the Danish–Norwegian union was increasingly viewed in a more nuanced and favourable light in Norway with a stronger focus on empirical research, and historians have highlighted that the Norwegian economy thrived and that Norway was one of the world's wealthiest countries during the entire period of real union with Denmark. Historians have also pointed out that Norway was a separate state, with its own army, legal system and other institutions, with significant autonomy in its internal affairs, and that it was primarily governed by a local elite of civil servants who identified as Norwegian, albeit in the name of the Danish King. Norwegians were also well represented in the military, civil service and business elites of Denmark–Norway, and in the administration of the colonies in the Caribbean and elsewhere. Norway benefited militarily from the combined strength of Denmark–Norway in the wars with Sweden and economically from its trade relationship with Denmark in which Norwegian industry enjoyed a legal monopoly in Denmark while Denmark supplied Norway with agricultural products. See also Kingdom of Norway (1814) Military history of Denmark Military history of Norway Possessions of Norway Union between Sweden and Norway Dano-Norwegian language Notes References Denmark–Norway relations Danish monarchy Norwegian monarchy History of Iceland History of the Faroe Islands History of Greenland Scandinavian history 1536 establishments in Europe 1537 establishments in Europe 1660 establishments in Europe States and territories disestablished in 1814 Personal unions Real unions