The history of Norway
The history of Norway is perhaps most famous for its Viking Age which lasted from the 9th to the 11th centuries. The Viking era began in the late 800s when the first Viking King Harald Fairhair unified the Vikings into a single nation. The Vikings were a seafaring people who expanded their territory and raided northern Europe. The Vikings settled much of Greenland and parts of Britain and Ireland. In the 11th century, Olav I became the first Christian king of Norway. He converted much of Norway to Christianity during his reign. In 1397 Norway united with Denmark and Sweden under the Kalmar Union. Sweden broke from the union in 1521, but by 1586 Norway was part of the Danish Kingdom. After the Napoleonic wars, Norway was taken from Denmark and combined with Sweden under the Treaty of Kiel in 1814. In 1905, Norway became an independent country again. Norway remained neutral in World War I, but was occupied by the Germans in World War II. Af...
