Editing History of Norway (section)

===Decline and the Kalmar Union===
[[File:Bergen-Bryggen17.jpg|thumb|[[Bryggen]] in [[Bergen]], once the centre of trade in Norway under the [[Hanseatic League]] trade network, now preserved as a [[World Heritage Site]]]]

The 13th century is described as Norway's [[Golden Age]], with peace and increase in trade, especially with the British islands, although Germany became increasingly important towards the end of the century. Throughout the [[High Middle Ages]] the king established Norway as a sovereign state with a central administration and local representatives.<ref>Stenersen: 41</ref>

In 1349, the [[Black Death in Norway|Black Death]] spread to Norway and within a year killed nearly two-thirds of the population. Later plagues halved the population by 1400. Many communities were entirely wiped out, resulting in an abundance of land, allowing farmers to switch to more [[animal husbandry]]. The reduction in taxes weakened the king's position,<ref>Stenersen: 44</ref> and many aristocrats lost their surplus income, reducing some to mere farmers. High [[tithe]]s made the church more powerful, and the archbishop became a member of the [[Norwegian Council of State|Council of State]].<ref name="s45">Stenersen: 45</ref>
[[File:Kalmar Union ca. 1400.svg|thumb|left|The Kalmar Union, {{circa|1400}}]]
The [[Hanseatic League]] took control of Norwegian trade in the 14th century and established trading posts in most Norwegian port cities, such as [[Oslo]] and [[Bergen]], which had the largest German colony. In 1380, [[Olaf II of Denmark|Olaf Haakonsson]] inherited both the Norwegian and Danish thrones, creating a union between the two countries.<ref name="s45" /> In 1397, under [[Margaret I of Denmark|Margaret I]], the [[Kalmar Union]] was created between the three Scandinavian countries. She waged war against the Hanse, resulting in a trade blockade and higher taxation on Norwegians, which resulted in [[Engelbrekt rebellion|a rebellion]]. However, Norway and its Council of State was too weak to secede from the union.<ref name="s46">Stenersen: 46</ref>

Margaret pursued a centralising policy which inevitably favoured Denmark, because it had a greater population than Norway and Sweden combined.<ref>Derry p.75</ref> Margaret also granted trade privileges to the Hanseatic merchants of [[Lübeck]] in Bergen in return for recognition of her right to rule, and these hurt the Norwegian economy. The Hanseatic merchants formed a state within a state in Bergen for generations.<ref>Derry pp. 77–78</ref> Even worse were the pirates, the "[[Victual Brothers]]", who launched three devastating raids on the port (the last in 1427).<ref>Derry p.77</ref>

Norway slipped ever more into the background under the [[House of Oldenburg|Oldenburg dynasty]] ([[Treaty of Bergen|established 1450]]). There was a [[Dano-Swedish War (1501–1512)|revolt]] under [[Knut Alvsson]] in 1502.<ref>Derry pp. 81–82</ref> Norwegians had some affection for king [[Christian II of Denmark|Christian II]], who resided in the country for several years. Norway did not take any part in the events which led to [[Swedish War of Liberation|Swedish independence from Denmark in the 1520s]].<ref>Derry pp.83–84</ref>