Travel to Sweden (Europe)

Sweden's rich history that includes the Viking Ages lasted briefly between the eighth and eleventh century. Many believed that the Vikings traveled only East and South of present day Sweden. This would take the soldiers to present day Finland, the Baltic countries, Russia, Belarus, The Ukraine and quite possibly as far as the Black Sea. There routes took them down south past Constantinople where they performed numerous raids.

Many people feared the Vikings but one individual general took interest in their great prowess and wanted to use it to his benefit. The Vikings spoke of to their expeditions as "merchant journeys". Theopolis, the Byzantine Emperor admired their war skills and summoned them to serve has his private guard. One Arabic writer comment on the Vikings as "the perfect physical specimens. Big, blonde and ruddy. They wear neither caftans or tunics, but the men wear a garment that covers one side of the body and leaves a hand free. Every man has an axe, sword and knife and keeps each by him at all times. Their swords are broad and grooved, sort of a Frankish sort."

Rune stones in Sweden memorialize many of the Swedish Vikings escapades. The Greece and Varangian Rune stones in particular. They also took routes westward which are commiserated on English Rune stones.  Their last escapade appears to be ill fated. It took the barbarians to Serkland led by Ingvar the Far-Travelled, the region south-east of the Caspian Sea. There are Ingvar Rune stones, which mention no survivors of this excursion. What happened to the crew is not known.  The general belief is that they all perished due to a sickness that spread through the crews' population.

The Scandinavian Viking Age documents a flourishing country of trade centers. An important trade center in the Baltic area during the ninth and tenth centuries there have been remains found of reflecting the Vikings had a large harbor with shipbuilding yards and handcraft industries.  During this time trade brought an abundance of silver.

Christianity was made known to the Vikings in the year 829. However, paganism was not fully substituted by Christianity up until almost 400 years later. Rivalry and domestic skirmishes marred the Nordic's from 1100-1400k, nearly 300 hundred years. Sweden also began to expand into Finland throughout this time era. Feudalism never progressed in Sweden as it did the remainder of Europe throughout this time. Because feudalism wasn't stretched across Sweden, their large populace of peasants persisted as a free class of farmers. Slavery was rare in Sweden and with acceptance of Christianity, what small amount there was Christianity thrust out of the region. In addition, slaves were problematic to obtain from the lands west of the Baltic Sea and the expansion of cities found no need for slave labor.  Serfdom and slavery were mutually abolished by decree of King Magnus Erickson in 1335. The peasantry absorbed the former slaves and they converted to laborers in the towns.

Even with the growth of towns and abolishment of slavery and serfdom, Sweden persisted to be a deprived economically backward kingdom. Their chief form of exchange continued to be bartering. The Black Death struck Sweden in the 14th century and annihilated the population. During this period Sweden and Norway were combined and under the queen of Denmark in 1397, Sweden, Norway and Denmark were all united. However, though combined, the Danish aristocracy was unable to control the Swedish nobility.

The Sweden history is directly linked to the Vikings. They are considered to be ruthless merchants who operate around the world. However, some business expeditions just turn out to be a looting of foreign places. There are two types of Vikings, the Swedish ones and the Danish ones. There expeditions are concentrated in opposite directions. The Danish Vikings went westward towards England and the Swedish Vikings went to the eastward route. 

 

In Sweden history, it is during the Viking era that chiefdoms emerged. This is where a power structure was well established in the land. As time went by, some chiefdom grew more in power and expanded there land area. This then gave way to two separate states of olden Sweden. These states are often referred to as tribes or local nationalities. They are called the Goter and Svear. In the following years Svear conquered Goter and the two states merged as one nation.

It wan also noted that in the Sweden history that Sweden is a member of an old country known as Scandinavia. It is known as Scandinavia along with Norway and Denmark. This is the reason why the three countries actually share a similar kind of language. However, over time, each country has risen to power independently. For Sweden, the political situation is relatively weak because their king is elected by the aristocracy and he has no absolute control over the land. It got even more complicated when Sweden entered an alliance with Denmark and Norway called the Union of Kalmar. 

 

Its purpose is to counteract the growing influence of German Hanseatic League. It is an alliance of cities that trade with each other, whose primary objective was to maintain monopoly to trade along the coast of Northern Europe. Denmark was the elected leader of the group. It was well led by Queen Margaret I of Denmark. However, her successors failed to keep the peace between the nations involved. In the middle ages there is a constant struggle for power in this region that the "Bloodbath of Stockholm". The effect of this event paved the way for Gustav Vasa to be king of Sweden.

Gustav Vasa was considered to be the first king who established the present Sweden. He made it into an autocratic state where everything he says goes. He made the tax system very efficient and he converted the whole country from Catholics to Protestants. This gained the highest position possible in both State and the Church. This way information where easily disseminated to the people because everyone was obliged to go on church on Sunday. He also privately corresponds to every farm units and has easily broken any uprising against him. After Gustav Vasa, Sweden history was leading at the time of the Swedish Great Power. 

 

During this time, Sweden has expanded its territories like all the other countries in Europe who have colonies. However, this Swedish Great Power was in constant war until it finally met its defeat on 1718.During the 19th century, the Diet of Four Estates was abolished. It is a legislative assembly of the Grand Duchy of Finland. It was replaced by a two-chamber parliament. From then on Sweden has managed to withstand the test of time. It has gone through the many wars in Europe and was affected by the Depression during the nineteen twenties. Sweden history has proved to be a very complicated, vibrant story of a nation.