Founding of the City Essay Example for Free

Founding of the City Essaycapital of Norway is Norways capital city. The name capital of Norway was derived from the Old Norse word os meaning mountain and lo meaning plain or river . Thus, Oslo can be described as a place that is located beneath the mountains. The city of Oslo was founded almost1000 AD. The first evident settlement in Oslo took place in the 8th century. During the closes 1300 1600 AD, there were no significant buildings except for a few wooden houses. People of German origin may have settled along the Oslo Fjord who go up to the north from mainland Europe (Zelko 63). The first people who inhabited Oslo croakd in humble settings with the houses made of wooden and turf grass that was surrounded by pens or sheds for goats, sheep and cows. In 1286 Oslo became the city of Hansa league with close ties to the Rostock City, in northern Germ both. Like all the other settlers of Norway, the people were grouped together in form of tribes with land professers meeting with his other landed neighbors in a public assembly called Thing. Legislative assemblies were called Lagtings (Zelko 63).During the Viking age, AD800-1000 Oslo settlers grew rapidly as it had become the amount of money for good deal and shipbuilding activities and later it earned the name the Viking Capital (Oslo 1). Viking means a man from Vik, a huge bay betwixt the Cape Lindesnes in Norway and the utter of Gota River in Sweden (Britannica 1033). Norse Vikings, like other Vikings of Denmark and Sweden, were feared all over Europe as they had superior ships and weapons as well developed military organization. They were basically ratiocinationowed with extraordinary hunger for adventure (Britannica 1034).Norwegian Vikings were cognize to be ruthless and brave fighters who killed their victims and greedily loots their conquered settlements and when they were done plundering destroyed the place with fire. They changed the await of Europe as they industrious in raiding and t rade and then finally attracted by their conquered lands settled to live there. Their target places were mostly western European countries such as England, Scotland, and Iceland. Their active participation in trading had renewed the neglected European commerce of the middle Ages.Their contact with Western Europe was submissive for their Christianization and eventually unification of Norway (Britannica 1033). In 885 the first Viking Monarch, Harold the Fair-haired united Norway (Halsey 239). During his reign the settlers of Norway, including Oslo, were generally engaged in blood feuds, fightings that involve almost, if not all, disagreeing families. Even pip-squeak disputes can trigger the killing and maiming of both members of the quarreling families and if not settled can start an endless round of retaliation.The violence can be finally halt when offending families pay the wronged families which they called bot. Some dates family feuds were brought to the attention of the Lagt ings who will decide the outcome of the disputes and impose penalties. The worst penalty they can give at that time was known as outlawrya sentence that regarded the offender as if he died already. All his goods were taken away from him and he cannot exercise or claim any legal rights. In fact, anyone can kill him without facing the risk of penalty. These condemned people were left with no choice but to leave their homeland or live in the forest as an outlaw (Tseng 24).In 1050 Harald Hardrade or as commonly as King Harald III officially founded Oslo and made it the center of southern Norway. This site was located at the eastern side of the harbor on the left bank of the small Akers River (Halsey 239). Harald died in 1066 and his death ended the Viking period as raidings stopped (Norway 3). Oslo experienced a great era during the reign of Haakon V who was crowned in 1299. He decided to build the Akershus vindication in Olso to serve as his home with his wife Euphemia of Rugens, a No rthern German princess (Oslo 1).He made Oslo the capital of Norway replacing Bergen. This time Oslo and the rest of Norway enjoyed relative peace (Norway 2007). In 1318 Norway was united with the kingdom of Sweden when Duke Erik of Sweden married Princess Ingebjorg, daughter of Queen Euphemia and Hakon V Magnusson. The unification of both countries was officially write in the Bishops castle now presently know as Oslo Ladergard (Oslo City 2006). The saddest event that occurred in the early history of Oslo was the color Death that terrorized the world in 1349.It was estimated that half of Oslos population died during the time of the Black Death or bubonic plague. Bubonic plague was carried by fleas in rats from England (Oslo 2006). Because of the loss of its inhabitants and damage to agriculture Norway united together with Denmark and Sweden via the Union of Kalmar 1397(Norway 2007). During this time Copenhagen, instead of Oslo, was selected as the actual capital of Norway. Conseque ntly Oslo lost its governmental immenseness and was only regarded as a provincial administrative center while the kings lived in Copenhagen and Stockholm from 1400-1500 (Oslo City 2006).In 1523, however, Sweden dropped out of the union, and weaker Norway was left in the care of Danish Kings (Norway 2007). Part 2 Modern Era Reformation Period Like the rest of mainland Europe, Oslo was greatly affected by the Lutheran Protestant Reformation of 1537 when the German Monk Martin Luther questioned the laws of Roman Catholic Church and sought to reform the religious beliefs of the Europeans. Oslo citizens were engaged in religious conflicts(Thodock 2003). The catholic bishop of Oslo, Hans Rev was converted to Protestantism despite the reluctance of the citizens ( Oslo City 2006).Since Oslo had slightly lost its political and economic importance as a city at this time as it was being ruled by Denmark, most of the buildings constructed there were only made of wood. The city was advantageo usly destroyed by fire in 1624. King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway decided to move the town to the right bank of the Akers River and rebuild it near the Akershus Fortress. The city buildings were constructed in a Renaissance city style with rectangular blocks and renamed capital of Norway (Halsey). Scientific RevolutionThe scientific revolution changed the worlds beliefs entirely, and Norway in the punk of its Religious beliefs was proven wrong and questions concerning the scientific approach were answered. Copernicus first with his opinion on the heliocentric theory, Galileo second with proof of Copernicus theory, and Newton third with the laws of gravity to condone how and why the planets revolved around the sun. Enlightenment During the 1700s the Age of Reason or the Enlightenment flourished in Europe particularly to the Norwegian trading partners of peachy Britain and Holland.In these places people were trying to improve their lives with the use of reason instead of foll owing traditional religious or the conventional accepted beliefs. Contact with the pundit British and Dutch affected the daily life of the inhabitants of capital of Norway. Norwegian traders brought home with them not only the prized cargoes of tobacco, coffee, tea and spices but also enlightened and innovative ideas. They constructed expansive houses with magnificent gardens in accordance with the style borrowed from western Europe (Oslo City 2006). forty winksic wars At first, Denmark and Norway attempted to remain neutral in the Napoleonic wars between France and England and their respective allies in 1805. However, in 1807 England attacked the entire Danish fleet and as a result Denmark joined the war together with France against Britain (Britannica 1034). Britain cut-off trading with Norway and set up a continental blockade against Denmark and Norway wherein British navy prevented the goods from both Norway and Denmark in reaching its trading partners . This action greatly af fected the parsimoniousness of Norway.The export of fish and timber from capital of Norway as well as the import of grain from Denmark were blocked. As a result, citizens of Christiania faced an economic crisis and suffered hunger. To end their trouble, Britain loosened up its ban on Norway in 1810-13(Oslo 1991). In 1814 the king of Denmark was forced to give up Norway to Sweden in a Treaty of Kiel when Napoleon I was defeated (Oslo 2006). Eager to rebuild their government the Norwegian created its first constitution on May 17 the same year and Christiania became the capital city.In time, Christiania replaced its rival Bergen as Norways largest city. The people celebrated with joy as Christiania was expected to reclaim its old credit without giving much thought at first that they were still under the control of a foreigner, Sweden. As a capital city, Christiania once again became important politically and economically. For its newly acquired role, new monumental buildings were ere cted as venue for important functions. . They were the Royal Palace, Bank of Norway and the stock exchange Oslo Bors.Later, most Christiania citizens joined with the rest of Norway in demanding for a complete control of their own affairs. They did not want to recognize the provisions of the Treaty of Kiel and instead preferred a Danish King to rule them. Because of the political unrest , Sweden was forced to make the Act of Union of 1815,that gave Norway the privilege of having its own army, navy and parliament (Storting) and was permitted to control their own internal affairs in exchange for their strict compliance to the Treaty of Kiel (Oslo 2006).Renaissance Period Because of their internal independence, Christianias economic and political power rose. By mid 1800s, Christiania grew into a major administrative, economic and military center. The economic success brought about by the shipping and agricultural exertion made Christiania a dominant economic city of Norway (World Book 1981). The site of rapid industrial revolution in Oslo started at the Aker River around 1840. The development of Industries relied in the electricity provided by this River.Old buildings along the River were demolished and replaced with concrete large textile industrial buildings . Because of the increased jobs offered by industries the population of Christiania increased as peasants and rural populace moved to the cities hoping find work. In the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Christianias industrial workers, like most of European industrial cities, lived in poverty as a result of low income. They mostly lived in crowded houses meant for workers in where sanitation was bad. As a result, diseases were common and spread easily.To augment family income, the children aged below ten were forced to work in the industries, an environment that was not conducive for their well-balanced growth. In fact, industries were noisy and dusty. They caused piddle and air pollution. Because o f this, the health of the children was at a risk and many contracted diseases. Resistance to diseases decreased as they lacked the time to play and sleep. In fact, schoolwork was inevitably neglected (Off 2007). Revolutions of 1848 The political revolutions in Europe in 1848 had increased the desire of Norway to demand for independence from Sweden.In the late 1800s popular Norwegian playwrights Henrik Ibsen and Bjornstjerne Bjorjornson staged a play in Christianias theater with a theme about political hypocrisy, rights of women and social problems. These plays helped Norwegians develop a sentience of nationalism. In 1901 the city of Christiania was selected by the notable Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel to be the site for the awarding of the most prestigious Noble Peace Prize (Lundestad 2001). By 1905 Sweden granted independence to Norway and Christiania at last was freed from foreign interference that began 1300s (Halsey 240).Industrial Revolution World state of war I was inevita ble receivable to industrialization and the desire for each country had to become supreme grew. Firstly, relationships between the nations of the world were dramatically altered by the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century. Tensions between the industrial powers began to rise. The intensity between the industrial powers grew more and more as each country sought to expand its sphere of influence at the put down of others. Secondly, there was a growing desire by ethnic populations within the larger countries to become independent nations.Norway separated from Sweden and revolts occurred in colonies such as China, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Ireland. War broke out in the Balkans in 1912 and again in 1913, as Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece fought first the Ottoman Empire and then Austria-Hungary. Lastly, Colonies around the world were a blue-chip asset for supporting the host countrys economy. The great European powers needed raw materials and outlets for their goods. T hey wanted to expand into new colonies while still protecting the ones they already had.