Norway and Denmark joined in a dual monarchy in the late 14th century. When the Crown of Norway in 1814 was cessioned from the Danish and joined in a new dual union under the King of Sweden, the westernmost territories of Norway, among them the Faroe Islands remained under the sovereignty of the Danish Monarch. Not least due to the large geographical distance to Norway and Denmark, the Faroe Islands always maintained a special jurisdiction along with their distinct language and culture, guarded by the ancient Løgting.

In 1816 the Løgting (the Faroese Parliament) was officially abolished and replaced by a Danish judiciary. In 1849 a new constitution came into power in Denmark. This new constitution was announced in the Faroe Islands in 1850, giving the Faroese two seats in the Rigsdag (Danish parliament). However, the Faroese managed to re-establish the Løgting, first as a county council with an advisory role in 1852, but it gradually gained more autonomy. Since adopting the Home Rule agreement of 1948, which was enacted in both the Faroese and the Danish parliament, the Faroe Islands has had extensive self-government.