Christian Michelsen

Christian Michelsen was a Norwegian shipping magnate and statesman who played a pivotal role in the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905. He was the first prime minister of independent Norway and the leader of the Coalition Party, a broad alliance of conservatives and liberals. He began his career as a lawyer and later established his own shipping company, which became one of the largest in Norway. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 1891 and served as finance minister in the second cabinet Hagerup. He resigned in 1905 in protest against the moderate policy towards the union with Sweden and formed a new coalition government. He initiated the consular conflict with Sweden, which led to King Oscar II's refusal to accept the Norwegian consular laws. This was the formal basis for the dissolution of the union, which Michelsen declared on June 7, 1905. He also negotiated with the Swedish government and secured a peaceful settlement of the dispute. He was instrumental in the selection of Prince Carl of Denmark as the new king of Norway, who took the name Haakon VII. Michelsen remained in office until 1907, when he retired due to ill health. He later helped to form the Free-minded Liberal Party, a moderate conservative party, but withdrew from active politics after 1910. He died in 1925 at his estate in Fana, near Bergen. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and respected politicians in Norwegian history.