Sweden History
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The first contact of Sweden with other countries of Europe was established during the Viking era, when arms and furs were first traded by the country to Russia, via the eastern channel. The main milestones of Sweden history in the thirteenth century include birth of feudalism, establishment of hereditary nobility, and emergence of a prosperous middle-class of burghers. Another turning point during the period was the attainment of the throne by Margaret, the Norwegian ruler, in 1387.
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The most important events in 15th and 16th centuries included the 1520 Stockholm Massacre, the National Revolt led by Gustav E. Vasa, establishment of the House of Vasa headed by Gustav I in the year 1523, development of Protestantism in 1593, and crowning of Gustav II Adolf as King of Sweden in the year 1611. Gustav II entered into the 30-year War in year 1629 with the sole objective of changing the Baltic into the Swedish lake. Numerous other significant events followed in the political, cultural, and social areas until King Gustav II finally died in 1632 in Battle of Lutzen. Sweden was proclaimed a super power by the 1648 Peace Treaty of Westphalia.
However, after Gustav’s daughter Christina stepped down the throne in 1654, the rule of her 3 major successors that lasted until 1718 was marked by violent military campaigns, slow retreats into Austria and Russia, and remarkable victories like Narva (1701).More...
Sweden Culture History
The cultural history of Sweden is specifically remarkable because of its rich heritage in fields of literature, fine arts, sculpture, and cinema. Sweden has several authors of universal gratitude. The most popular and highly acclaimed Swedish authors having their own place in history include Astrid Lindgren, Harry Martinson, Selma Lagerlof, and August Strindberg.
The country boasts of having bagged 7 Nobel Prizes in field of literature. The brilliant paintings of Anders Zorn and incredible sculptures by Carl Milles and Tobias Sergel are also amongst the numerous jewels that embellish the culture history of Sweden.
The 20th century Swedish culture is renowned for the revolutionary works of Victor Sjostrom and Mauritz Stiller in the field of cinema. The contributions made by internationally acclaimed Swedish filmmakers and actors, like Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo, are also noteworthy. Some Swedish films that received recognition on global platform include Lasse Hallstorm and Lukas Moodysson.More...
Sweden Political History
The genuine age of the Swedish Kingdom is debatable and still not known. It largely depends on the time when the kingdom got established as a nation. While some historians believe that Sweden became a nation at the time when Svealand was ruled over by the Svears, some others believe that formation of Sweden as one united country began only after the political unification of the Gotars and the Svears under one leader, named Erik the Great.
However, if the former school of thought is taken to be true, the political history of Sweden would date back to year 98, when the nation was ruled by a single monarch, named Tacitus. But, if the latter assumption is true, Sweden’s political history can be considered to have begun in the 10th century. Until the early 1920s, the official title used for the monarch was “We, the king of Sweden, of the Goths and Wends". However, Carl Gustaf XIV, the present Swedish King, is the first ruler of the country to be conferred with the title of “King of Sweden”.More...
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