Governor-general of Norway

Governor-general of Norway
Danish: Rigsstatholder Swedish: Riksståthållare
Longest serving Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve 1664–1699
Appointer	the King
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	1556
First holder	Christen Munk
Final holder	Severin Løvenskiold
Abolished	1873

The governor-general of Norway (Danish: Rigsstatholder or Swedish: Riksståthållare, both meaning 'lieutenant of the realm' (see stadtholder)), was the appointed head of the Norwegian Government in the absence of the monarch.

Governors-general appointed by the kings of Norway and Denmark[]

The successive Statholder of Norway during its union with Denmark were:

No.	Portrait	Governors-general	Took office	Left office	Time in office
-		Munk, ChristenChristen Munk (c. 1520–1579) was a precursor to the stewardship that was created in 1572	1556	1572	15–16 years
1		Huitfeldt, PovelPouel Ottesen Huitfeldt (c. 1529–1592)	1572	1577	4–5 years
2		Munk, LudvigLudvig Munk (c. 1532–1602)	9 July 1577	1583	5–6 years
3		Gyldenstjerne, AxelAxel Gyldenstjerne (c. 1537–1603)	1588	1601	12–13 years
4		Friis, JørgenJørgen Friis (c. 1543–1616)	1601	1608	6–7 years
5		Kruse, EnevoldEnevold Kruse (c. 1554–1621)	1608	1618	9–10 years
6		Juel, JensJens Hermansson Juel (1580–1634)	1618	1629	10–11 years
7		Urne, ChristopherChristoffer Urne (1593–1663)	1629	1642	12–13 years
8		Sehested, HannibalHannibal Sehested (1609–1666)	1642	24 June 1651	8–9 years
9		Krabbe, GregersGregers Krabbe (1594–1655)	1651	20 December 1655	8–9 years
10		Trolle, NielsNiels Trolle (1599–1667)	1656	28 March 1661	4–5 years
11		Krabbe, IverIver Krabbe (1602–1666)	8 Oct 1661	1664	2–3 years
12		Gyldenløve, UlrikUlrik Frederik Gyldenløve (1638–1704)	January 1664	1699	34–35 years
13		Gyldenløve, UlrikFrederik Gabel (c. 1640–1708) Vice Governor-general	30 September 1699	1708	8–9 years
14		Vibe, JohanJohan Vibe (1634–1710) Vice Governor-general	10 April 1708	22 February 1710	1 year
15		Gyldenløve, Woldemar [da] (1660–1740)	1 August 1710	30 April 1712	1 year
16		Vieregg, Claus [da] (1655–1713) Vice Governor-general	4 August 1712	14 July 1713	0 years
17		Krag, FrederikFrederik Krag (1655–1728) Vice Governor-general	19 September 1713	1722	8–9 years
18		Vibe, DitlevDitlev Vibe (1670–1731)	17 April 1722	5 October 1731	9 years
19		Rantzau, ChristianChristian Rantzau (1684–1771)	1733	1739	7–8 years
Office vacant (1739–1750)
20		Benzon, JacobJacob Benzon (1688–1775) Vice Governor-general 1750-1770, Governor-general 1770-1771	11 September 1750	8 February 1771	20 years
-		CharlesPrince Charles of Hesse-Kassel (1744–1836) Acting	4 July 1766	January 1768	1 year
Office vacant (8 February 1771 – 25 July 1809)
21		August, CharlesCharles August, Crown Prince of Sweden (1768–1810)	25 July 1809	11 January 1810	0 years
22		FrederikPrince Frederik of Hesse (1771–1845)	11 January 1810	11 May 1813	3 years
23		Frederik, ChristianChristian Frederik af Danmark (1786–1848)	11 May 1813	16 February 1814	0 years

Governors-general appointed by the kings of Norway and Sweden[]

The following describes the office of governor as it was from 1814 during the personal 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 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.

List of governors-general during the Union between Sweden and Norway[]

• 1814–1816: Count Hans Henric von Essen
• 1816–1818: Count Carl Carlsson Mörner
• 1818–1827: Count Johan August Sandels
• 1827–1829: Count Baltzar von Platen

From 1829 to 1836, the office was vacant.

• 1836–1840: Count Johan Caspar Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg

From 1840 to 1841, the office was vacant.

• 1841–1856: Severin Løvenskiold

From 1856 to 1873, the office was vacant, then it was abolished.

See also[]

• List of Norwegian monarchs
• List of Norwegian Prime Ministers
• Union between Sweden and Norway

Sources and references[]

• WorldStatesmen – Norway
• Statholderembetet 1572–1771

External links[]