NORWAY
The collective countries of Scandinavia during the Middle Ages experieinced a large degree of meddling in each other affairs particularly with Denmark seizing prominant authority over it's neighboors. But the Norwegians as did Swedes considered themselves different ethnically and would overtime strive to undermine the strenght of the often more dominant power of Denmark.
For one, the town of Viker is in Norway which gives meaning to original Viking ancesstors being from the country. The significance of the Viking Ages that lasted for approximately two hundred years at the turn of the millenia inflicted danger and moderate loss for some of the other parts of Europe during the time. The Vikings were known as an excursionist group who had mastered the ways of sea travel, branching away from their Nordic homeland to inhabit new territory and plunder established coasts. Many came to settle in Iceland as it offered a close location to orchestrate their blitzkreig raids upon the coastal towns of England and France. The popularized image of these people as savages who represented all people of Nordic countries is a fabrication as much of the activity was away from the established regions. But Norway was a more remote and less populated region than it's Denmark which would have provided for a more rogue environment for the occurence of Viking activity to propogate.
Early on some of the leaders in Norway attempted to better unify its land particularly during lapses of weakening regional power like when a long standing Danish King would suceed the throne and a transitional adjustment would ensue. Harald Fairhair around the early tenth century is given credit for being first to successfully unify Norway from the several provincial kingdoms that had previously been in place. He was from the western coastal where much of the population lived. Norwegian Inlanders at the time were cultivators of the land, harvesting crops such as ...but also very reliant on the resources of the sea for survival. For several hundred years into the late centuries, Norway managed to rule itself without hostile interruption or major tribute demands needing to be paid to Denmark.
Norway sought to distance itself from the power consolidation that had previously been achieved by the almightly King of Denmark, Harald the Bluetooth. The prominent young son of Harald Fairhair named Olav Tryggvesson came to power around the early tenth century and became a strengthening diplomatic figure for Norway. He secured a domestic hold on power and traveled to England where he promoted the magnificence of Norway and instilled the good graces upon the country from England who also provided financial support. Tryggvesson largely Christianize the country while keeping close relations with England upon an order that he would help quell the harm that had been inflicted by the Vikings upon the Anglo-Saxons of England.
As protection to the rising ambitions and proven success of the Danish navy at the time, Norway accepted the British aid partly as a deterrant to prevent Norway from aligning itself with Denmark against the British. This pact only provided limited portections though as Denmark was nonetheless able to for a short time defeat and control the British Kindom in during eleventh century.
For Norway, Olav Haraldsson pursued efforts to exert a unified position of power but with England having fallen for a second and more long lasting time to the Danes, a restored Anglo-Norwegian alliance was unlikely to resume. Norway's hope for regional stronghold without British assistance looked bleak. Despite Olav not being able to totally sever Denmark’s hold over his country, he was nonetheless effective in establishing a strong Christian presence among Norway’s population.
Norway and Sweden around this period also looked to each other for posing a counter position to Denmark through a loose alliance which would concluded with an attack on Denmark in 1022. During this period in history, a reputable source for news was the English based 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'. In regards to the siege, 'The Chronicle' alluded to Sweden having shown a steadfast effort but not enough to unseat Denmark’s influence in the area. This being a futher setback for Norway it had bosting effects on Denmark. The newly established King Knut of Denmark was thus able to reclaim the throne of England that his father King Svein has managed to proclaim after a series of naval defeats against the British.
Denmark went on to oversee authority in Norway largely uncontested but on rather amicable terms as the countries sharing a central leadership, an official language, a single capital in Copenhagen, and christianity as its religion for many centuries to come. In 1661, twin kingdoms for Norway and Denmark were named with each subject being granted equal rights under the Kings.
The onset of the Napoleanic Wars drew many of the European countries into the conflict either in alliance with or opposed to the France's vying for continental expansion. Norway was bound to the choice of Denmark who tooks sides with France. The British naval forces soon commenced a heavy confrontation which debilitated Denmark’s fleet and formed a blockade on Norway which left it isolated and deprieved of resources from it's southern Danish benefactor. Norway came to view this as a testament that it was capable of a self sustaining authority no longer dependent upon Denmark for prosperity.
In the eventual French loss at the Battle of Waterloo, the opposing forces won concessions in what would prove to be especially important for Norway. The treaty of Kiel, after the war released Norway from it's rulership under Denmark and loosely annexed it to Sweden. The union between Sweden and Norway never became a peaceful situation. Therefore soon after, Norway audaciously procalaimed and was granted minor independence from Sweden by being allowed to draft its own constitution and act largely unhindered by Sweden. Around the same time in 1814 Norway would name Oslo as its capital.
In nostalgic tribute to the once strong leader of Norway from the twelfth century Haadon, the newly pronounced Norweigean King took the name Haadon XI in 1818.
A purely independent state completely free from the influence of Sweden wasn't officially established until the Treaty of Karlstad in 1905.