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Expanded History

History of Norway

From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Norway.

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Overview

The Viking period (9th to 11th centuries) was one of national unification and expansion. The Norwegian royal line died out in 1387, and the country entered a period of union with Denmark. By 1586, Norway had become part of the Danish Kingdom. In 1814, as a result of the Napoleonic wars, Norway was separated from Denmark and combined with Sweden. The union persisted until 1905, when Sweden recognized Norwegian independence.

The Norwegian Government offered the throne of Norway to Danish Prince Carl in 1905. After a plebiscite approving the establishment of a monarchy, the Parliament unanimously elected him king. He took the name of Haakon VII, after the kings of independent Norway. Haakon died in 1957 and was succeeded by his son, Olav V, who died in January 1991. Upon Olav’s death, his son Harald was crowned as King Harald V.

Norway was a nonbelligerent during World War I, but as a result of the German invasion and occupation during World War II, Norwegians generally became skeptical of the concept of neutrality and turned instead to collective security. Norway was one of the signers of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949 and was a founding member of the United Nations. The first UN General Secretary, Trygve Lie, was a Norwegian. Under the terms of the will of Alfred Nobel, the Storting (Parliament) elects the five members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee who award the Nobel Peace Prize to champions of peace.

Historical Eras

The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.

  1. Viking Age

    793 – 1066

    Harald Fairhair unified the Norwegian petty kingdoms around 872, establishing the first Norwegian monarchy. Norse seafarers raided, traded, and settled across Europe, the North Atlantic, and as far as North America, reached by Leif Erikson around 1000. King Olav Tryggvason's conversion to Christianity in 994 and Olav II's subsequent evangelization reshaped Norwegian society, culminating in Olav's martyrdom at Stiklestad in 1030.

  2. Medieval Kingdom

    1066 – 1397

    Norway consolidated as a Christian kingdom under a succession of Scandinavian rulers, reaching its medieval apex under Haakon IV and Magnus VI in the 13th century, when Norwegian law was codified and Iceland and Greenland came under the crown. The catastrophic Black Death of 1350 killed roughly half the population, decimating the nobility and administrative capacity and severely weakening the kingdom's independence.

  3. Danish Union

    1397 – 1814

    The Union of Kalmar in 1397 brought Norway, Denmark, and Sweden under one crown; after Sweden's departure in 1523, Norway remained firmly subordinated to Denmark. By 1536–37, Norway was formally reduced to a Danish province, its church reformed to Evangelical Lutheranism under Christian III. Four centuries of Danish rule reshaped Norwegian language, culture, and governance, ending only when the Napoleonic-era Treaty of Kiel ceded Norway to Sweden in 1814.

  4. Swedish Union & Constitution

    1814 – 1905

    Norwegian patriots drafted a liberal constitution at Eidsvoll on May 17, 1814, asserting self-governance before a Swedish invasion forced a compromise union under the Swedish crown. Norway retained its constitution and Storting, fostering growing national consciousness throughout the 19th century. A peaceful referendum in 1905 dissolved the union, and Danish Prince Carl ascended as King Haakon VII, restoring full Norwegian sovereignty.

  5. World Wars & NATO

    1905 – 1949

    Independent Norway maintained neutrality during World War I but was nonetheless drawn into the conflict through its large merchant fleet. Nazi Germany invaded in April 1940 despite a declared neutrality; Haakon VII and the government fled into exile while resistance movements fought a five-year occupation. The trauma of occupation extinguished faith in neutrality, leading Norway to become a founding member of NATO in 1949 and of the United Nations, whose first Secretary-General was Norwegian Trygve Lie.

  6. Modern Norway

    1949 – present

    Post-war Norway rebuilt rapidly under a social democratic model, developing one of the world's most comprehensive welfare states. The discovery of North Sea oil and gas in the late 1960s transformed the economy, with petroleum revenues channeled into the Government Pension Fund to secure long-term prosperity. Norway today ranks consistently among the highest nations in human development and quality of life, while maintaining a prominent role in international diplomacy and the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Timeline Preview

The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.

  1. 700 – 800

    Vikings began arriving to the Orkney Islands

    Vikings began arriving to the Orkney Islands.

  2. 850 – 870

    Viking King Harold Fairhair united Norway into one Kingdom

    Viking King Harold Fairhair united Norway into one Kingdom.

  3. 1000

    Leif Erikson discovered North America

    Leif Erikson discovered North America.

  4. 1015

    Olaf II Haraldsson, declared himself King of Norway

    Olaf II Haraldsson, declared himself King of Norway after returning from war with the Danes. In time, he converted his people to Christianity.

  5. 1028

    King Olav II forced to flee Norway

    King Olav II forced to flee Norway by Canute, King of England and Denmark; thus Canute the Great became King of Norway.

  6. 1030

    King Olav II killed at battle of Stiklestad

    King Olav II killed at battle of Stiklestad.

  7. 1066

    Battle of Stampford Bridge

    King Harold Godwinson II marched north and attacked the Vikings at the Battle of Stampford Bridge in Yorkshire.

View full timeline (43 events)
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