Biography
Peder Anker was a member of a Danish-Norwegian noble family. He was born in Christiania, the son of the wealthy merchant Christian Anker. He had three brothers Iver (1745-1772), Bernt (1746-1805) and Jess (1753-1798). Following education in Christiania and a year as student at the University of Copenhagen, Peder Anker and his brothers spent five years traveling with private tutors in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden.
Peder Anker bought the Bogstad manor with additional forest land and extended the existing house to make a splendid mansion. Bogstad had for about 100 years belonged to members of the Leuch family, his grandmother's family. He also acquired iron mines and foundries, notably Bærums Verk and Hakadal Verk. The Vækerø manor near Oslo was established as a port for the export of iron. Anker rose to become one of Norway's richest individuals.
Peder Anker was a delegate to the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814, representing Akershus Amt. He distinguished himself as a "unionist." On 18 November 1814 he was appointed Prime Minister of Norway to Stockholm after the Union between Sweden and Norway was established, and remained in this office until 30 June 1822. In 1815, he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
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