The agreement was in many ways a continuation of the Kalmar Union founded in 1397, between Norway, Denmark and Sweden, while Norway and Denmark had been in a personal union with a common king since 1380 (with interruptions).

The Bergen Treaty stipulated that Norway and Denmark should belong together forever.

The choice of king was to be made jointly, and the first king elected was Christian I, from the House of Oldenburg.

The latter meant that the Norwegian National Council continued its work of governing the country, so that Norway retained a large degree of independence.

[1] The treaty lasted for 87 years, and ended when king Christian III in 1537 did a Coup d'état, and made Norway a puppet kingdom.