Our Family Tree

History
Originally, Barbu was a part of the municipality of Østre Moland that was created on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). On 1 May 1878, Østre Moland was divided to form three municipalities: Barbu (population: 4,874), Østre Moland (population: 2,524), and Tromøy (population: 2,320). On 1 January 1902, Barbu was merged with the town of Arendal, vastly increasing the size of the town. Before the merger, Barbu had a population of 6,787.

Tromøy (historic: Tromø) is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The 30-square-kilometre (12 sq mi) municipality existed from 1878 until its dissolution in 1992. The municipal area is now part of the municipality of Arendal. The administrative centre was the village of Brekka where the historic Tromøy Church is located. The municipality encompassed all of the island of Tromøya as well as many smaller surrounding islands such as Merdø, Gjesøya, Skilsøy, and Tromlingene.

In the later part of the 18th century Denmark adopts a policy of neutrality, bringing great benefit to Norwegian trade during the French Revolutionary wars and the early years of the Napoleonic wars. But in 1807, at Tilsit, Napoleon and the Russian tsar agree to force Denmark to side with them against Britain.

When Denmark does so, in October of that year, Norway suffers an immediate British blockade. This has severe economic consequences, as well as sealing the country off from any contact with the government in Copenhagen. It proves to be only a prelude to a more complete severance from Denmark.

Of Napoleon's allies in 1807, Denmark is one of the incautious few who fail to change sides during the next seven years. As a result, after the defeat of the French armies at Leipzig in October 1813, Danish territory is legitimately invaded by a Swedish army under Bernadotte.

In the subsequent treaty of Kiel, signed in January 1814, Denmark is compelled to cede Norway to Sweden.

The Kiel agreement is immediately rejected by the Norwegians, who take the opportunity of claiming their own sovereign rights. In an extraordinarily prompt response, they convene an assembly, write a national constitution (based on the examples of the USA and France) and elect a king - all by May 1814.

The result is a Swedish invasion, soon followed by a negotiated settlement. The Norwegians keep their constitution and become an independent kingdom. But their throne is to pass to the king of Sweden, uniting the crowns but not the realms. It is an uneasy compromise, with great potential for friction and resentment. Even so, this union of the crowns lasts for nearly a century.

Read more: http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac73#ixzz5O6VbbT6A