BIORNSON, BIORNSTJERNE

(18321910), Nor. poet, novelist, and dramatist commenced his career as a journalist. Later he began to write novels. many of which have enjoyed a European reputation. His first work was Synnove Soibakken, 1857, followed by Arne, 1858; A Happy Boy, 1860; The Fisher Maiden 1868; and numerous others. His plays include Between the Battles, Lame Hulda, Sigurd the Bastard, Sigurd the Crusader, Mary Stuart, The Newly Married, Beyond our Powers, ranging Songs and Arnljot Gelline, including his famous ode Bergliot. He was awarded the Nobel prize for lit. in 1903. His later work was used as the medium for the propagation of his radical, social, and religious views; but much of his work entitles him to share with his fellow-countrymen, Ibsen, a foremost place in European literature. RIK, COUNT (1779-1847), Swed. soldier, statesman, and ee pues in 1813 campaign against Napoleon; promoted alliance with Norway, 1814.