Kingdom of Norway – House of Oldenburg

Kongeriket Norge – Kongeriket Noreg

House of Oldenburg Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and the subantarctic Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of 385,252 square kilometres (148,747 sq mi) and a population of about 5 million. It is the second least densely populated country in Europe. The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; in its south Norway borders the Skagerrak Strait across from Denmark. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Norway’s extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords.

Two centuries of Viking raids tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav Tryggvason in 994. A period of civil war ended in the 13th century when Norway expanded its control overseas to parts of the British Isles, Iceland, and Greenland. Norwegian territorial power peaked in 1265, but competition from the Hanseatic League and the spread of the Black Death weakened the country. In 1380, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by the Third Reich. In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a founding member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway’s economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country’s extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.

Norway is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, with King Harald V as its head of state. It is a unitary state with administrative subdivisions on two levels known as counties (fylke) and municipalities (kommuner). The Sámi people have a certain amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act. Although having rejected European Union membership in two referenda, Norway maintains close ties with the union and its member countries, as well as with the United States. Norway remains one of the biggest financial contributors to the United Nations, and participates with UN forces in international missions, notably in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan and Libya. Norway is a founding member of the United Nations, NATO, the Council of Europe, and the Nordic Council; a member of the European Economic Area, the WTO, and the OECD; and is also a part of Schengen Area.

Norway has extensive reserves of petroleum, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, fresh water, and hydropower. The country has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world. On a per-capita basis, it is the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas outside the Middle East, and the petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product. The country maintains a Nordic welfare model with universal health care, subsidized higher education, and a comprehensive social security system. From 2001 to 2006, and then again from 2009 through 2011, Norway has had the highest human development index ranking in the world. In 2011, Norway also ranked the highest on the Democracy Index.

List of Norwegian Monarchs – 1450-Present

House of Oldenburg

The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe’s most influential Royal Houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Russia, Greece, Norway, Schleswig, Holstein, Oldenburg and Sweden. The current Queen of Denmark, the King of Norway and the ex-King of Greece as well as consorts of Spain, Greece and the United Kingdom belong to this House. It rose to prominence when Count Christian I of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, and of Norway in 1450. The house has occupied the Danish throne ever since. Marriages of medieval counts of Oldenburg had paved the way for their heirs to become kings of various Scandinavian kingdoms. Through marriage with a descendant of King Valdemar I of Sweden and of King Eric IV of Denmark, a claim to Sweden and Denmark was staked, since 1350.

At that time, its competitors were the successors of Margaret I of Denmark. In the 15th century, the Oldenburg heir of that claim married Hedwig of Schauenburg, a descendant of Euphemia of Sweden and Norway and also a descendant of Eric V of Denmark. Since descendants better situated in genealogical charts died out, their son Christian (the abovementioned) became the king of all three kingdoms of the whole Kalmar Union. The House of Mecklenburg was its chief competitor regarding the Northern thrones, and other aspirants included the Duke of Lauenburg. Different Oldenburgine branches have reigned in several countries. The House of Oldenburg was briefly poised to claim the thrones of England and Scotland through the marriage of the Stuart Princess Anne (later Queen) to Prince George of Denmark and Norway; however, following the early death of their only heir, Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, the line of succession passed to the House of Hanover.

The Family Titles and Styles

The members of this family bear the title Prince or Princess of Norway, together with the formal appellation of His or Her Royal Highness.

The Genealogy of the Royal House

Carl, Pr of Denmark (see Denmark), was b. Charlottenlund 3 Aug 1872; he was elected King of Norway 18 Nov 1905 and assumed the throne as King HAAKON VII; he d. Oslo 21 Sep 1957; he m. Buckingham Palace 22 Jul 1896 Maud Pss of Great Britain and Ireland, etc (Marlborough House 26 Nov 1869-London 20 Nov 1938)

1a) OLAV V, King of Norway [born Alexander Edward Christian Frederik Pr of Denmark] (Appleton House, Sandringham, 2 Jul 1903-Kongsseteren, Oslo 17 Jan 1991); m. Oslo 21 Mar 1929 Märtha Pss of Sweden (Stockholm 28 Mar 1901-Oslo 5 Apr 1954)

1b) Ragnhild Alexandra [currently bears the title Pss Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen (Highness)] (b. Oslo 9 Jun 1930); m. Asker 15 May 1953 Erling Sven Lorentzen (b. Oslo 28 Jan 1923)

2b) Astrid Maud Ingeborg [currently bears the title Pss Astrid, Mrs. Ferner (Highness)] (b. Oslo 12 Feb 1932); m. Asker 12 Jan 1961 Johan Martin Ferner (b. Oslo 22 Jul 1927)

3b) HARALD, King of Norway (b. Skaugum 21 Feb 1937); m. Oslo 29 Aug 1968 Sonja Haraldsen (b. Oslo 4 Jul 1937)

1c) Märtha Louise (b. Oslo 22 Sep 1971); m. Trondheim 24 May 2002 Ari Mikael Behn (b.Århus 30 Sep 1972)

1d) Maud Angelica Behn (b. Oslo 29 Apr 2003)

2d) Leah Isadora Behn (b. Bloksbjerg, Fredrikstad 8 Apr 2005)

3d) Emma Tallulah Behn (b. Lommedalen 29 Sep 2008)

2c) Haakon Magnus, Crown Prince of Norway (b. Oslo 20 Jul 1973); m. Oslo 25 Aug 2001 Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby (b. Kristiansand 19 Aug 1973)

1d) Ingrid Alexandra (b. Oslo 21 Jan 2004)

2d) Sverre Magnus (b. Oslo 3 Dec 2005)