The country itself was separated into several fiefdoms; the process towards unification began with King Harald Fairhair, who conquered the major northern tribes in the battle of Hafrsfjord in 872 AD. Over the course of the next 2 centuries, Christianity slowly but steadily replaced traditional beliefs in Norse gods. Norway was unified by 1060. Beginning in 1200, the twin powers of crown and church took power. The Black Death (the bubonic plague) arrived in the country in 1350 and claimed the lives of half the Norwegian population. People from Norway and Sweden had already founded a joint Monarchical structure which lasted between 1319 and 1343. Following the havoc brought on by the Black Death, the country entered into a political union with Denmark in 1380 by means of intermarriage between the countries’ ruling families. In 1815, the tie between Norway and Denmark was at last severed following the end of the Napoleonic wars. Denmark and Norway had taken sides with France. After Napoleon’s defeat, Norway was handed over to the Swedes. Norway was allowed its own Parliament, the Storting, which was at continual odds with the Swedish Government. This was formally and peacefully disbanded in 1905 after a referendum at which only 200 people voted in favour of preserving the union. The Swedes accepted the result and Norway gained true independence in 1905. The most contentious issue in modern Norwegian politics has been the country’s relationship with the rest of Europe. Norwegians fiercely guard their sovereignty and this combined with anxiety about the effect of European Union membership on the country’s major industries has resulted in an electorate that has consistently voted in national referendums to remain outside the EU. However, Norway has joined the European Free Trade Area, the bloc representing most of the European nations which are not members of the EU. | 
