HISTORY 137 



bought off by Charles the Fat. Rollo, one of ernment, and exercised its right of electing to 



the most renowned of the Norman chieftain-, the throne, until, like the sister kingdom, it 



after ravaging Friesland and the countries agreed of its own free will to relinquish this 



rod by the Scheldt, accepted the hand of privilege in favor of hereditary Micces-ion to 



a daughter of Charles the Simple, and received the throne. The Napoleonic crisis may be said 



with her, under the tie of vassalage, possession to have severed this union, which had existed 



of all the land in the valley of the Seine, from for more than 400 years, for Denmark, after 



the Epte and Eure to the sea, which then went having given unequivocal proofs of adhesion to 



by the name of Normandy. They rapidly the cause of Bonaparte, was compelled, after 



adopted the more civilized form of life that pre- the disastrous War of 1813, to purchase peace 



vailed in the Franki-h Kingdom its religion, at the cost of this long united partner of her 



language, and manners but inspired every- state. Crippled in her resources, and almost a 



thing thev borrowed with their own vitality, bankrupt, she saw herself constrained to sign 



Their conquest of England, in 1066, gave that 

 country an energetic race of kings and nobles 

 on the whole well-fitted to rule a brave, sturdy, 

 but somewhat torpid people like the Anglo- 



08. 



the treaty of Kiel in 1814, by which it was stip- 

 ulated by the allied powers that she should 

 resign Norway to Sweden, receiving in return, 

 by way of indemnity, some portion of Swedish 

 Pomerania and the island of Kugen, which were 



Norway. The early history of Norway is i subsequently exchanged with Prussia for Lauen- 

 comprised in that of the other Scandinavian j burg on the payment by that state of two mil- 

 countries, and is, like theirs, for the most part lion rix dollars. The Norwegians, having 

 fabulous. It is only towards the close of the refused to admit the validity of the treaty of 

 Tenth Century, when Christianity was intro- Kiel, nominated Prince Christian, the heir-pre- 

 duced under the rule of Olaf I., that the mythical sumptive to the throne of Denmark, regent and 

 obscurity in which the annals of the kingdom subsequently King of Norway. This nomina- 

 had been previously plunged begins to give tion was made by the National Diet, or Storthing, 

 place to the light of historical truth. which met at Ejdsvold, where they drew up a 



The introduction of Christianity, which was constitution based on the French Constitution 

 the result of the intercourse which the Norwe- j of 1791. These measures found, however, 

 gianshad with the more civilized parts of Europe, neither supporters nor sympathizers among the 

 through their maritime expeditions, destroyed other nations; and with the sanction of the 

 much of the old nationality of the people with great allied powers, Charles John Bernadotte. 

 the heathenism which they had hitherto cherished. Crown-Prince of Sweden, led an army into 

 Although the sanguinary feuds which had raged Norway, and after taking Frederickstad and 

 among the rival chiefs of the land can scarcely Fredenckshald, threatened Christ iania. Den- 

 id to have lost their ferocity under the sway mark being unable to support the cause of 

 of a milder religion. Olaf II., or the Saint Prince Christian, and Norway being utterly 

 (1015-1030), who zealously prosecuted the con- destitute of the means necessary for prosecuting 

 version of his countrymen, raised himself to a war, resistance was of no avail, and the Nor- 

 supreme power ih the land by the subjection wegians, in this untoward conjuncture of affairs, 

 of the small kings or chieftains, who in the times were glad to accept the proposals made to them 

 of heathenism had subdivided the kingdom by the Swedish King for a union with Sweden, 

 among them. The war between Olaf and King on the understanding that they should retain the 

 Knud the Great of Denmark, which terminated newly promulgated constitution, and enjoy full 

 in 1030 with the battle of Sticklestad, in which liberty and independence within their own 

 the former was slain, brought Norway under boundaries. These conditions were agreed to. 

 the sway of the Danish conqueror; but at his and strictly maintained; a few unimportant 

 death in Hi:;r,. olaf- -on. Magnus I., recovered alterations in the constitution, necessitated by 

 possession of the throne, and henceforth, till the altered conditions of the new union. 1 

 l.'IMl. Norway continued to be governed by the only changes introduced in the mav-hinery 

 native kin--. Tin- death in that ikon of government. Charle- MIL was declared 

 ithoiit male heirs, threw t he election of a joint King of Sweden and Norway in !Mv 

 new king into the hamjs of the National Asset 1 1 After the union. Norway firmly resisted 

 blv. who, after nmny discussions, made choice of attempt on the part of the Swedish monarch- 



Magnu- VIM., of Sweden, the -on of Hakon'- to infringe upon the constitutional pi 



hter. lie was iii turn succeeded I .y hi- -<>n of the nation; and during the reign of the first 



llakon. and I; M < >laf IV.. who having of the llernad "' I '.nasty, the relations be- 



been elected King of Denmark in l.;7i became tween him and I. -ian subjects 



ruler ot t n kingdom- on the marked bv jealousy ami distrust on Loth -idr-. 



h of his father in l.'JSO. This young king. In- death, the jn-ople general 



who e\erci-ed only a nominal -uav under the more contented and Norway continued to : 



guidance of hi- mothei u-et. the rapid progress towards a state of political 



only child of V:ddemar III. of Denmark, died security ami mat. -rial pro : 



without heirs in 1387. M love of power than it ev ed under the Danish dominion. 



city for government brought about her The di--olution of the union with Sv.- 



tion to t'he triple throne of ihi- Scandinax ian which had en. lured -ince !M I. took place .lime 



land-, an. I from iln- period till IMI following a dispute between the two 



continued united with Denmark: but while it countries ;t - to their diplomatic repre-entation 



ihared in the general fortuneft v of the latl -.id. I'nnce charl.-- oi Denmaik became 



it retained it- own constitutional mode of gov Kiim. U llakon VII 



