Von den Mitnächtigen Ländern. / Von deKönigen des Lands Nordwegien./ nachdem die Nordmänner darauf gezogen

Title

Von den Mitnächtigen Ländern. / Von deKönigen des Lands Nordwegien./ nachdem die Nordmänner darauf gezogen

Front side shows a Norwegian angler. On the reverse side shows a Norwegian woman and the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sweden.

ca. 1550

Artist

Münster (1489-1552)

Sebastian Münster (1489–1552) was a leading Renaissance cosmographer. His most famous work, the Cosmographia (1544), was a comprehensive description of the world with 24 maps, based on research dating back to 1528. Continuously revised, the 1550 edition already included many new maps. It was the first scientific yet accessible world description published in German, illustrated with numerous woodcuts by artists such as Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1544 and 1650, the Cosmographia appeared in 46 editions (27 in German) and was translated into several languages. Münster’s work combined the knowledge of scholars, artists, and travelers and remained influential long after his death.

Historical Description

The Neolithic funnel cup culture of Scandinavia was followed by Germanic influences in the Bronze and Iron Ages. In the Viking Age (800-1050), Norway was unified by King Harald Hårfagre around the year 900. During this period, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland were settled from Norway. Some Vikings - under the leadership of e.g. Bjarni Herjúlfsson, Thorvald Eiriksson and Leif Eriksson - even reached Newfoundland off the northeast coast of the continent called America about 500 years later on several voyages around 1000 AD. The Orkney and Shetland Islands were also taken possession of by Norwegian Vikings and belonged to Norway until 1472. In personal union with Denmark from 1380, Norway joined the Kalmar Union in 1397 and became a relatively insignificant member in this. The Kalmar Empire lasted formally until the departure of Sweden (1523), with Denmark until 1814. Because of political support from France, Denmark had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden in the Peace of Kiel on January 14, 1814, after the Napoleonic Wars. However, there was no direct surrender, so Norway became independent for a short time and gave itself a constitution in a national assembly in Eidsvoll on May 17, 1814, which is still valid today with slight changes. The Storting arranged the first May 17 celebration in 1836, since that day, May 17 has been considered Norway's national holiday.