Severin Løvenskiold
Encyclopedia
Severin Løvenskiold, the younger (born 7 February 1777, Porsgrunn
, Norway
, died 15 September 1856, Gjerpen
, Norway.), was a Norwegian nobleman
and a politician.
to receive his formal education. He returned to Norway in 1794 aged 17, having studied in Wandsbek
near Hamburg
, in Eutin
, and Saxony
and Silesia
, where he studied mining. He earned a degree in law in Copenhagen
in 1796. After a few years of public service in Christiania
, he assumed responsibility for some of the family's holdings in 1802, at which point he was also made the king's representative for his area.
in 1814. Løvenskiold was an enthusiastic member of the so-called 'union party' during the convention, advocating a union with Sweden
, and he made notable efforts to retain nobility in Norway. When noble titles and privileges in fact were abolished in Norway after 1821, Løvenskiold went on record against the decision, finding it unjust and in violation with promises made by the king to his ancestors.
This position towards the abolishing of nobility is a good example of Løvenskiold's position in most political issues of the day. His conservatism tended towards an extreme reactionary position towards every kind of measure leading to a more advanced democracy, particularly so in 1836 when the laws on municipal democracy were sanctioned by the king - against Løvenskiold's wish. He maintained that the peasants lacked the necessary level of education and political understanding to govern national affairs, a view the king in reality shared with him. However, King Charles III John's he accepted the municipal laws.
Løvenskiold was extremely loyal to the king, and he was granted the position of prime minister
in Stockholm for several years until he was appointed governor of Norway in 1841. His leadership of the Norwegian government is considered by most historians as a tragedy for the development in Norway. His reactionary views and almost complete lack of popularity made political reforms nearly impossible during his fifteen-year reign. King Oscar I
, whose political views differed from Løvenskiold's, made the government more progressive by appointing among others the moderate opposition politician, Captain Herman Foss as Minister of the Navy and the young aspiring, moderately conservative Fredrik Stang
, as Minister of the Interior. Both appointments were lucky choices both for the relation between the Government and the Parliament - the Storting - and for the ability to lead the development of Norway.
When Løvenskiold died in 1856, it was politically impossible to appoint a new governor. His aggressively reactionary attitude, had left both him and the position isolated from most of the political establishment in Norway. The government functioned well, despite his position more than because of it.
Løvenskiold translates to "Lion Shield" in English.
Porsgrunn
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....
, Norway
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...
, died 15 September 1856, Gjerpen
Gjerpen
Gjerpen is a former township which is now part of the municipality of Skien, in Telemark county, Norway.-Location:The parish of Gjerpen was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 4,381. Gjerpen was located east of the city...
, Norway.), was a Norwegian nobleman
Norwegian nobility
Norwegian nobility are persons and families who in early times belonged to the supreme social, political, and military class and who later were members of the institutionalised nobility in the Kingdom of Norway. It has its historical roots in the group of chieftains and warriors which evolved...
and a politician.
Early life
When Løvenskiold was nine years old he moved to GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to receive his formal education. He returned to Norway in 1794 aged 17, having studied in Wandsbek
Wandsbek
Wandsbek is the second-largest of seven boroughs that make up the city of Hamburg, Germany. The name of the district is derived from the river Wandse which passes here. The quarter Wandsbek, which is the former independent city, is urban and, with the quarters Eilbek and Marienthal part of the...
near Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, in Eutin
Eutin
Eutin is the district capital of Eastern Holstein located in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. As of 2005, it had some 17,000 inhabitants....
, and Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, where he studied mining. He earned a degree in law in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1796. After a few years of public service in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, he assumed responsibility for some of the family's holdings in 1802, at which point he was also made the king's representative for his area.
Political life
After nine years as the king's representative, he resigned this position in 1813 and the following year, was elected to the constitutional assembly at EidsvollEidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
in 1814. Løvenskiold was an enthusiastic member of the so-called 'union party' during the convention, advocating a union with Sweden
Union between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
, and he made notable efforts to retain nobility in Norway. When noble titles and privileges in fact were abolished in Norway after 1821, Løvenskiold went on record against the decision, finding it unjust and in violation with promises made by the king to his ancestors.
This position towards the abolishing of nobility is a good example of Løvenskiold's position in most political issues of the day. His conservatism tended towards an extreme reactionary position towards every kind of measure leading to a more advanced democracy, particularly so in 1836 when the laws on municipal democracy were sanctioned by the king - against Løvenskiold's wish. He maintained that the peasants lacked the necessary level of education and political understanding to govern national affairs, a view the king in reality shared with him. However, King Charles III John's he accepted the municipal laws.
Løvenskiold was extremely loyal to the king, and he was granted the position of prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
in Stockholm for several years until he was appointed governor of Norway in 1841. His leadership of the Norwegian government is considered by most historians as a tragedy for the development in Norway. His reactionary views and almost complete lack of popularity made political reforms nearly impossible during his fifteen-year reign. King Oscar I
Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
, whose political views differed from Løvenskiold's, made the government more progressive by appointing among others the moderate opposition politician, Captain Herman Foss as Minister of the Navy and the young aspiring, moderately conservative Fredrik Stang
Fredrik Stang
Fredrik Stang was the Norwegian Minister of Justice 1912–1913. He was chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee 1922–1940.-Personal life:He was born in Kristiania as the son of Emil Stang and his wife Adelaide Pauline Berg...
, as Minister of the Interior. Both appointments were lucky choices both for the relation between the Government and the Parliament - the Storting - and for the ability to lead the development of Norway.
Political legacy
Despite his reactionary political views, Løvenskiold was not without interest in progress in a more technical way. During the last years of his position, Norway established its first railroad, its first telegraphic lines, a system of common postage and stamps, and several laws were established, helping the development of different kinds of industries in Norway. The honour for this goes mostly to Stang, but Løvenskiold must definitely have accepted and probably, at least to some extent approved of this changes.When Løvenskiold died in 1856, it was politically impossible to appoint a new governor. His aggressively reactionary attitude, had left both him and the position isolated from most of the political establishment in Norway. The government functioned well, despite his position more than because of it.
Løvenskiold translates to "Lion Shield" in English.