Norway’s Constitution Day and the Clean Flag

At the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, Norway was united with Denmark.  Having been allied with France, Denmark found itself in the loser's column at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.  As a result, the Congress of Vienna conveyed Norway from Denmark to Sweden.  The Norwegians, unhappy with the arrangement, declared their independence on May 17th 1814 and produced a constitution for their new nation.  The king of Sweden invaded Norway and after a short war the parties signed the ceasefire of Moss on August 14th of the same year.  The Swedes, by this agreement, recognized Norway's Independence, its constitution and its borders.  In return, the Norwegians accepted the personal union of the two nations under the Swedish king.  Each had a separate democratic parliament.  However, the king often sided with his Swedish ministers against the Norwegian desires and interests.  One major issue that caused friction between the king's two realms centered on the display of flags.  The king wanted his two kingdoms to display a common flag.  The common flag favored by the king was the Swedish flag with the addition of an "X" shaped cross on a red background in the upper portion of the flag close to the flagstaff.  The Norwegians, however, wanted their own flag.  They had a historical attachment to the Danish flag, but the Swedish flag reminded them the union the Norwegians did not choose.

In 1814 the Norwegians chose a flag of their own.   They added the emblem from the Norway's coat of arms to the Danish flag.  The lion of Saint Olaf with a battle-axe appeared in the upper corner of the flag next to the flagstaff.  The king allowed the flag's use in northern waters, but required that the union flag be flown in other international waters.

In 1821 Norway adopted a new flag that was once again based on the Danish flag.  The Norwegians added a narrow blue cross in the center of the white Nordic cross found on the Danish flag.  Again, the king only allowed merchant ships to display the flag in northern waters.  In other international waters, a new union flag would be used.  It added a new union design in the canton corner of the Norwegian flag.  Swedish merchant ships would fly the Swedish flag with the same union device added to that flag. The Norwegians disliked the new union emblem.  It was formed by taking two horizontal wedges from the Swedish flag and combining them with two vertical wedges from the new Norwegian flag.  The Norwegians said the complicated union device looked like a "herring salad."  The wanted to display their own "clean" flag at home and abroad.

The king opposed any change to the flags.  However, in 1898 the Storting (Norway's parliament) adopted the clean flag as Norway's only flag.  The king also refused to accept other acts of the Norwegian parliament.  The Storting then declared that the king had abdicated and that the Norwegian throne was vacant.  Prince Carl of Denmark accepted the Norwegian crown in 1905.  He ascended the throne as King Haakon VII.

Today, the Norwegians display their "clean flag" proudly.  Especially on the anniversary of their constitution, Norwegians carry their beloved flag in huge public parades.