Riksråd

Rigsraadet or Riksrådet (English: The Council of the Realm or The Council of the State – sometimes translated as "Privy Council") is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ruled the countries together with the kings from late Middle Ages to the 17th century. Norway had a Council of the Realm (Riksrådet) that was abolished by the Danish-Norwegian king in 1536. In Sweden the parallel Council gradually came under the influence of the king during the 17th century.

Rigsraadet in Denmark

The members of the Council of Denmark seem to have developed from being councillors of the king to being representatives of the magnates and noblemen. From the 1320s it clearly appears as a force, and from the 1440s it was the permanent opponent of royal power, replacing the Danehof.

The Council consisted of noblemen who were appointed either by the king or their peers on the Council. Until the 1536 Reformation, bishops were automatically members. So were the supreme officials (today the “cabinet ministers”) while lower ranking “ministers” did not have any formal right to membership. The “backbenchers” of the council took part in daily negotiations of problems and administration, voted, and took on diplomatic tasks. Most of them were squires who also had to look after their lands.