The Chancellor of Norway (modern Norwegian: ''Norges rikes kansler'', "Chancellor of Norway's Realm") was the most important aide of the

King of Norway The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty kingdom ...

during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, and during the Union with Denmark. He issued laws and regulations, and was responsible for day-to-day administration of the kingdom. From 1270, the Chancellor resided in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula ...

Haakon V of Norway Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) ( non, Hákon Magnússon; no, Håkon Magnusson, label=Modern Norwegian) was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319. Biography Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, Kin ...

moved the Chancellor's residence to

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

; on 31 August 1314 the provost of St Mary's Church became Chancellor on a permanent basis. He was given the

Great Seal of the Realm The Great Seal of the Realm or Great Seal of the United Kingdom (known prior to the Treaty of Union of 1707 as the Great Seal of England; and from then until the Union of 1801 as the Great Seal of Great Britain) is a seal that is used to sym ...

"for eternity." The Chancellors were originally chosen from the

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

but after 1542 the position was given to people from the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

. The position lost its importance after Jens Bjelke's tenure, and was abolished in 1679.

Chancellors of Norway

Kingdom of Norway (872–1397) The term Norwegian Realm (Old Norse: ''*Noregsveldi'', Bokmål: ''Norgesveldet'', Nynorsk: ''Noregsveldet'') and Old Kingdom of Norway refer to the Kingdom of Norway's peak of power at the 13th century after a long period of civil war before 124 ...

* Askatin, 1266–?? * Torer Håkonsson, until 1276 *Orm Merkesmann, 1276–1280 * Bjarne Lodinsson, 1280–99? * Bård Bartholomoeus Serksson, 1299?–1305? * Ivar Olavsson, 1314–19 * Arne Aslaksson, 1344–?? * Pål Bårdsson * Pål Eriksson, 1318– * Henrik Vinaldsson, late 14th century

Kalmar Union The Kalmar Union ( Danish, Norwegian, and sv, Kalmarunionen; fi, Kalmarin unioni; la, Unio Calmariensis) was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden, that from 1397 to 1523 joined under a single monarch the three king ...

* Arne Sigurdsson * Jens Jakobsson (Jon, Johannes) 1422–39 * Gunnar Holk 1439?–48 * Ivar Vikingsson, 1448–90 * Erik Walkendorf, 1507–?? * Mattis Hvørf, 1520–21 *Hans Olsson, 1522–23 * Mattis Hvørf, 1524–32

Denmark-Norway

* Morten Krabbe (Nilsson), 1532–42 * Per Herlogssenn * Niels Stub, 1546–47 * Peder Huitfeldt, 1547–64 * Niels Stub, 1564–65 * Oluf Kalips (Pedersson), 1565–67 * Johan Venstermand, 1567–72 * Hans Pederssøn Litle (Basse), 23 June 1592 – 1603? * Henning Valstrup, 27 August 1603–04 * Anders Lauritsson Green (Anders Lauritsson of Sundsby), 24 July 1604 – 1614 * Jens Bjelke, 1614–48 * Hannibal Sehested, 1648–60 * Ove Bjelke, 8 December 1660–74 * Johan Frederik von Marschalck, 1674–1679

References

{{Reflist Norwegian monarchy