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History
of Sweden
The
beginning
As the ice of the last Ice Age receded, Sweden started to
emerge around 10,000 BC. As the ice retreated the first human
settlements started to appear in the south. Between 8000 BC
and 6000 BC, the country was populated through coastal villages
whose citizens hunted and fished for their food. Tools were
basic and made of stone. Some agriculture was developed around
4000 BC, but was subject to climate changes. By 3000 BC, the
Swedes started to colonize the Baltic Islands. The Swedes
left the Stone Age and entered the Bronze Age around 2000
BC, though stone tools were still in use. During this new
age, a sophisticated culture started to develop and is witnessed
by the artifacts found from this time period.
From the start of the Iron Age around 500 BC and beyond, contact
increased with the rest of Europe, spurred somewhat by the
spread of the Roman Empire. The use of Runes was introduced
into Swedish culture and originated from ancient Germanic
tribes.
The Viking Age
A well-known age for Sweden is the age of the Vikings, beginning
around 800 AD and lasting to about 1060. Vikings, or Norse
people, came from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The term Viking
is Old Norse but the meaning is not clear. “Vik”
means Bay in Swedish and Viking may be a reference to the
inhabitants of bays, which is where the Vikings generally
had their villages. It is also thought to mean “pirate
raid”. Vikings were notorious for their seamanship,
bravery, skill as warriors, trade, and on some occasions,
raiding of foreign territory. Vikings ventured to and settled
in Britain, Iceland, Greenland and even North America, long
before Columbus’ first landing. While the Norwegian
and Danish Vikings went west, the Swedish Vikings generally
ventured eastward toward Russia and the Baltic States. From
there they ventured through rivers to the Black and Caspian
Seas, and were thought to have gone as far as Constantinople
(Turkey). A Viking by the name of Rurik became a ruler of
Russia, and his descendants ruled until the late 16th Century.
As the years marched on and civilizations grew, the importance
of the Vikings diminished as power shifted from the coastal
villages to inland cities.
The
beginnings of a Kingdom
It was not until about 829 that a German Bishop named Ansgar
set up a mission in Sweden. The Swedes would have encountered
other religions such as Christianity and Islam in their far-reaching
travels, but this was the first time it came to their soil.
King Olof Skötkonung was baptized and made Christianity
the official religion of Sweden in 1004. Old Nordic religions
continued on in Sweden into the late 12th Century. In the
11th Century Sweden became united as a single nation called
the Svea Kingdom. The Kings rule in the early days was loose
as the provinces retained much power. In 1250, Stockholm became
the capital of Sweden.
The
14th through 18th Centuries
The 1300’s
saw some significant events for Sweden. In 1335, slavery was
abolished. In 1350, Magnus Eriksonn established the first
national code of law, which was senior to any provincial law.
This was also the same year that the plague, the Black Death,
struck Sweden with devastating force. The plague killed many
and started an economic downturn that lasted for decades.
Toward the end of the century, in 1389, Denmark, Norway and
Sweden (this also included Iceland and Finland which were
territories under the control of these 3 nations) entered
into the Kalmar Union, which brought the 3 nations under a
single monarch.
This union,
not without its difficulties, lasted through to 1521. The
trigger for the collapse of this combined monarchy can be
attributed the execution in Stockholm of 80 prominent men
in Sweden by the then Danish King. This provoked a rebellion
in 1521 which led to the renouncing of the Danish King and
eventual appointment of a Swedish nobleman, Gustav Vasa, as
the elected King of Sweden in 1523.
During
Vasa’s reign (1523-1560), many things changed in Sweden.
A religious reformation saw the church brought under control
of the government and its estates confiscated. Lutheranism
replaced Catholicism as the religion of Sweden. Government
administration became more centralized and controlled by the
King. The Crown, which was previously elected by the aristocracy,
became an inherited position in 1544.
Following
the end of King Vasa’s reign, Sweden followed an active
expansionist foreign policy. Sweden expanded its borders,
which included Finland, to contain the Baltic States, Denmark
and its provinces of Skåne, Halland, Blekinge and Gotland,
Norwegian provinces of Bohuslän, Jämtland and Härjedalen,
and several German provinces. Sweden was a powerful nation
and encompassed a vast area of Northern Europe. Sweden was
not, however, able to sustain its expanded borders, in part
due to the fact that Sweden was primarily an agricultural
nation and did not have sufficient resources or economic power.
From 1700-1721 Sweden was engaged in a vast war against Denmark,
Poland and Russia, in which it saw its territory greatly diminish
into what is now Sweden, Finland and parts of Northern Germany.
In the aftermath of this war, parliament was able to gain
power from the monarchy (which was briefly lost 50 years later)
and signified the end of absolute rule by the Swedish monarchs.
During
Napoleons’ war against Russia, Sweden’s territory
in Finland and northern Germany was lost, and Norway was gained
due to an agreement with the French in 1814 (along with a
brief war). In 1905 Norway was peacefully granted independence.
The Napoleonic wars disrupted trade, and reduced Sweden’s
economic power. With most of its economy focused on agriculture,
20% of Sweden’s population immigrated to other nations,
mainly North America, between 1866 and 1914. In the late 1890’s
Sweden started to industrialize and by the end of World War
II, it had become one of the most industrialized nations in
Europe.
20th
Century
Since
the brief war with Norway in 1814, Sweden has not participated
in any further wars. After World War I, Sweden adopted the
policy of Non-Alignment in times of peace and Neutrality in
times of war. This policy of peace has not precluded Sweden
from joining the League of Nations (1920) and the United Nations
(1946), nor stopped involvement in certain peacekeeping efforts.
In 1917,
the monarchy lost its remaining governing powers, and became
a symbolic head of state. The Social Democrats then become
a major political force continuing through to today. By 1921,
Men(1909) and Women(1921) had equal voting rights, there were
employment laws restricting the hours of work to 8 hours per
day, 6 days per week (1919) and the death penalty was revoked
(1921).
In 1971,
Swedish parliament (called the Riksdag) changed from a dual
parliamentary house system (bicameral) to a single parliamentary
house system (unicameral). The dual house system had been
in place since 1866.
With declining
industrial production on the late 1980’s, Sweden started
to run high debts and deficits. An expanding public sector
and increasing unemployment only made matters worse. Despite
these difficult economic conditions of the early 1990’s,
Sweden still retains a relatively high standard of living
and a comprehensive social security system.
In 1991,
Sweden applied for membership in the European Union (EU).
In 1994, a referendum was held to decide on participation
within the EU. In a vote of 52% in favour of EU, Sweden moved
toward full membership in January 1995.
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