The Røros copper works, that can trace its history back to the ore find at Rauhåmmåren in the summer of 1644, had in the very first years no labour conflict to speak of. H. Dahle says in the book Røros Kobberværk  1644 – 1894 that it was strange that it went so well, since men at that time were sentenced to mine work. The mine workers were also recruited from thieves and criminals, some sentenced, some who had escaped from punishment, up to the remote and road-less Røros. It was to change when Christian IV's valet Joachim Jurgens (he later called himself Irgens) cast his eye on the smelter. Backed by the king he managed to get control of it, and began to appoint close relatives to leading posts. In 1651 his brother Johannes became Director. In 1663 Joachim's brother-in-law Christian Arnisæus got the position, and he was in turn replaced by Joachim's nephew Henning Irgens. These men had no concept of mining operations, and since Irgens himself was more interested in steadily obtaining more properties than paying the smelter for the copper he received, the situation had to go as it did.

Prelude
    In 1665 12 miners, 10 smeltermen and 6 charcoal burners wrote a letter of complaint to the Governor. They pointed out that it had been 20 months since they had received proper pay. They had only received the so-called scrip, and when they shopped at the company's merchants, they only received half of what was written on the scrip. Formerly they had Saturdays off, so they could work on their small patches of land. Now they had to work 6 days a week, and on Sunday they had their Church obligations.
    And if this was not bad enough, the company had introduced 12 pay months a year, while other mines counted 13 months in mining year. In addition they were greatly dissatisfied with Director Arnisæus, Irgen's brother-in-law. The workers had a supporter high up in the system, namely the mine master Tax. He forwarded the workers' letter to the Mines Department and added, among other things, that Irgens owed the Works 24.000 riksdaler, and that the work in the mines was both unhealthy and unsafe. Mine Minister Gedde responded by asking Tax to go to Røros and instruct Arnisæus to pay the workers what they were owed, but Director Arnisæus and the provision chief clerk proviantskriver Claus Sommer wriggled out with rather airy excuses.
    The following year, the conditions were worse. The Works' debt to the workers, especially the transport workers, had grown colossally Henning Irgens, Joachim's nephew, feared that his uncle's copper would be seized, and hurried to send it to Trondheim for export. Then the workers went into action. They chose 200 men who left their work and went to Trondheim. It must have been quite a sight to see this dirty, ragged flock of men wandering down the Gaula valley. Down in Trondheim they contacted the authorities, and asked them to seize Irgen's copper, which still awaited shipping. The judge and the city magistrate went ahead with this but Irgens, who had good contacts in Copenhagen, managed to foil the seizure for eight weeks. Then the copper was seized, but the price was so low that the transport workers received no where near what they were owed.
    But home in Røros the 200 delegates met new difficulties. Director Arnisæus refused to let them return to work but the mine master Tax forced him to do it. Nevertheless the relations between the Director and the workers became steadily worse, and in 1669 things had gotten so bad that Mines Councillor Marselius and the mine master wrote a letter of complaint. It states that the finances are, if possible, even worse than before, the workers are forced to accept Swedish money, the prices of provisions increase rapidly, workers are arbitrarily dismissed, they are struck, kicked and cursed. The worst is that the Director's agents knock out the mine cottage windows, throw out the contents and chase the women and children out in the snow and cold. This must cease, say the two gentlemen. Irgens finally realizes that something must be done. Therefore he dismisses Arnisæus,  and appoints his nephew Henning Irgens to the Director position. Nor did he have any mining training.
The workers' ”rebellion” in 1670.
    The workers had no confidence in Henning  Irgens, nor was there any improvement in earnings payment. They chose to write a letter, dated 7.5.1670, to the Norwegian Chancellor Ove Bjelke. The complaints were the same as before. They wrote that when they complained to Henning Irgens that their pay faiked to come, they were answered with blows. The Chancellor forwarded the letter to the Mines Department and at the same time wrote to Irgens that he had to give satisfaction to the workers. Irgens replied that he would try to pay the workers evry fourth month. The workers were hardly satisfied with that, and decided to appeal directly to the king in Copenhagen. They chose four representatives to go. One of them was Spell-Ola. The roads south through Østerdalen were worse than those to Trondheim. Even though it was summer we can hardly imagine the strenuous trip to Oslo, where they immediately had to arrange ship transport to Copenhagen. They were well received andreceiveda promise of help. On their return trip they stopped to see Vice-governor Ove Juel in Oslo, who wrote to Irgens and asked him to see that the miners would keep their jobs when they came home. He also named a commission to investigate the conditions at Røros Kobberverk.
    Joachim Irgens now came in all haste with his highly pregnant wife to Røros. He arrived at the Works on the 8 of October, and the workers still had not heard anything from the authorities. They believed that the Denmark trip had been in vain, and decixed to send Spell-Ola once more to the king. They began to collect travel money, but Joachim Irgens found about it. He asked Henning Irgens to arrest Ola. Spell-Ola was arrested the 10th October and placed in irons. The miners became furious when they heard this and left the mines and gathered onthe ice of Hittersjøen. There were 150 men, among them Christoffer Vaaghals, Jørn Sjursen, Jørn Selbygg and Lange Anders Kolbrenner. They agreed to stand together until Spell-Ola was set free. So the large group equipped themselves with axes, cudgels, guns and canes and went to Joachim Irgens home in Røros.Henning Irgens was also there. The workers asked to see the mine manager. They wished to ask him to set Spell-Ola free. They had form!
ed a half-circle around the house so no one could escape. Joachim feared for his nephew's life, and therefore followed him out.
    The atmosphere was full of excitement and hate, and in order to scatter the mob Joachim attacked Henning the nearest with naked swords. This time the workers would not be frightened. They managed to slit the swodsmen and pressed around Joachim and beat him. Joachim fell, and would likelyhave been killed if the workers had not had respect for his pregnant wife. She forced her way forward and threw herself on her half-dead mate. A few blows hit her also before the workers pulled back. Henning had also received such a beating that he could no longer defend himself. Enthisiastic over their victory the miners stormed the ”mørkstuggu” (jail), but the door was locked and they did not dare break the King's lock. Therefore, Nils Romsdal og Erik Simonsen ran to the forge at the smelter and fetched a jack. With this they broke the building into pieces, cut the bolt out of the fetters Spell-Ola had on his feet and led him home in triumph.
    This rising actually was a consequence of slow postal service, then as now. The King had written a letter on the 8th August specifically giving the workers approval on all their points. Joachim Irgens demanded the workers be punished, and a commission was established to investigate the case. The commission concluded that the worker's action shoul be seen in the light that the works had not fulfilled its payment obligations. However it decided that those who were guilty in the assault should be punished, to set an example. Then the Dano-Norwegian King Fredrik III came to the rescue and freed them from punishment. After that, the tempers settled, but the economic mess continued. On the 13th of July 1678 the Swedish Lieutenant-General Carl Sparre captured the city, and when he withdrew, only the church remained standing. All other buildings had burned. The workers and the staff had found a common enemy.  
Sources: Gunnar Brun Nissen: Røros Kobberverk 1644-1947 (1976)
H. Dahle:  Røros Kobberværk 1644-1894 (1894)
Ole Øisang: ”Røros Kobberverks historie” fra Rørosboka, bind 2 (1942)

All Rights Reserved
Republication or redistribution of content or any derivative work for "private use only" is permitted, as long as users acknowledge and attribute any use of material found on this website to Olaf Kringhaug. No part of these translations or this website may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without written consent from
Olaf Kringhaug
Copyright of Translations © 2004-2005 Olaf Kringhaug