Henrik Anker Bjerregaard (1 January 1792 – 7 April 1842) was a Norwegian poet, dramatist and judge.

Born in Ringsaker

Ringsaker

is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Brumunddal.The municipality of Ringsaker was established on 1 January 1838...

, he grew up in Vågå

Vågå

Vågå is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vågåmo....

 from the age of eight. He studied at the University of Copenhagen

University of Copenhagen

The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...

, but returned to Norway in 1814 and graduated from the Royal Frederick University

University of Oslo

The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...

 with the cand.jur. degree in 1815. He climbed the career ladder as a jurist, was a solicitor and chief justice in the diocesal

Diocese of Oslo

Oslo bishopric is The Church of Norway's bishopric for the municipalities of Oslo, Asker and Bærum. It is one of Norway's five traditional bishoprics and was founded around the year 1070.-History:...

 court of Christiania

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

 before being appointed as a Supreme Court

Supreme Court of Norway

The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...

 Assessor

Assessor (law)

In some jurisdictions, an assessor is a judge's or magistrate's assistant. This is in fact the historical meaning of this word.-By country:In Denmark, it was the former title given to Supreme Court judges. Today the title is given to Deputy Judges...

 in 1830. He remained in this position until his death.

Bjerregaard was also a prominent lyricist. Together with Conrad Nicolai Schwach and Maurits Hansen

Maurits Hansen

Maurits Christopher Hansen was a Norwegian writer recognized for his contribution to a diversity of genres and the introduction of the novel in Norway. He was a major contributor to the Norwegian Romantic Movement...

 he was among the most important lyricists after Norway's independence in 1814

Norway in 1814

1814 was a pivotal year in the history of Norway. It started with Norway in a union with the Kingdom of Denmark subject to a naval blockade being ceded to the king of Sweden. In May a constitutional convention declared Norway an independent kingdom. By the end of the year the Norwegian parliament...

, in the generation before Henrik Wergeland

Henrik Wergeland

Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist...

 and Johan Sebastian Welhaven

Johan Sebastian Welhaven

Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven was a Norwegian author, poet, critic and art theorist.-Background:...

. According to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Bjerregaard had a "varied talent", and his body of work contains "some charming studies from nature, and admirable patriotic songs". In 1820, Bjerregaard had entered a contest to write the new national anthem of Norway, and his hymn Sønner af Norge, melody written by Christian Blom, was selected as the winner. The song stood as the national anthem of Norway until 1864, when Ja, vi elsker dette landet

Ja, vi elsker dette landet

is the national anthem of Norway. It is commonly referred to as just "Ja, vi elsker" . The lyrics were written by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson between 1859 and 1868, and the melody was written by his cousin Rikard Nordraak in 1864. It was first performed publicly on 17 May 1864 in connection with the 50th...

was written. Bjerregaard also wrote plays, including Fjeldeventyret (1825) and Magnus Barfods Sønner (1830), and was a theatre critic. However, he largely ceased his literary production after his 1830 appointment as Supreme Court Assessor.

Bjerregaard was married to actress Henriette Hansen, who was several years his junior. He died on April 7 1842, aged 50, and was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund

Vår Frelsers gravlund

Vår Frelsers gravlund is a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It was created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic of the Napoleonic Wars. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full since 1952...

. The road Bjerregaards vei in Oslo has been named after him.