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    Norway's Governments 1814 -

    First Wedel Government

    27. November 1814–19. September 1836

    After the Storting on 4 November 1814 had accepted the union with Sweden, and the Constitution had been revised accordingly, Count Hans Henrik von Essen was on 11 November 1814 installed as Governor-General by the Swedish Viceroy in Norway, Crown Prince Carl Johan. Count Essen had formally held the office since the Treaty of Kiel in January 1814.

    At the same time, the remaining members of Prince Christian Frederik's Council of State of 2 March 1814 were confirmed in their offices by Crown Prince Carl Johan.

    On 18 November 1814, Prime Minister Peder Anker and other new members of the Council of State were appointed by Crown Prince Carl Johan. They took up their posts on 27 November 1814, the day after the dissolution of the Storting's session. At he same time, the acting ministers appointed by the Storting, Colonel Diderik Hegermann and Captain Thomas Fasting, resigned. This is seen as the change between the Council of Government/Council of State 1814 and the First Wedel Government, named after the new minister of finance, Count Herman Wedel Jarlsberg.

    In early December 1814, Prime Minister Peder Anker travelled to Stockholm to establish the Norwegian Council of State Division there. He was joined by Ministers Peter Motzfeldt and Christian Krohg.

    Until 21 July 1873, Norway’s Prime Minister was head of the Council of State Division in Stockholm, while the Governor-General – in his absence the First Minister - headed the Norwegian Government in Christiania. Most ministers in Christiania also served as Norwegian ministers in Stockholm, normally for one-year periods. When the Swedish-Norwegian King came for his annual visitis to Christiania, he was joined by the Norwegian Prime Minister and the two Norwegian ministers in Stockholm. Only on these occasions would the entire Norwegian Government gather in plenary sessions.  

    The change between the First Wedel Government and the Second Wedel Government and its Continuation, took place at the appointment of former Minister of Finance Herman Wedel Jarlsberg as the Swedish-Norwegian King’s Governor-General in Norway on 19 September 1836.

    Secretary to the Council of State:

    In Christiania
    Acting State Secretary Christian Fischer, until 2 December 1814
    State Secretary Poul Christian Holst, 2 December 1814-9 July 1822, on leave 1817-1821
    Acting State Secretary Ludvig Stoud Platou, 1817-1821
    State Secretary Jørgen Vogt, 9 July 1822-16 September 1825       
    State Secretary Ludvig Stoud Platou, 16 September 1825-30 November 1833
    State Secretary Georg Jacob Bull, from 6 May 1834

    In Stockholm
    Director General Mathias Hagerup, 29 November 1814-9 July 1822
    Acting State Secretary Mathias Hagerup, 9 July 1822-1 October 1822
    State Secretary Frederik Due, from 3 October 1822

    More about Norway’s Council of State during the Union with Sweden.

    About the Government

    Prime Minister:
    Peder Anker (1814–1822)
    Mathias Sommerhielm (1822–1827)
    Severin Løvenskiold (1828–1836)

    Politicians

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