Johannes Irgens
Encyclopedia
Johannes Irgens was a Norwegian
barrister, diplomat and politician, noted for his service as minister of foreign affairs of Norway from 1910 to 1913.
at the Norwegian College of Agriculture, but died when Irgens was seven years old. Irgens moved with his mother to Kristiania
, and he took the examen artium
at Oslo Cathedral School in 1887. He graduated with a cand.jur. degree in law in 1892 at the Royal Frederick University
. During his time as a student, he served as member and chair of the board for Norwegian Students' Society, editor of its newsletter, and was briefly at University of Oxford
.
diplomatic corps upon graduating from university in 1892, his initial posting as a diplomatic fellow in Bordeaux
and then Antwerp. His fellowship was revoked in 1895 as a result of tension between Sweden and Norway about the use of consuls. He returned to Kristiania and took up work as an attorney. He advanced as a barrister and earned the right to appear before the Supreme Court of Norway
in 1900.
He also served on an elect commission charged with exploring ways for Norway and Sweden to maintain separate consular offices while maintaining a common foreign policy. When the union was dissolved in 1905, Irgens immediately offered his services to the Norwegian government.
He was sent to Washington, DC in an effort to convince the Theodore Roosevelt
administration to recognize Norway. Once this was accomplished, he was named Chargé d'affaires
under Fridtjof Nansen
at Norway's embassy in London, a highly visible posting. In 1908 he succeeded Nansen as ambassador, and in 1910 he returned to Norway to assume the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Wollert Konow's cabinet
as part of the Conservative Party
. When the cabinet resigned, Irgens continued as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jens Bratlie
's cabinet. Among other distinctions, King Haakon V
named him special envoy for the coronation
of George V of the United Kingdom
.
When Bratlie's Cabinet did not survive the 1913 election, Irgens accept a post as acting County Governor of Hedmark but asked to be put back into active service as a diplomat. He was made ambassador in Copenhagen
in 1913, with accreditation also to The Hague
and Brussels
. In 1922 he was made ambassador in Rome, Italy with responsibility also for Norway's station in Berne
, with accreditation also to Athens from 1927 to 1935 and Bucharest from 1930 to 1931.
He was decorated as a Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav (1906), upgraded to Commander with Star in 1909. He also received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
, Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold, Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order and the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
(Japan).
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
barrister, diplomat and politician, noted for his service as minister of foreign affairs of Norway from 1910 to 1913.
Personal life
Irgens was born into the merchant and civil service family of Irgens. His father was docentDocent
Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor . Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach...
at the Norwegian College of Agriculture, but died when Irgens was seven years old. Irgens moved with his mother to Kristiania
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...
, and he took the examen artium
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
at Oslo Cathedral School in 1887. He graduated with a cand.jur. degree in law in 1892 at 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...
. During his time as a student, he served as member and chair of the board for Norwegian Students' Society, editor of its newsletter, and was briefly at University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Foreign service career
Irgens joined the Norwegian-SwedishUnion between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
diplomatic corps upon graduating from university in 1892, his initial posting as a diplomatic fellow in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
and then Antwerp. His fellowship was revoked in 1895 as a result of tension between Sweden and Norway about the use of consuls. He returned to Kristiania and took up work as an attorney. He advanced as a barrister and earned the right to appear before the Supreme Court of Norway
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...
in 1900.
He also served on an elect commission charged with exploring ways for Norway and Sweden to maintain separate consular offices while maintaining a common foreign policy. When the union was dissolved in 1905, Irgens immediately offered his services to the Norwegian government.
He was sent to Washington, DC in an effort to convince the Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
administration to recognize Norway. Once this was accomplished, he was named Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
under Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
at Norway's embassy in London, a highly visible posting. In 1908 he succeeded Nansen as ambassador, and in 1910 he returned to Norway to assume the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Wollert Konow's cabinet
Konow's Cabinet
The Konow's Cabinet was a Norwegian cabinet, formed by a coalition of the Conservative Party and the Liberal Left Party. It was in office from 2 February 1910 to 20 February 1912.-Cabinet members:-State Secretary:...
as part of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
. When the cabinet resigned, Irgens continued as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jens Bratlie
Jens Bratlie
Jens Kristian Meinich Bratlie was a Norwegian politician, representing the Conservative Party. He was born in Nordre Land. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1912 to 1913.-References:* - Government.no...
's cabinet. Among other distinctions, King Haakon V
Haakon V of Norway
Haakon V Magnusson was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319.-Biography:Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, King of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Haakon was descended from king Saint Olav and is considered to have been the last Norwegian king in the Fairhair...
named him special envoy for the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of George V of the United Kingdom
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
When Bratlie's Cabinet did not survive the 1913 election, Irgens accept a post as acting County Governor of Hedmark but asked to be put back into active service as a diplomat. He was made ambassador in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1913, with accreditation also to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. In 1922 he was made ambassador in Rome, Italy with responsibility also for Norway's station in Berne
Berne
The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland, and, with a population of , the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000...
, with accreditation also to Athens from 1927 to 1935 and Bucharest from 1930 to 1931.
He was decorated as a Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav (1906), upgraded to Commander with Star in 1909. He also received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
, Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold, Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order and the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
(Japan).