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Norwegian Enlightenment began in the early 18th century and lasted until the early 19th century. It was a period of significant changes in Norway. New ideas arrived in Norway from other European countries. New plants, like the potato, came from South America. People enjoyed better health and longer lives. This was a period marked by the ideals and values of the Enlightenment, although the Norwegian Enlightenment was not identical to the French. But what was the Enlightenment really?

 The Enlightenment was a period in the 18th century when intellectuals in Europe, led by French intellectuals, began advocating for science, freedom, and tolerance. The French philosophers Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau are especially well-known. In Norway, the Enlightenment was led by priests and bishops. 

Priests played a central role as intellectuals in Norway. They formed networks for the collection and dissemination of knowledge. Johan Ernst Gunnerus, the bishop of Trondheim, was particularly important. He was a skilled network builder for Norwegian science and gathered a wealth of historical and scientific knowledge in Norway. Priests also played a crucial role in spreading knowledge in agriculture. This is how the potato was introduced to Norway. Priests, who earned the nickname "potato priests," traveled around Norway and convinced farmers to plant potatoes from South America. Potatoes are highly resilient, and many in Norway had more to eat because of them.