel, Jens
Jens Hermansson Juel
(1580?1634)
under King
Christian IV
| 1618
| 1629
| 10?11 years
|
| 7
| | Urne, Christopher
Christoffer Urne
(1593?1663)
under King
Christian IV
| 1629
| 1642
| 12?13 years
|
| 8
| | Sehested, Hannibal
Hannibal Sehested
(1609?1666)
under King
Christian IV
and
Frederick III
| 1642
| 24 June 1651
| 8?9 years
|
| 9
| | Krabbe, Gregers
Gregers Krabbe
(1594?1655)
under King
Frederick III
| 1651
| 20 December 1655
| 3?4 years
|
| 10
| | Trolle, Niels
Niels Trolle
(1599?1667)
under King
Frederick III
| 1656
| 28 March 1661
| 4?5 years
|
| 11
| | Krabbe, Iver
Iver Krabbe
(1602?1666)
under King
Frederick III
| 8 Oct 1661
| 1664
| 2?3 years
|
| 12
| | Gyldenløve, Ulrik
Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve
(1638?1704)
under King
Frederick III
and
Christian V
| January 1664
| 1699
| 34?35 years
|
| 13
| | Gyldenløve, Ulrik
Frederik Gabel
(
c.
1640?1708)
Vice Governor-general
under King
Frederick IV
| 30 September 1699
| 1708
| 8?9 years
|
| 14
| | Vibe, Johan
Johan Vibe
(1634?1710)
Vice Governor-general
under King
Frederick IV
| 10 April 1708
| 22 February 1710
| 1 year
|
| 15
| | Gyldenløve, Woldemar
Woldemar Løvendal
[
da
]
(1660?1740)
under King
Frederick IV
| 1 August 1710
| 30 April 1712
| 1 year
|
| 16
| | Vieregg, Claus
Claus Henrik Vieregg
[
da
]
(1655?1713)
Vice Governor-general
under King
Frederick IV
| 4 August 1712
| 14 July 1713
| 0 years
|
| 17
| | Krag, Frederik
Frederik Krag
(1655?1728)
Vice Governor-general
under King
Frederick IV
| 19 September 1713
| 1722
| 8?9 years
|
| 18
| | Vibe, Ditlev
Ditlev Vibe
(1670?1731)
under King
Frederick IV
and
Christian VI
| 17 April 1722
| 5 October 1731
| 9 years
|
| 19
| | Rantzau, Christian
Christian Rantzau
(1684?1771)
under King
Christian VI
| 1733
| 1739
| 7?8 years
|
Office vacant
(1739?1750)
|
| 20
| | Benzon, Jacob
Jacob Benzon
(1688?1775)
Vice Governor-general
(1750-1770)
Governor-general
(1770-1771)
under King
Frederick V
and
Christian VII
| 11 September 1750
| 8 February 1771
| 20 years
|
| -
| | Charles
Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel
(1744?1836)
Acting
under King
Christian VII
| 4 July 1766
| January 1768
| 1 year
|
Office vacant
(8 February 1771 ? 25 July 1809)
|
| 21
| | August, Charles
Charles August, Crown Prince of Sweden
(1768?1810)
under King
Frederick VI
| 25 July 1809
| 11 January 1810
| 0 years
|
| 22
| | Frederik
Prince Frederik of Hesse
(1771?1845)
under King
Frederick VI
| 11 January 1810
| 11 May 1813
| 3 years
|
| 23
| | Frederik, Christian
Christian Frederik af Danmark
(1786?1848)
under King
Frederick VI
| 11 May 1813
| 16 February 1814
| 0 years
|
Governors-general appointed by the kings of Norway and Sweden
[
edit
]
The following describes the office of governor as it was from 1814 during the union with Sweden:
The office came into existence by the
Norwegian Constitution
, of 4 November 1814 where the paragraphs 12, 13 and 15 stipulated that a governor-general of
Swedish
or
Norwegian
nationality could be appointed. The governor-general resided in Christiania (today
Oslo
) and led the Government in the absence of the monarch, when he resided in his Swedish capital
Stockholm
. The
Council
was normally led by the governor-general, who had two votes, unless the Monarch was present, at which point he would lose his authority and merely become the first among equals, or
prime minister
of the council.
The post was held by Swedish appointees from 1814 until 1829, when it was vacated by natural causes. Protests left the position empty until 1836, when it was filled by a Norwegian appointee. He was succeeded in 1841 but the successor
Severin Løvenskiold
laid down his office in 1856, after which it would not be reinstated. The demand to abandon the office completely was ultimately granted in 1873 by King
Oscar II
.
See also
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]
Sources and references
[
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]
References
[
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]
External links
[
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]
