History of Norway
Prehistory
The
Norway knows its first settlements at the end of the glacial era, 10.000 years ago. Living hunting and gathering, the first colonists follow the retreat of the glaciers towards north, with the continuation of the herds of migratory reindeers. They are the ancestors of the Lapons. It is only later that newcomers,
Indo-Europeans of the Germanic branch
will occupy the south of the country.
Time Viking
The
Norway makes its entry in the history at the time of the
Vikings, which opens by plundering, in
793, of the Monastère of
Lindisfarne, in
England by pirate
Scandinavian. The
Vikings launch their maritime forwardings in
Europe and establish in way of the colonies of settlement. The country is then divided into many small kingdoms. A king of Vik, Harald with the Beautiful Hair unifies the
Norway towards
885. One century later, the king Olaf Tryggvason imposes the Christianisme on it. Large navigators, the Vikings are the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Erik the Red, the son of a Norwegian exiled in
Iceland, colonizes the
Greenland in
982. His/her son, Leif Eriksson, would be the first European to have explored the North-American coast. The age of the Vikings is completed in
1066, with the defeat of the king de Norvège Harald Hardrada at the time of the battle of Stamford Bridge, in
England.
Foreign sovereignty
Oslo becomes a center of being able at the 13th century. The Black Death, which decimates the country in
1349, stops its rise. In
1380, Norway is joined together with the
Denmark. This union lasts 400 years. Norway passes to the hands of the king of the
Sweden in
1814, but she rebels by adopting her own constitution and by declaring her independence. Its combat for independence turns short in front of a Swedish invasion. The Norwegians see themselves granting the right to remain a distinct kingdom and to preserve their democratic constitution, but are forced to enter a personal union with the
Sweden.
Independence
National resistance ends up carrying it and the
Norway acquires its independence in
1905. The Norwegians choose then the Monarchie and choose the prince Charles of Denmark like sovereign. This one takes the title of Haakon VII.
World wars
Norway remains neutral during the two world wars, but it is occupied by the Nazis in
1940. The king Haakon organizes a government in exile and place most of the enormous Norwegian merchant fleet under the control of the Alliés. The movement of resistance Norwegian combat vigorously the Nazis who counteract, at the time of their retirement, by the systematic destruction of the cities and the villages in the North of the country. The royal family regains Norway after the war.
Towards Europe?
In
1960, Norway joined the
European Free Trade Association. Anxious to preserve its
Agriculture and its fishings founded on the small company, it does not weave closer links with the
Europe. The discovery of
Oil and
Natural gas in the
the North Sea brings to him prosperity in the Années 1970. Since, the standard of living of Norway east one of highest of the world. Norway presented its candidature to join the
European Union (EU), but the decision must be before ratified by a national Référendum. At the time of the referendum of 1994, not had carried it. The accession of Norway at the EU is the passionate debate object in the country, but the opposition still does not disarm.
See too
Internal bond
List of the kings de Norvège
External bond
- Norway, of the Vikings to social democracy by Eric Eydoux, University lecturer at the university of Caen.