Jens Kristian Meinich Bratlie (17 January 1856 – 15 September 1939) was a Norwegian attorney and military officer. He served as an elected official representing the Conservative Party. He was the 13th prime minister of Norway from 1912 to 1913.^[1][2]

Quick Facts 13th Prime Minister of Norway, Monarch ...

Jens Bratlie
Jens Bratlie
13th Prime Minister of Norway
In office 20 February 1912 – 31 January 1913
Monarch	Haakon VII
Preceded by	Wollert Konow
Succeeded by	Gunnar Knudsen
President of the Storting
In office 1 January 1910 – 20 February 1912 Served with Magnus Halvorsen and Wollert Konow
Monarch	Haakon VII
Prime Minister	Gunnar Knudsen Wollert Konow
Preceded by	Edvard A. Liljedahl Gunnar Knudsen Carl Berner
Succeeded by	Jørgen Løvland Søren Tobias Årstad Gunnar Knudsen
Minister of Defence
In office 20 February 1912 – 31 January 1913
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Karl Bull
Succeeded by	Hans Vilhelm Keilhau
Minister of Auditing
In office 20 February 1912 – 31 January 1913
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Wollert Konow
Succeeded by	Gunnar Knudsen
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 1911–1919
Preceded by	Fredrik Stang
Succeeded by	Otto B. Halvorsen
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
In office 1 January 1901 – 31 December 1912
Constituency	Uranienborg
In office 1 January 1916 – 31 December 1918
Constituency	Uranienborg
Personal details
Born	Jens Kristian Meninich Bratlie (1856-01-17)17 January 1856 Nordre Land, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
Died	15 September 1939(1939-09-15) (aged 83) Oslo, Norway
Resting place	Vår Frelsers Gravlund
Political party	Conservative
Other political affiliations	National Legion
Residence	Utøya
Alma mater	The Royal Frederick University
Awards	Order of St. Olav Order of Vasa Order of the Dannebrog Order of the Sword
Military service
Allegiance	Norway
Branch/service	Norwegian Army
Years of service	1873–1929
Rank	Major General

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Jens Bratlie was born at Nordre Land in Oppland, Norway. Bratlie came from a family of leading businessmen and civil servant. He was the son of Erik Bratlie (1814-1890) and wife Bolette Sofie Meinich (1821-1870). Following the death of his mother, he was adopted by the industrialist Jørgen Meinich.^[3]

Bratlie graduated from the Military High School in 1880 and was trained as an army officer (eventually rising to the level of Major General). He also earned a law degree allowing him to work as a high-ranking civil servant (1886). He served several years as expedition secretary in the Department of Defense. He became Captain (1893), General Commission Commissioner (1898) and General Attorney for the Armenian Judiciary from 1906.^[4]

Bratlie held several offices such as leader of the Conservative Party (1910–11) and president of the Storting (1910–12). He was in the Storting representing Kristiania (now Oslo) 1900-12 and 1916–18. He served as Norwegian Minister of Defence and Minister of Auditing from 1912 to 1913.^{[5] [6]}

In the 1927 Norwegian parliamentary election he was the fourth ballot candidate for the party National Legion, behind Karl Meyer, Frøis Frøisland and Thorvald Aadahl.^[7] In a press release, the National Legion (led by Meyer) stated that it had cherry picked "strong" personalities to combat the hardships in Norwegian politics.^[8] Frøisland denounced the ballot in an Aftenposten piece, stating that himself, Aadahl and Bratlie was unwilling and unaware of the nomination. He stated that a vote for the National Legion would be a wasted vote in the struggle against the "communists". However, according to Norwegian election law the people who were listed on the ballot had no legal grounds to avoid being nominated.^[9]

He served as chairman of the Conservative Party from 1911 to 1919. Following his death in 1939, his interment was at Vår Frelsers gravlund.^{[citation needed]}

• Bratlie's Cabinet