13 Facts About Christian Michelsen

Peter Christian Hersleb Kjerschow Michelsen, better known as Christian Michelsen, was a Norwegian shipping magnate and statesman.

Christian Michelsen was the first prime minister of independent Norway from 1905 to 1907.

Christian Michelsen was the eldest of five siblings born into a merchant family.

Christian Michelsen studied law at The Royal Frederick University and went on to become a lawyer.

Christian Michelsen became a member of the Norwegian Parliament in 1891, representing the Liberal Party of Norway.

Christian Michelsen considered himself mostly above petty party strifes, and one of his major aims was to create a coalition of parties reaching from the Conservative Party to the Liberal Party, which he called the Coalition Party.

Christian Michelsen served as Finance Minister in the second cabinet Hagerup, and was one of the strongest proponents of a more firm policy towards the union between Sweden and Norway.

In March 1905, Christian Michelsen replaced Francis Hagerup as Prime Minister, and immediately became the leader of the movement towards dissolution of the union.

Christian Michelsen knew that the Norwegian people, after months of well-directed information in a unanimous press, was united in a way that is extremely rare in a democracy.

In 1906 Christian Michelsen won the election on an "above-the-parties" ticket, which quickly alienated the leading Liberals from him.

Christian Michelsen was married in 1881 to Johanne Benedicte Wallendahl.

Christian Michelsen bequeathed most of his estate to a fund which made possible the establishment and operation of Chr.

Christian Michelsen Institute was established as an independent centre for research on international development and policy.