Editing Nidaros

{{Short description|Town that is today Trondheim in Norway}}

'''Nidaros''', '''Niðarós''' or '''Niðaróss''' ({{IPA|non|ˈniðɑˌroːsː}}) was the [[Middle Ages|medieval]] name of [[Trondheim]] when it was the capital of [[Norway]]'s first [[Christianity in Norway|Christian kings]]. It was named for its position at the mouth ([[Old Norse]]: ''óss'') of the River Nid (the present-day [[Nidelva]]).

Although the capital was later moved to [[Oslo]] (around the year 1300), Nidaros remained the centre of Norway's spiritual life until the [[Protestant Reformation]]. The [[Archdiocese of Nidaros]] was separated from [[archdiocese of Lund|Lund]] (in [[Scania]]) by the papal legate [[Pope Adrian IV|Nicholas Breakspeare]] in 1152, and the [[St. Olav's shrine|shrine to Saint Olaf]] in [[Nidaros Cathedral]] was Northern Europe's most important [[Christian pilgrimage|pilgrimage site]] during the Middle Ages. Archbishop [[Olav Engelbrektsson]] led Norway in its attempted resistance against the [[Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein|Danish Reformation]], and was forced into exile by King [[Christian III of Denmark|Christian III]] in 1537. The archdiocese was abolished and replaced with a [[diocese of Nidaros|Lutheran diocese]].<ref>Catholic Encyclopedia. "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15064a.htm Ancient See of Trondhjem]".</ref>

== Pre-Reformation ==
[[File:Nidarosdom 1857.jpg|thumb|alt=Tinted photo of Nidaros Cathedral behind its churchyard|250px|[[Nidaros Cathedral]] in 1857]]
The [[Christianity in Norway|Christianization of Norway]] was begun by [[Haakon the Good]] (d. 961)<ref>Maurer. "''Die Bekehrung des norwegischen Stammes''", I.ii.168. (Munich), 1855.</ref> and was continued by [[Olaf Trygvesson]] (d. 1000) and Saint [[Olaf II of Norway|Olaf Haraldsson]] (d. 1030), two Vikings who had converted (and been baptized) at [[Andover, England|Andover]] in [[Kingdom of England|England]] and [[Rouen]] in [[Duchy of Normandy|Normandy]], respectively.<ref>Bang, Anton Christia ''Den norske Kirkes Historie under Katholicismen'' (Christiania: 1887, 44, 50)</ref> Olaf Trygvesson founded Nidaros in 997, and built a [[Kongsgård|Kongsgård estate]] and church there. From this base, he worked to spread Christianity in Norway, [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Faroe Islands|Faroes]], [[Iceland]], and [[Greenland]].<ref>Maurer. I.iii.462.</ref>

Olaf Haraldsson established Nidaros as a [[Episcopal see|see]], and installed the monk [[Grimketel|Grimkill]] as its first [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros#Episcopal ordinaries|bishop]]. Since Norway had no universities at the time, many English and German priests were brought in for its parishes and [[diocese]]s. The Norwegian bishops were at first dependent on [[Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen|Hamburg]], and then (after 1103) on [[Archbishop of Lund|Lund]] in Denmark.

[[Pope Eugene III]] resolved to create a [[metropolitan see]] at Nidaros, and sent Nicholas Breakspeare as his [[papal legate|legate]] in 1151. Nicholas installed Jon Birgerson, [[Ancient Diocese of Stavanger|bishop of Stavanger]], as the first [[Archdiocese of Nidaros#The Archbishops of Nidaros before the Reformation|archbishop of Nidaros]]. The bishops of [[bishop of Oslo|Oslo]] (established 1073), [[bishop of Bergen|Bergen]] (c. 1060), [[bishop of Stavanger|Stavanger]] (1130), [[bishop of Hamar|Hamar]] (1151), [[bishop of Orkney|Orkney]] (1070), [[bishop of Skalholt|Skálholt]] (1056) and [[Hólar]] (1105) in Iceland, and [[Gardar, Greenland|Garđar]] in Greenland were made its [[suffragan]]s.

Jon Birgerson was succeeded as archbishop by [[Eysteinn Erlendsson|Eystein]] (Beatus Augustinus, 1158–88), former royal secretary and treasurer and an intelligent, strong-willed, pious man.<ref>Daae, Ludvig. ''Norges Helgener'', pp. 170&ndash;6. A. Cammermeyer (Christiania), 1879.</ref> Those characteristics were needed to defend the Catholic Church against [[King Sverre]], who wanted to make the church a tool of temporal power. The archbishop fled from him to England, returning after a lukewarm reconciliation with the king. Sverre renewed his attacks at Eystein's death, and Archbishop Eric took refuge with Archbishop Absalon of Lund. When Sverre attacked the papal legate, [[Pope Innocent III]] placed the king and his partisans under [[interdict]].<ref>[[Étienne Baluze|Baluze, Étienne]] ''Letters of Pope Innocent III'' (Paris: 1682. I, i, 226, 227)</ref>

[[File:Nidaros Cathedral.JPG|thumb|The cathedral in 2011|left|alt=Cathedral exterior against a brilliant blue sky]]
King [[Håkon III Sverresson]] (1202), son and successor of Sverre, made peace with the church whose liberty was preserved by the support of the pope and his archbishops. Norwegian Protestant ecclesiastical historian [[Anton Christian Bang]] asked what would have happened "if the Church, deprived of all liberty, had become the submissive slave of absolute royalty? What influence would it have exercised at a time when its chief mission was to act as the educator of the people and as the necessary counterpoise to defend the liberty of the people against the brutal whims of the secular lords? And what would have happened when a century later royalty left the country? After that time the Church was, in reality, the sole centre of which was grouped the whole national life of our country".<ref>Bang. op. cit., 109</ref>

To regulate ecclesiastical affairs (which had suffered during the struggles with Sverre), [[Innocent IV]]  sent [[Cardinal William of Sabina]] as legate to Norway in 1247. He intervened against encroachments by bishops, reformed abuses, and abolished the [[Trial by ordeal#By fire|ordeal by hot iron]]. Due to the papal legates, Norway became more closely linked with the pope. [[Secular clergy|Secular priests]] and [[Benedictines]], Cistercians, [[Augustinians]], [[Dominican Order|Dominicans]], and [[Franciscans]] worked together for the prosperity of the church. Archbishops Eilif Kortin (d. 1332), Paul Baardson (d. 1346) and Arne Vade (d. 1349) were most notable. Provincial councils were held at which efforts were made to eliminate abuses and to encourage Christian education and morality.<ref>Bang, op. cit., 297</ref>

[[Olaf II of Norway|St. Olaf]], Norway's [[patron saint]] and ''[[Rex perpetuus Norvegiae]]'' (perpetual king of Norway), is entombed at Nidaros and the national and ecclesiastical life of the country was centred there. His tomb was a site of [[pilgrimage]]. The feast of St. Olaf on 29 July was a day of reunion for "all the nations of the Northern seas, Norwegians, Swedes, Goths, Cimbrians, Danes and Slavs" <ref>''Adami gesta pontificum Hammaburgensium'' (Hanover: 1876, II, 82)</ref> in the cathedral of Nidaros, where the saint's [[reliquary]] was near the altar. Built in Romanesque style by King [[Olaf Kyrre]] (d. 1093), the cathedral was enlarged by Archbishop Eystein in [[Ogive#Architecture|ogival style]].{{cn|date=May 2018}} It was finished in 1248 by Archbishop Sigurd Sim. Although the cathedral was damaged several times by fire, it was restored each time until the Reformation.

Archbishop Erik Valkendorf was exiled in 1521. His successor, [[Olav Engelbrektsson|Olaf Engelbrektsson]] (the instrument of the royal will in the introduction of [[Lutheranism]] and a partisan of King [[Christian II of Denmark|Christian II of Denmark and Norway]]), fled from the threat of [[Christian III of Denmark|Christian III]] (1537). The reliquaries of St. Olaf and St. Augustine (Eystein) were taken to [[Copenhagen]] and melted down. The bones of St. Olaf were buried, unmarked, in the cathedral.

== {{anchor|Modern day}}Present day ==
When Norway regained self-rule as a separate kingdom in a union with Sweden in 1814, a period of [[Norwegian romantic nationalism|national romanticism]] began in which attention was paid to the remnants of the independent medieval kingdom. It was resolved to restore the ancient cathedral of Nidaros.

[[Trondheim]] briefly changed its name back to Nidaros on January 1, 1930. After widespread opposition to the name, the [[Norwegian Parliament]] (led by [[Ivar Lykke (politician)|Ivar Lykke]]) restored the city's name on March 6, 1931.

The pilgrimage route to Nidaros Cathedral has been revived. Using Norwegian spelling, the route is known as [[Saint Olav's Way]]. The main, {{convert|640|km|adj=on}} route begins in the ruins of [[Oslo]]'s Old City (Gamlebyen) and heads north along the lake [[Mjøsa]], up [[Gudbrandsdalen]], over [[Dovrefjell]] and down the [[Oppdal (village)|Oppdal]] valley to the cathedral. Oslo has an office to advise pilgrims, and the Trondheim cathedral has a pilgrim centre which awards certificates to pilgrims who complete their journey.<ref>[http://www.scandinaviacomplete.com/culture/travel/nidaros_pilgrimage.asp ''Pilgrimage to Nidaros'' (Scandinavica.com)]</ref>

The modern Lutheran diocese of Trondheim is known as [[diocese of Nidaros|Nidaros]]. The Roman Catholic archdiocese, suppressed in 1537, was restored as the [[Mission sui iuris]] of central Norway (on territory split off from the [[Apostolic Vicariate of Norway]]) on April 7, 1931. In 1935 it became the [[apostolic prefect]]ure of central Norway, the [[apostolic vicariate]] of central Norway on February 4, 1953, and became the [[Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Trondheim]] on March 28, 1979.

== See also ==

* {{annotated link|Nidaros Cathedral}}
* {{annotated link|Pilgrim's Route}}
* {{annotated link|Archdiocese of Nidaros}}
* {{annotated link|Diocese of Nidaros}}
* {{annotated link|Territorial Prelature of Trondheim}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Sources ==
* Munch, P.A. ''Throndhjems Domkirke'' (Christiania: Fabritius, 1859)
* Krefting, O. ''Om Throndhjems Domkirke'' (Trondhjem: Aktietrykkeriet, 1899)
* Mathiesen, Henr. ''Det gamle Throndhjem'' (Christiania: 1897)

== External links ==
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/tron0.htm GigaCatholic Territoarial Prelature of Trondheim]
* [http://www.ancientmusic.co.uk/hobby/Norway Account of pilgrimage to Nidaros (Trondheim) in Norway on Olav's Way]

[[Category:History of Trondheim]]
[[Category:Medieval history of Norway]]
[[Category:Former capitals of Norway]]
[[Category:Viking Age populated places]]