Attempted Reclamation By Hereditary Prince Frederik
Already in Norway, the viceroy of Norway, Hereditary Prince Christian Frederik resolved to preserve the integrity of the country, and if possible the union with Denmark, by taking the lead in a Norwegian insurrection. The king was informed of these plans in a secret letter of December 1813. The prince had also been instructed to keep the union with Denmark intact, but this was not in accord with Norwegian wishes at the time. In Norway, the sentiment was that Norway had been "sold out" to Sweden, their sworn arch-enemy.
On January 24, Christian Frederik received a letter from his cousin, the king of Denmark, ordering him to surrender the border fortresses and return to Denmark. However, he kept the contents of the letter to himself, ordering his troops to hold the fortresses. He also ordered currency with the Norwegian seal to be issued, and these "prince dollars" became the first paper money issued in Norway, though the prince refused to set up a Norwegian central bank. In time, the monetary expansion led to inflation and uncertainty in the financial markets.
Christian Frederik decided to claim the throne of Norway as rightful heir, and to set up an independent government with himself at the head. The week prior to January 30, the prince toured Norway and found the same willingness to fight everywhere he came. He soon understood that he could use this sentiment to his own advantage. On January 30, he consulted several prominent Norwegian advisors, arguing that king Frederick had no legal right to relinquish his inheritance, asserting that he was the rightful king of Norway, and that Norway had a right to self-determination. His impromptu council agreed with him, setting the stage for an independence movement. After this day, the tour continued, all the way to Trondheim and back.
On February 2, the Norwegian public learned that their country was ceded to the king of Sweden. There was growing enthusiasm for Christian Frederik's ideas for an independent Norway.
On February 8, Bernadotte responded by threatening to send an army to occupy Norway, promising a constitutional convention, and threatening a continued grain embargo against Norway if Sweden's claims under the treaty of Kiel were not met. But for the time being, he was occupied with the concluding battles on the Continent, giving the Norwegians time to take develop their plans.
Read more about this topic: Norway In 1814
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