Minister of Defence (Norway)
No Defence Minister Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1 Sverdrup , Johan Johan Sverdrup ( 1816-1892 ) 1 September 1885 13 July 1889 3 years , 315 days Liberal Sverdrup
2 Hoff , Edvard Hans Edvard Hans Hoff ( 1838-1933 ) 13 July 1889 6 March 1891 1 year , 236 days Conservative E. Stang I
3 Holst , Peter Theodor Peter Holst ( 1843-1908 ) 6 March 1891 2 May 1893 2 years , 57 days Liberal Steen I
4 Olssøn , Wilhelm Wilhelm Olssøn ( 1844-1915 ) 2 May 1893 15 July 1894 1 year , 74 days Conservative E. Stang II
5 Harbitz , Johannes Winding Johannes Winding Harbitz ( 1831-1917 ) 15 July 1894 27 April 1895 286 days Conservative E. Stang II
( 4 ) Olssøn , Wilhelm Wilhelm Olssøn ( 1844-1915 ) 27 April 1895 17 February 1898 2 years , 296 days Conservative E. Stang II Hagerup I
( 3 ) Holst , Peter Theodor Peter Holst ( 1843-1908 ) 17 February 1898 6 November 1900 2 years , 262 days Liberal Steen II
6 Stang , Georg Georg Stang ( 1858-1907 ) 6 November 1900 9 June 1903 2 years , 215 days Liberal Steen II Blehr I
7 Heftye , Thomas Thomas Heftye ( 1860-1921 ) 9 June 1903 22 October 1903 135 days Liberal Blehr I
8 Heftye , Thomas Oscar Strugstad ( 1851-1919 ) 22 October 1903 11 March 1905 1 year , 140 days Coalition Hagerup II
( 4 ) Olssøn , Wilhelm Wilhelm Olssøn ( 1844-1915 ) 11 March 1905 25 May 1907 2 years , 75 days Conservative Michelsen
- Michelsen , Christian Christian Michelsen ( 1857-1925 ) Acting 25 May 1907 23 October 1907 151 days Coalition Michelsen
9 Dawes , Karl Friedrich Griffin Karl Friedrich Griffin Dawes ( 1861-1941 ) 23 October 1907 19 March 1908 148 days Liberal Løvland
( 7 ) Heftye , Thomas Thomas Heftye ( 1860-1921 ) 19 March 1908 11 April 1908 23 days Liberal Knudsen I
10 Lowzow , Haakon Ditlef Haakon D. Lowzow ( 1845-1915 ) 11 April 1908 20 August 1909 1 year , 131 days Liberal Knudsen I
11 Spørck , August August Spørck ( 1851-1928 ) 20 August 1909 1 February 1910 165 days Liberal Knudsen I
12 Bull , Karl Karl Bull ( 1860-1936 ) 2 February 1910 20 February 1912 2 years , 10 days Conservative Konow
13 Bratlie , Jens Jens Bratlie ( 1856-1939 ) 20 February 1912 31 January 1913 346 days Conservative Bratlie
14 Keilhau , Hans Vilhelm Hans Vilhelm Keilhau ( 1845-1917 ) 31 January 1913 8 August 1914 1 year , 189 days Liberal Knudsen II
15 Holtfodt , Christian Theodor Christian Theodor Holtfodt ( 1863-1930 ) 8 August 1914 20 February 1919 4 years , 196 days Liberal Knudsen II
Ministers of Defence ( 1885–present )
The Norwegian Minister of Defence is the head of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. The position has existed since 1814. The incumbent minister since 20 October 2017 is Frank Bakke Jensen of the Conservative Party. Between 1819 and 1885 the Ministry was split into two different ministries, the Ministry of the Navy and the Army Ministry.