Military suppression of Norway's Constitution Day celebration in 1829 forced Sweden's king to rescind the prohibition, securing the annual commemoration.
Key Facts
- Date
- 17 May 1829
- Norwegian name
- Torvslaget (Battle of the Square)
- Location
- Christiania (now Oslo), Norway
- Prohibition issued by
- Charles XIV John of Sweden
- Prohibition year
- 1828
- Outcome
- King forced to lift ban on Constitution Day celebrations
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Charles XIV John, King of Sweden and Norway, had banned the annual celebration of the Norwegian Constitution the year prior to 1829, viewing the patriotic demonstrations as a threat to royal authority within the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway.
On the evening of 17 May 1829, Norwegian demonstrators gathered in Christiania to mark Constitution Day despite the royal prohibition. Police and military forces of the United Kingdoms intervened against the crowd, resulting in a skirmish known in Norwegian as Torvslaget.
The violent intervention by Swedish-Norwegian military forces provoked widespread outrage across Norway. Public pressure compelled Charles XIV John to lift the prohibition on Constitution Day celebrations, allowing 17 May to continue as Norway's national day of commemoration.
Political Outcome
Charles XIV John was compelled to lift the prohibition on celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day following public outrage over military suppression of demonstrators.
Royal ban on Norwegian Constitution Day celebrations under Charles XIV John
Ban rescinded; Constitution Day celebrations permitted to continue annually