Sweden’s history starts around the 9th century which includes the Viking era but doesn’t really take of until 11th century when Christianity spreads across the country.

First Union

In the last years of the 14th century Sweden enters a union together with Denmark and Norway as a counterweight to the German Hansa union.

During the almost 130 year long union, the Swedes felt mistreated since the majority of power lies in Denmark. Danish King Kristian II enters Stockholm in 1520 to be coronate as the new king and directly afterwards he executes what is to be known as “The Bloodbath of Stockholm” where 94 persons from the Swedish nobility got executioned.

Independence

Gustav Vasa is seen as the forefather of modern Sweden since he broke Sweden loose from the Union in 1523 after an independence war and introduced the Protestant reformation. He was elected King of Sweden on the 6th June 1523 and that is why 6th June today is the Swedish National Day.

Superpower

During the 17th century Sweden engaged in wars against Poland, Russia and Denmark-Norway and won most of them making them a superpower. Sweden’s contribution in the Thirty Years War determined in some way the political as the religious balance of powers in Europe. At the end of the 17th century Sweden had doubled its country size. The beginning to the end of the superpower started with the defeat against the Russians in Poltava, Ukraine in 1709.

The Great War

In the year 1700 Russia, Saxony-Poland and Denmark-Norway joined forces and attacked the Swedish empire. King Karl XII won spectacular victories the first few years but was shot dead during a siege in Norway in 1718. The peace treaties that followed ended Sweden’s reign as a superpower.

Union Again

In the beginning of the 19th century Sweden crowned its first King of the French Bernadotte family and his forces joined the allies against Napoleon. Sweden also went into a union with Norway which was dissolved peacefully in 1905 at Norway’s request. Sweden’s king today, Karl XVI Gustav, is an heir to the Bernadotte family.

Modernization and Emigration

In the mid 19th century Sweden entered the Industrial revolution. Due to famine and hard years about 1 million Swedes emigrated to America between 1850 and 1890.