Christian Homann Schweigaard

Christian Schweigaard MP
third Prime Minister of Norway in Christiania
In office April 1884 – June 1884
Monarch	Oscar II
Preceded by	Christian August Selmer
Succeeded by	Johan Sverdrup
Personal details
Born	Christian Homann Schweigaard (1838-10-14)14 October 1838 Christiania
Died	Christiania
Nationality	Norwegian
Political party	Conservative Party
Occupation	Politician
Profession	clerk
Religion	Church of Norway

Christian Homann Schweigaard (14 October 1838 in Christiania – 24 March 1899 in Christiania) was a Norwegian Supreme Court lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister for three months in 1884, a period after the impeachment of Prime Minister Christian August Selmer called Schweigaard's Ministerium.

Schweigaard held a number of key positions, including Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1889–1891 and 1893–1896, as well as Parliamentary Leader from 1889-1891 and 1894–1895. He was Emil Stang's close friend and indispensable partner, leading the Conservative Party's policy and organizational development in the 1880s and 1890s.

Life

Schweigaard was born in Christiania in 1838, the son of Anton and Caroline Martin Schweigaard Magnine Homan. He was the nephew of Peter and Henry Jacob Homan Homan. Schweigaard was married on 23 May 1867 to Thea Meyer, the daughter of Thorvald Meyer. He was also the brother of Axel Heiberg, brother-in-law of Frederick Stang, and uncle to Christophersen and Christian Schweigaard Stang.

He took his final exams in 1855, and then studied law. He was an agent at his uncle Peter Jacob Homan's business, then studied for a year in London and Paris, and became a lawyer in 1863. In 1864, he became a Supreme Court lawyer.

Schweigaard was a member of the Royal Commission on the enlargement of Christiania in 1873 and a Member of the Parliamentary Tax Commission in 1877. Schweigaard served as Minister of the Audit from 22 December 1880 until 31 August 1882, as Minister of Justice from 26 September to 31 October 1881. He also served as a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm from 1 September 1882 to 31 August 1883. He was the Finance Minister from 1 September 1883 to 2 April 1884.

After Selmer's impeachment, Emil Stang was commissioned to form a new government, but the Conservative Party's parliamentary group could not spare Stang's parliamentary talent, and it was therefore Schweigaard's task to lead the April Ministry, which came to be called Schweigaard's Ministerium. The government, in which Schweigaard served as Prime Minister and as head of the Audit Department, took office on 3 April 1884.

Threats of a new impeachment, a divided Conservative Party, a conflict of Swedish public opinion, and an uncertain King Oscar II eventually led to Schweigaard's resignation on 31 May, which was granted on 26 July 1884.

Schweigaard was elected as the Member of Parliament from Holmestrand 1886–1897. He was Odelsting presidential and parliamentary leader from 1889-1891 and 1894–1895. Schweigaard was elected to the Christiania City Council 1873–1880 and 1885–1894 and was Mayor of Christiania from 1879–1880 and 1885–1888.

He was the Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1889–1891 and 1893–1896, and in Christiania Tight, he was Vice Chairman of the Foundation in 1884 and Chairman from 1889 to 1891.

Schweigaard is buried at Our Saviour's Cemetery.

References

• http://www.snl.no/H%C3%B8yre

Political offices
Preceded by Christian August Selmer	Prime Minister of Norway 1884	Succeeded by Johan Sverdrup
Preceded by Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull	Mayor of Christiania (Oslo) 1879–1880	Succeeded by Anton Blumenthal Petersen
Preceded by Anton Blumenthal Petersen	Mayor of Christiania (Oslo) 1885–1889	Succeeded by Peter Birch-Reichenwald