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Denmark-Norway is a former union state consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Following the strife surrounding the break-up of its predecessor, the Kalmar Union, the two kingdoms entered into another personal union in 1536 which lasted until 1814. The corresponding adjective and demonym is Dano-Norwegian.
The term Kingdom of Denmark is sometimes used to include both countries in the period 1536-1814, since the political and economic power emanated from Copenhagen, Denmark, and because the official language was Danish. The term covers the "royal part" of the Oldenburgs' as it was in 1460, excluding the "ducal part" of Schleswig and Holstein.
Three sovereign successor states have subsequently emerged from this unequal union: Denmark, Norway and Iceland.
The term Denmark-Norway has didactic merits and reflects the historical and legal roots of that union. It is adopted from the Oldenburg dynasty's official title. The term Sweden-Finland is sometimes, although with less justification, applied to the contemporary Swedish realm 1521-1809. Finland was never a separate kingdom, and was completely integrated with Sweden, while Denmark was the dominant component in a political union.
History
In the aftermath of Sweden's definite secession from the Kalmar Union in 1521, civil war and Protestant Reformation followed in Denmark and Norway. When things had settled down, the Privy Council (Rigsraad) of Denmark was weakened, and finally abolished in 1660. The Norwegian Privy Council was assembled for the last time in 1537. Norway kept its separate laws and some institutions, such as a royal chancellor, and separate coinage and army. Being a hereditary kingdom, Norway's status as separate from Denmark was important to the royal dynasty in its struggle to win elections as kings of Denmark.
After the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark-Norway was defeated and had to cede Norway proper to the King of Sweden, formally effected at the Treaty of Kiel. Norway's overseas possessions were kept by Denmark.
- The Scandinavians were christianized in the 10th-13th century, resulting in three consolidated kingdoms.
- Denmark forged from the Lands of Denmark (including Blekinge, Gotland, Halland and Skåne in modern-day Sweden)
- Sweden forged from the Lands of Sweden (Svealand, most of Götaland and Finland Proper)
- Norway forged from various petty kingdoms (including Båhuslen, Herjedalen, Jemtland and Idre & Särna) plus overseas possessions of Shetland and the Orkneys (both annexed in 875), Faroe Islands (annexed 1035), Greenland and Iceland (annexed 1261-1262).
- The three kingdoms then united in the Kalmar Union lasting all of the 15th century when the Union was split in two halves:
- "Denmark-Norway" (including overseas possessions in the North Atlantic)
- "Sweden" (including Finland and trans-Baltic possessions)
- In the mid 17th century, the Treaty of Brömsebro and Treaty of Roskilde permanently transferred some provinces and islands from Norway and Denmark to Sweden
- After the Napoleonic Wars, Scandinavia was reorganized into three personal unions: