Niels Mathias Rye
Encyclopedia
Niels Mathias Rye was a Norwegian
politician.
He was born at Bø i Telemark
in 1824, as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Mathias Rye (1793–1860) and Christiane Elisabeth Sparre, née Gasmann. He married Thale Cathrine Rye, daughter of former President of the Storting Johan Henrik Rye
.
Having graduated as cand.jur. from the University of Christiania
in 1846, he started a career as a civil servant in Norwegian government ministries. He started as a clerk in the Ministry of the Interior, who handled post
al affairs. He eventually advanced to higher positions, being appointed head of division in the General Post Directorate
in 1857. This agency existed only from 1857 to 1860. In 1860 he moved to the Ministry of the Navy and Postal Affairs, the new name of the ministry following a restructure, and became deputy secretary (ekspedisjonssekretær) in 1863.
In 1869 Rye left his position to become County Governor of Søndre Bergenhus (today named Hordaland). In 1877 he was elected to the Norwegian Parliament, representing the constituency of Bergen
. He served a two-year term, but was not re-elected. Instead he returned to a post as County Governor, this time in Bratsberg (today named Telemark) to which he had been appointed in 1877. In 1880 he moved on to be County Governor of Kristiania diocese county.
However, Rye was not gone from the national political scene. He was appointed acting Minister of the Interior from 21 March to 3 April 1884, and acting Prime Minister
from 29 March to 3 April 1884. This was a turbulent year in Norwegian politics: Rye replaced Ole Andreas Bachke
, who himself was acting Prime Minister following the impeachment case of the cabinet Selmer
. On 3 April a new cabinet Schweigaard was finally constituted. It lasted only two months, being replaced by the Liberal cabinet Sverdrup
on 26 June.
He died in February 1905, weeks after his retirement from the position of diocesan governor of Kristiania. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
politician.
He was born at Bø i Telemark
Bø, Telemark
Bø is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Midt-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bø i Telemark. The municipality of Bø was established on 1 January 1838...
in 1824, as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Mathias Rye (1793–1860) and Christiane Elisabeth Sparre, née Gasmann. He married Thale Cathrine Rye, daughter of former President of the Storting Johan Henrik Rye
Johan Henrik Rye
Johan Henrik Rye was a Norwegian jurist and politician.He served as County Governor of Jarlsbergs og Laurvigs amt from 1829 to 1833. He was then appointed assessor at the Supreme Court...
.
Having graduated as cand.jur. from the University of Christiania
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in 1846, he started a career as a civil servant in Norwegian government ministries. He started as a clerk in the Ministry of the Interior, who handled post
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
al affairs. He eventually advanced to higher positions, being appointed head of division in the General Post Directorate
Norwegian General Post Directorate
The Norwegian General Post Directorate was a Norwegian government agency responsible for postal affairs. It was established in 1857 under the Norwegian Ministry of the Interior, itself non-existent today, and dissolved already in 1860 when its tasks were transferred to the Norwegian Ministry of...
in 1857. This agency existed only from 1857 to 1860. In 1860 he moved to the Ministry of the Navy and Postal Affairs, the new name of the ministry following a restructure, and became deputy secretary (ekspedisjonssekretær) in 1863.
In 1869 Rye left his position to become County Governor of Søndre Bergenhus (today named Hordaland). In 1877 he was elected to the Norwegian Parliament, representing the constituency of Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. He served a two-year term, but was not re-elected. Instead he returned to a post as County Governor, this time in Bratsberg (today named Telemark) to which he had been appointed in 1877. In 1880 he moved on to be County Governor of Kristiania diocese county.
However, Rye was not gone from the national political scene. He was appointed acting Minister of the Interior from 21 March to 3 April 1884, and acting Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
from 29 March to 3 April 1884. This was a turbulent year in Norwegian politics: Rye replaced Ole Andreas Bachke
Ole Andreas Bachke
Ole Andreas Bachke was the Norwegian Minister of Justice 1879–1880, member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm 1880–1881, Minister of Justice 1880–1882, Ministry of Auditing 1882–1884, and acting Prime Minister in 1884. He was president of a diocesan court by...
, who himself was acting Prime Minister following the impeachment case of the cabinet Selmer
Christian August Selmer
Christian August Selmer was a Norwegian politician who served as a member of the Norwegian parliament, minister of defense, minister of justice, and prime minister...
. On 3 April a new cabinet Schweigaard was finally constituted. It lasted only two months, being replaced by the Liberal cabinet Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party. He was the first Prime Minister of Norway after the introduction of parliamentarism. Sverdrup was Prime Minister from 1884 to 1889.- Early years :...
on 26 June.
He died in February 1905, weeks after his retirement from the position of diocesan governor of Kristiania. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund is a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It was created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic of the Napoleonic Wars. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full since 1952...
.