Treaty of Kiel
Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
What happened
Denmark–Norway made peace with Sweden and Britain; the Danish diplomat Edmund Bourke negotiated with Sweden's Gustaf af Wetterstedt and Britain's Edward Thornton. Denmark–Norway had been allied with Napoleon and was on the losing side. In Kiel, Denmark agreed to hand Norway to the king of Sweden and the island of Heligoland to Britain. Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands stayed Danish.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The treaty moved Norway from Danish to Swedish rule, which shaped Norway's path toward independence. It was later used to decide who owned Greenland.
What came next
Norway declared independence and wrote its own constitution, but after a short war it joined Sweden in a union under one king.
Did you know?
In 1933 an international court used this treaty to rule that all of Greenland belonged to Denmark.
Timeline
- 14 January 1814The Treaty of Kiel is signed.
- 1814Norway adopts a constitution.
- 4 November 1814Norway's parliament elects the Swedish king as its king.
- 5 April 1933The court rules on Greenland.