[1] Henrik Angell was born on 22 August 1861 at Luster in Sogn og Fjordane and grew up in Bergen, Norway.

He was the son of Johan Mølmann Anderson Lysholm Angell (1820–88) and his wife Marie With Bonnevie (1830–1904).

He joined the French Foreign Legion in 1918, and participated on the Western Front for France in World War I.

[6] He was appointed as an officer of the Legion of Honour for his service during the North Russia intervention.

[9] He wrote several books promoting skiing and Norwegian nationalism.