Norwegians attempt to move borders
and reclaim islands
(From The Orcadian dated February 7, 2002)

The Orkney Isles – pawned to Scotland by Norway as a royal dowry in 1468 – should be returned to their rightful owners across the North Sea.

An unrealistic ambition, perhaps, but one which has been taken up by a group in Norway whose motto “We Move Borders” has taken on particular significance.

Vinjammer’s Friends want to see the flag of Norway flying over the Northern Isles again and have written to the Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs calling for a return of their former territories.

Christen Raestad, who heads up the movement, frequently visits Orkney in his yacht Vinjammer and is enthusiastic about the historical links between Norway and the isles.

He wants Norway to reclaim Orkney and Shetland, claiming that they are officially still Norwegian.

The isles were once under Norwegian/Danish control, but were handed over to Scotland by King Christian in 1468 as a dowry when his daughter Margaret was offered as a bride to the Scottish King, James III.

“However, King Christian was almost broke,” explained Mr Raestad. “An agreement was therefore reached for the king to pay 10,000 florins in cash with the remaining 50,000 florins to be paid later. As a guarantee for this mortgage, the Orkney islands were pawned.”

The mortgage and pawn status is still valid and the isles – including Shetland which was also handed over following further cash flow problems – are still Norwegian, argues Mr Raestad.

“As we all know, Hong Kong was successfully and peacefully transferred back to China a few years ago. Similar action and negotiations may end up with Gibraltar being transferred to Spain.

“What perspectives do these events raise regarding Norwegian pawned territories and possible transfer back to the rightful Norwegian ownership?”

Orkney historian, Mr Willie Thomson, said the handover was never formalised, but the subject had been investigated by the late Professor Gordon Donaldson – a Shetlander who a generation ago was one of Scotland’s top historians.

“His conclusion was that really, so much time had elapsed that the claim ceased to be valid, but it is a bit of a grey area,” he said.