The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-05-17

THE CAPITOL OF NORWAY AT CHRISTIANIA
covers 5SS square miles. The whole of
the west coast of Norway is densely
fringed with islands and insulated rocky
masses. and the whole country abounds
with rivers. brooks. lakes and springs in
which the water is pure as crystal. The
miles long, and the largest lake Mj5sen,
sixty miles long.
That country has an early history, like
that of all other nations, that is some
what dim with traditions and stained
with the bloody acts of barbarians, but
nevertheless it sparkles with the names
of brave and patriotic men whose deeds
are engraved in stones at home and
abroad, never to vanish as long as the
mountains stand.
i In the Eighth. Ninth and Tenth cen
.turies the Norsemen (Vikings) We're
known and feared along the coasts of the
entire European continent. They infest-
ed especially England and France, took
possession of Normandy in OLE and may
be said to have conquered the English
by one of their descendants. William the
Conqueror. in 1865. In 1001-O2 Left Err
ikson explored Helleltnd, MARYLAND and
Vinland. or what are now called New
foundland, Nova Scotia and Massachu-
sets respectively. BY this time, or to-
wards the close OF the Tenth century,
Christianity was introduced in Norway
by Olaf |. and the mythical obscurity in
which the annals of the kingdom had
been previously plunged begins to give
place to the light CT real history.
AUTHENTIC history FOR 900 YEAEs
The introduction of Christianity. which
was the result of the intercourse which
the Norsellen had with the more civil
lied parts of Europe through their Vik-
ingetog or maritime expeditions, destroy
ed much Of the old nationality of the
people with the heathenism which they
had hitherto cherished, although san
culinary feuds which had ragged among
the rival chicfes Of the land can scarcely
he said to have Lost thcs- fc-oc:t.y- under
the sway Of a milder religion. Olaf II.
the saint, who reigned from 1915 to 1880,
zealously prosecuted the conversion of
his countrymen. raised himself to SUI
preme power in the land by the subjec-
ton of the small kings or chieftains, who
in the times of heathenism had subdi-
yided the kingdom among them. The
war between Olaf and King Knud the
Great of Denmark, in which the former
was slain with Stiklestad. year 1880,
brought Norway under the sway of the
Danish conGuerer; but at the latter's
death in 1896, Ola6 Masnus, recov-
cred possessions fne, and thence
forth till 1919 Continued to be
governed by d kfhgs.
From this time on the history Of Nor
way displays many dark pages. In the
middle of the Fourteenth century the
whole land was swept by a contagious
pestilence called Sortedoden (the black
death), which almost depopulated city
and country. 1t has been said on good
authority that this fearful pest to a great
extent prevented the Norsemen from
keeping up emigration to and taking
possession Of the new land in the far
west which Left Erikson had discovered
on his voyages. In 1887 Queen Margaret
Of Denmark was elected to the triple
throne Of the Scandinavian lands. Nor
way. Sweden and Denmark. and soon
after Norway also, in its physical and
pecuniary weakness, completely Sue
cnmbed, thereby practically becoming
subject TO Denmark.
IN these days the public institutions
we're very flea,er: what the government
did not want lit home in the line Of pub
M officers. teachers. etc. they sent up to
poor Norway which had to accept the
uutcasts:: high taxes were collected, but
hardly any public improvements were
miade: the Norwegiaias became 90 Inn
pcverished tiat ia order to be able to
colJec4 the taxes the Danish rulers enact