Johannes Steen

Johannes Wilhelm Christian Steen (22 July 1827 - 1 April 1906) was a Norwegian educator who served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1891 to 1893 and from 1898 to 1902.[1]

Johannes Steen
Prime Minister of Norway
In office 17 February 1898 – 21 April 1902
Monarch	Oscar II
Preceded by	Francis Hagerup
Succeeded by	Otto Blehr
In office 6 March 1891 – 2 May 1893
Monarch	Oscar II
Preceded by	Emil Stang
Succeeded by	Emil Stang
Minister of the Interior
In office 24 March 1900 – 21 April 1902
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Ole Anton Qvam
Succeeded by	Otto Blehr
Minister of Finance
In office 6 March 1891 – 2 May 1893
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Evald Rygh
Succeeded by	Ole Furu
Personal details
Born	Johannes Wilhelm Christian Steen (1827-07-22)22 July 1827 Christiania, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
Died	1 April 1906(1906-04-01) (aged 78) Voss, Hordaland, Norway
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Elise Henriette Stoltenberg ( m. 1849)

Background

He was born in Christiania (now Oslo, Norway). He grew up in Vesteraalen as the son of John Svaboe Steen (1798– 1872) and Christine Fleischer (1805-1851). His father was a judge and member of Parliament. His brother Frederik Steen was also a member of Parliament. [2]

He took his examen artium at Tromsø in 1844. From 1844, he was a student at the University of Christiania and received his cand.philol. in 1848. Over the next 42 years, Steen combined his profession as teacher and educationist with a political career. He served as a teacher in Bergen (1850–55) and Tromsø (1855-1866). He was mayor of Tromsø (1856-1862) and (1864-1866). From 1866 he was Rector of Stavanger Cathedral School. [3]

Career

Steen was mayor of Stavanger (1872-1883) and (1885-1890). In 1859 he was first elected member of the Storting for Tromsø. In 1868, Steen was elected to the Storting for Stavanger. From 1871, the Storting became increasingly marked by political debate and struggle between liberal and conservative forces. Steen first served as the President of the lower house (Odelstinget) 1871-1873 and 1877–1881. He served as Prime Minister of Norway for two terms. Steen first became Prime Minister from 6 March 1891 – 2 May 1893. In 1894, Steen was re-elected to the Storting from Trondheim. Steen became Prime Minister again from 17 February 1898 – 21 April 1902.[4] [5]

Steen's final administration was responsible for the 1902 Land Sales Act, which limited the buying or leasing of state-owned land to fluent Norwegian speakers, barring the Saami people from the purchase of their traditional hunting and grazing grounds.[6]

In 1884 he was a co-founder of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights.[7]

Personal life

He was married in 1849 to Elise Henriette Stoltenberg (1826-1896). He was made a Knight in the Order of St Olav in 1887. He died in 1906 at Voss in Hordaland and was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund in Kristiania.

References

1. "Johannes Steen". Norwegian Government Administration Services. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
2. Gunnar Garbo. "Johannes Steen, Skolemann, Politiker". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
3. Knut Dørum. Johannes Steen (Store norske leksikon)
4. "Odelstinget". Lokalhistoriewiki. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
5. "Johannes Steen". Lokalhistoriewiki. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
6. BBC History Magazine, January 2011 The Saami of Scandinavia p. 19;
7. "Indbydelse til at indtræde i Norsk Kvindesags-Forening stiftet den 28de Juni 1884," Bergens Tidende, 18 November 1884

Political offices
Preceded by Emil Stang	Prime Minister of Norway 1891–1893	Succeeded by Emil Stang
Preceded by Francis Hagerup	Prime Minister of Norway 1898–1902	Succeeded by Otto Albert Blehr