Those among you who can read the Scandinavian languages might be interested to know that Trond Norén Isaksen's new book "Norges krone - Kroninger, signinger og maktkamper fra sagatid til nåtid" has now been published.
The title translates roughly as "The Crown of Norway: Coronations, Solemn Blessings and Power Struggles from the Age of the Sagas to the Present" and the book deals with the role of coronations (and solemn blessings) in Norwegian history from Magnus Erlingsson's coronation in 1164 to the future solemn blessing of the current crown princely couple. To a certain extent it tells the history of the Norwegian monarchy viewed through the coronations, as many of them have taken place in connection with crucial events in Norwegian history, such as the bloody civil wars of the twelfth century and the attempt to introduce a new state order based on sacral monarchy, the excommunication of King Sverre in 1194, the unificiation of the Nordic countries in Kalmar in 1397, the final choice between Sweden or Denmark as union partner in 1448-1450, the nation's rebirth in 1814, the conflict between Carl XIV Johan and Parliament and the dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian union in 1905. The book also offers the first thorough investigation of the history and symbolism of the crown regalia and shows how the coronations saved Nidaros Cathedral from ruin.

This very interesting book can be ordered at the publishers':
Forlaget Historie & Kultur,
mm-mm@online.no

or through your fav. bookshop