The Scandinavian History Podcast

001 In the Beginning there Was Ice

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:23:22 +0100

Welcome to the first episode of the Scandinavian History Podcast.

This first episode is dedicated to Scandinavia from the time the ice started to recede after the last Ice Age until the beginning of the Viking Age.

Music: The Vikings by Alexander Nakarada serpentsoundstudios.com promoted by free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 Int creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

002 Here Come the Vikings

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 11:41:46 +0100

Who were the Vikings, and why did they decide to start plundering and killing? Was it really because of something some random West-Saxon bailiff said? Or because the Northumbrians cut their hair in a way that upset God?

Find out in this episode, when we kick off the Viking Age with the infamous attack on the monastery at Lindisfarne.

003 Go West

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 10:08:34 +0100

After the initial attack on Lindisfarne, the Vikings shifted their focus away from England--settling the islands off the coast of Scotland and raiding in Ireland. The Shetland and Orkney Islands, as well as the Hebrides and the Isle of Man, were soon dominated by Scandinavian settlers. In Ireland, they established colonies that remain important urban centers to this day.

004 Kings of Dublin

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 11:33:53 +0100

The Scandinavians who settled in Ireland became an integral part of the social and economic fabric of the island. For a few generations, the Viking Kings of Dublin were a major power not only in Irish politics, but also across the Irish Sea.

Even though they eventually lost their political and military power, the influence of the Scandinavians linger on the Emerald Isle. It can still be seen both in local place names as the Irish gene pool.

005 Fuzzy Pants and Sons

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:50:03 +0100

If you know the name of only one Viking, chances are that name is Ragnar Lodbrok. In this episode, we take a closer look at the legend of Ragnar and his sons. For hundreds of years, this legend shaped the way Scandinavians understood their own past. It was a source of both fascination and pride, and kings—as well as regular Scandinavians with an inflated ego—claimed to be descendants of the Ragnarssons.

006 The Great Heathen Army

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:42:12 +0200

Despite the corona quarantine, I’ve managed to record a new episode!

In the year 865, a large force of Vikings invaded the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Everyone was robbed, and those who didn’t submit to Scandinavian rule were also killed. King Edmund of East Anglia was turned into a pincushion by Ivar the Boneless. Only Wessex continued to defy the onslaught. Its teenage king Alfred fought the Viking forces that are known to history as the Great Heathen Army.

007 The Danelaw

Thu, 14 May 2020 15:48:44 +0200

Eventually, the Viking leader Guthrum signed a deal with King Alfred of Wessex, establishing the Danelaw. It wasn’t really a state, but it was still annoying enough to the West-Saxons that they would devote a century to eradicating it, establishing England in the process. Even though they succeeded in the end, the Scandinavians have left a mark in the English language, archaeological finds and the gene pool that can still be seen today.

008 Jorvik

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 13:00:15 +0200

Under Scandinavian control, the city the Vikings called Jorvik flourished and grew into a center of commerce and trade in the late 9th century. The Scandinavians connected Jorvik to the world far beyond the borders of England, turning it into one of the most important cities in the British Isles.

Despite the financial success, though, the political situation was a mess.

009 Fatso in France

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 12:08:41 +0200

In 911, after decades of Viking attacks, the Frankish King Charles the Simple made a deal with the Scandinavian warlord Rollo: in exchange for land and a noble title the Viking promised to defend the Channel coast from further invasions. Rollo accepted, and established a dynasty that would change French—as well as English—history forever.

010 A Land of Ice

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 15:07:54 +0200

In the late 9th century, Scandinavians more or less stumbled upon a new piece of real estate in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They eventually decided to call it Iceland, and started to populate it. The early settlers assumed that its lush forests and promise of political independence would last forever. They would soon be proven wrong.

011 Here's the Thing

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 10:24:34 +0200

In the year 930, the Icelandic Commonwealth was established. The Icelanders set up a libertarian utopia of personal freedom and sheep farming, governed by the Althing—an assembly that passed laws and settled disputes—but that had absolutely zero executive power. Instead, law enforcement was left to the citizens themselves. It worked better than you might have expected.

012 The Final Frontier

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 11:31:31 +0200

When he was outlawed in Iceland for killing some people, Erik the Red sailed west and explored a new land. He called it “Greenland” to lure unsuspecting Icelanders to join his colonization project. His son—Leif Eriksson—continued in the family tradition (of exploring, not killing) and became the first European to reach the continent we know as North America.

013 A Realm of Cities

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 12:16:00 +0100

Vikings traded and raided along the great rivers (almost) connecting the Baltic and the Black Seas. They sold slaves, furs and other goods, and in return brought home enormous amounts of silver from Byzantium and Baghdad. Some Scandinavians settled along the route and set up a network of city states they called Gardariki, or “The Realm of Cities”.

014 The Great City

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 07:41:02 +0100

Constantinople with its golden palaces, splendid churches and lively markets captured the Viking imagination like few other places. They simply called it the Great City, Miklagard. For centuries Scandinavians would go there in the hopes of making a fortune trading in slaves, furs and silk. Some also worked as imperial bodyguards, impressing and scaring the locals with their long hair and reputation for ruthlessness.

015 Serkland

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 08:55:58 +0100

The Vikings who travelled the furthest away from home, reached Muslim lands around the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus Mountains. There, they encountered men who didn’t wear pants, but rather caftans or tunics, so naturally the Vikings called the place Serkland—or “Gown Land”. Many a Scandinavian trader made a fortune selling furs and slaves in Serkland. Many others lost their lives fighting local armies.

016 The Viking at Home

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 11:20:01 +0100

Most Viking Age Scandinavians weren’t really Vikings. Instead of gallivanting across the seas in search for gold and glory, they spent their lives eking out a meager existence at some isolated farm somewhere where the summers were too short and the winters too long.

This episode is dedicated to a closer look at their daily lives.

017 Sagas and Runes

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:30:34 +0100

Even though the Vikings had a rich literary tradition, it was mostly oral. The sagas that have survived were written down after the Viking Age is conventionally considered to have ended and the Middle Ages begun. But the Vikings weren’t illiterate. They used their own unique alphabet—the runes—and they've left us plenty of runic inscriptions all over the place. Except in Iceland.

018 Old Norse Religion

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 14:03:15 +0100

The pre-Christian religion in Scandinavia is largely shrouded in mystery—not least because of the Church’s best efforts to eradicate the memory of its predecessor. Nonetheless, thanks to some eyewitness accounts from horrified Christian missionaries, snippets from sagas and the work of modern-day archeologists, we still know a thing or two about Old Norse religious practices, ceremonies and sacrifices.

019 Old Norse Mythology

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 06:47:21 +0100

Even today, almost a thousand years after the Scandinavians abandoned the old gods for Christianity, people are fascinated by the stories about the heroic and hammer-wielding (albeit slightly thick) Thor, his dad Odin—the one-eyed King of the gods—and Loki, Odin’s evil blood brother.

020 A New Religion

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 07:47:52 +0200

Various European rulers started to send missionaries to Scandinavia already before the violent Viking raids really became a thing. But it was slow going in the first century or so. Even though a handful of Scandinavians did switch to Jesus, Christianity only took off when local kings started to put pressure on their subjects to be baptized.

021 Harald Fairhair

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0200

Harald Fairhair gets the credit for uniting Norway under one crown. According to the legend, he did so because a woman he fancied made this her condition for marrying him. Not because he was a ruthless and vain brute. Once Harald achieved his goal, he persecuted his opponents, raised taxes and got a haircut. Lucky for him, his nickname is based on the last of those activities.

022 Fairhair's Heirs

Fri, 21 May 2021 05:57:37 +0200

Harald Fairhair used his many sons as local rulers in his name. This worked well as long as he was still alive, but when he died, many of his sons found it hard to accept that their brother Erik should be the king of them all. It didn’t help that Erik didn’t do a very good job as king—or that he had a tendency toward fratricide, which earned him the nickname Bloodaxe.

023 Harald Bluetooth

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0200

Under Harald Bluetooth, Denmark became a powerful unified kingdom. But not powerful enough to take on the Germans. Harald strengthened the southern border defenses and erected the trelleborg fortresses all over his realm. This shows not only that the Danes had impressive engineering know-how and considerable political, financial and military resources--but also that Harald was scared enough of the Germans to pay for it all. In the end, though, his downfall would come from much closer to home.

024 Harald vs Harald

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 08:27:01 +0200

When Harald Greycloak became king of Norway, Harald Bluetooth of Denmark expected his nephew to be thankful and obedient. After all, it was the Danish king who had paid for the three invasion fleets needed to put Harald Greycloak on the throne. But the new Norwegian king had other plans. Plans that didn’t include his overbearing uncle.

025 A Christian Viking

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0200

Olav Tryggvason was a zealous Christian, but it didn’t stop him from leading violent Viking raids. He became king of Norway thanks to impeccable timing and by spending copious amounts of silver that he had acquired on his raids. Once Olav became king, he spent his reign killing pagans and making powerful enemies.

026 A Viking Empire

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 06:00:00 +0200

Sven Forkbeard established a vast empire, covering Denmark, England and (sometimes) Norway. Even though it fell apart when Sven died, his son Knut the Great eventually managed to reclaim his father’s possession of Denmark, England and (sometimes) Norway.

027 The Eternal King of Norway

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 09:05:12 +0200

Olav Haraldsson was an ambitious man who wanted two things more than anything else: to be king of Norway and to Christianize the Norwegians. In life, he was a divisive character and was killed after a brief stint on the throne. But in death, he became a unifying national symbol and king forever.

028 Swedes and Geats

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 09:53:49 +0200

In the late 10th century, a guy called Erik became the first king of Sweden. He started out ruling together with his brother, but he soon died. Erik’s orphaned nephew tried to usurp the throne, but the fact that Erik is known as “the Victorious” should give you a clue about how it all ended.

029 Tables Are Turning

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 08:22:18 +0200

After more than a century of Danes fighting to rule Norway, the crown of Denmark unexpectedly fell into the lap of a Norwegian teenager. But even though Magnus the Good was recognized as king of Denmark, not everyone was willing to accept being ruled by a Norwegian.

030 The Harsh Ruler

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0100

Just as Magnus the Good was getting comfortable as king, his uncle showed up from nowhere demanding to share the kingdom. Since uncle Harald was rich and powerful, Magnus had little choice but to agree. The arrangement was awkward and brief, ending with Magnus' death. Harald went on to try and conquer both Denmark and England, but the only thing he managed to accomplish was to put an end to the Viking Age.

031 The Last Vikings

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0100

Harald Hardrada’s son Olav returned to Norway with his father’s body and proceeded to rule in peace for a quarter of a century, shunning war and glory in favor of law, commerce and religion. But his son, Magnus, resembled his martial grandfather Harald and wanted to reignite the Viking Age. Magnus fought wars in England, Sweden and Ireland. In the end, he resembled grandpa Harald a little too much and got himself killed while on campaign in the British Isles.

032 Three Kingdoms

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0100

Despite Magnus Barefoot’s best efforts, the Viking Age eventually ended and turned into the Middle Ages. At the time, Scandinavia was divided politically into three kingdoms: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. This is an overview of their physical and political landscapes, as well as the financial and military resources at the medieval king’s disposal.

033 Church and State

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0100

Unlike the king, who was a distant figure somewhere far away, the Church reached each and every one living in Scandinavia in the Middle Ages. It quickly became a rich and powerful institution that developed in parallel with the kingdom, often aiding and strengthening the secular political power—but sometimes also challenging it.

034 Royal Saints

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0100

During the reign of Sven Estridsson and his five sons, Denmark definitely went from a Viking society to a medieval kingdom. Thanks to the classic medieval mix of secular and ecclesiastical politics, the country also gained not only one, but two, royal saints. To keep things simple, they were both called Knut.

035 The Pretenders

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0100

The early Middle Ages were a time when a lot of people wanted to be king. The 12th century was basically one long cavalcade of pretenders who barely managed to claw their way to the top before someone else knocked them down, ready to take their place. And at least half of them were called Erik.

036 The Crusader and the Homebody

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0100

When Magnus Barefoot was killed in Ireland, his three sons Sigurd, Eystein and Olav took over as co-kings of Norway. According to an already well-established pattern this should have led to a bloody civil war, but to everyone’s surprise the brothers kept the peace. Of course it helped that Olav died young and Sigurd set off on an epic voyage that lasted for years.

037 The Blind, the Loud and the Hunchback

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0100

Soon after Sigurd the Crusader died in 1130, a civil war that was to plague medieval Norway for over a century kicked off. A long line of pretenders with colorful nicknames fought each other for the Norwegian throne.

038 Birkebeiner and Bagler

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0100

The Norwegian civil war eventually produced two rival parties. Traditionally, the Birkebeiner have been seen as the party of the poor and the downtrodden and the Bagler as the party of the nobility and the Church. But they were just as much—if not more—regional elite groupings fighting for the supremacy of their own region within the kingdom.

039 Denmark Rises

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0100

The reign of King Valdemar, the sole surviving king of the Danish civil war, is seen as the beginning of a Golden Age in Danish medieval history. Valdemar was aided by his foster-brother and BFF Absalon, who was both the king’s trusted advisor and Archbishop of Lund. Together, this dynamic duo spread Christianity and Danish control along the shores of the Baltic Sea.

040 V for Valdemar

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0200

The Golden Age of the Valdemars continued with the reign of a second king called Valdemar. During a crusade in the Baltic region, he established Danish control over Estonia and brought back the flag still used by the Danes today.

041 The Crusade That Maybe Never Was

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0200

In the 1150s, king Erik and bishop Henrik went on the First Swedish Crusade to Finland. Maybe. The mission was a success and Finland was won for Christ and for the Swedish crown. Maybe. Erik and Henrik were both rewarded with sainthoods, but only after they met their rather grisly deaths.

042 Swedish Finland

Fri, 06 May 2022 06:00:00 +0200

Through the second and third crusades (that definitely did happen), Sweden took control over Finland, making it a part of Scandinavia from a political, religious, economic, and cultural–if not geographical–perspective.

043 Commonwealth in Crisis

Fri, 20 May 2022 06:00:00 +0200

Fighting among the richest and most powerful clans in Iceland weakened the Commonwealth and opened the door for a Norwegian takeover. In the end, Iceland lost its independence and wouldn’t regain it until 1944.

044 Peak Norway

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 06:00:00 +0200

Haakon Haakonsson was king of Norway for a very long time. 46 years to be exact. His long reign is considered the zenith of medieval Norway: he put an end to the Norwegian civil war by defeating his father-in-law, he built multi-story stone buildings, had fashionable fiction translated and expanded Norway to its largest size ever when he took control over Iceland and Greenland.

045 Law Mender and Sons

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 08:39:28 +0200

King Magnus Law Mender is famous for having established one unified law code for all of Norway. Except cities and towns, which had their own laws. And Iceland, obviously. His sons focused more on fighting Denmark and trying to produce legitimate male heirs.

046 Chaos and Decay

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:00:29 +0200

The years following the murder of Erik Plowpenny saw bitter fighting between the Danish kings, who kept getting killed, and the Church and the nobility. The once mighty kingdom was fast losing its position as the leading power in Scandinavia, and no one seemed able to stop the decay.

047 The End of Denmark?

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 09:58:40 +0200

As the descendants of Valdemar the Victorious fought each other, Denmark descended deeper into decay. To raise money, the king pawned off bits of the kingdom to German aristocrats, gradually losing control over the country.

048 A New Dawn

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 06:00:00 +0200

After years of decay and foreign control over Denmark, a new king was elected in 1340. Valdemar IV had his mind set on regaining control over the kingdom–no matter what. And he didn’t let German aristocrats, peasant rebellions or the Plague stand in the way of achieving his goal. For his efforts, he was given the nickname Valdemar Dawn.

049 The Jarl and the King

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 06:00:00 +0200

Even though he never became king, Jarl Birger Magnusson dominated Swedish political life (and the actual king) for many years. He led a crusade, gave women the right to inherit and founded the city of Stockholm. Maybe.

050 Lock and Law

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 06:00:00 +0200

The Swedish usurper king Magnus Birgersson won the acceptance of the Church and the aristocracy by granting them tax exemptions and other privileges. Paradoxically, he’s also remembered as a friend of the common man for trying to limit greedy noblemen’s ability to abuse peasants. He had three sons, and to say that they didn’t get along would be an understatement.

051 One King, Two Crowns

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:22:00 +0200

Magnus Eriksson became king of two kingdoms when he was only three years old. He peaked as a toddler, ruling over Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Sweden and Finland. But it was all downhill from there. Through a combination of unruly aristocrats, foreign invasions and the Plague Magnus Eriksson eventually lost everything.

052 Saint Bridget

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0100

After her husband’s death, the aristocratic Bridget Birgersdotter started to have visions where Jesus, Mary and various saints and prophets unloaded on the rich and powerful. Despite making many influential enemies this way, Bridget was canonized after her death and is today one of the six patron saints of Europe.

053 The Great Death

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:15:25 +0100

Life in Scandinavia in the Middle Ages wasn’t always great, and in the summer of 1349 it took a sharp turn for the worse. For a lot of people it also ended abruptly in considerable agony. The reason was that the Plague had arrived. The ramifications would be felt for generations to come.

054 Abandoning Greenland

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0100

For hundreds of years, the descendants of the colonists Erik the Red had tricked to come with him to Greenland thrived on their chilly (but not particularly verdant) outpost in the North Atlantic. But in the second half of the 14th century things changed.

055 The Hansa

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0100

In the Middle Ages, trade in Northern Europe was dominated by the Hanseatic League. At its peak, the Hansa had a virtual monopoly on international trade in Scandinavia and the members of the League weren't shy about protecting their privileges. By any means possible.

056 Pirates and Privateers

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 11:02:48 +0100

In his attempts to hold on to his Swedish crown, Albert of Mecklenburg outsourced his naval affairs to a bunch of glorified pirates. Shockingly, when he no longer needed them, they went on being pirates.

057 Margaret and Sons

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Margaret dominated Scandinavian politics for almost forty years, but since she was a woman, she wasn’t allowed to rule as queen in her own right. Instead, she had to rule through her son Olav. When he died young, Margaret adopted her sister’s grandson, making him king. That worked fine until she eventually died and he was left to actually run the show on his own.

058 Unionizing

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0100

In June 1397, noblemen from Denmark, Norway and Sweden got together in Kalmar to celebrate the coronation of Erik of Pomerania, Margaret’s fourteen year-old adoptive son. The assembled nobles also agreed to establish a political union between the three kingdoms, called the Kalmar Union. Or did they?

059 A Brewing Storm

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0100

At midsummer in 1434, open rebellion broke out against King Erik of Pomerania in the Bergslagen region of Sweden. Under the leadership of Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, angry Swedish peasants burned castles all over the place, and by November the king had basically lost control of the country. But Erik wasn’t ready to throw in the towel quite yet.

060 Captain of the Realm

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0100

In 1434, Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson found himself leading a popular rebellion in Sweden against the king of the Kalmar Union, Erik of Pomerania. Engelbrekt was given a seat on the Council of the Realm and was even appointed Captain of the Realm. 1435 was definitely going to be Engelbrekt’s year.

061 A Perfect Storm

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:51:54 +0200

Even though Engelbrekt had been murdered, the injustices he’d rebelled against remained. So peasants all over Sweden kept rising up to achieve lower taxes and a just government. And not only in Sweden–the 1430s saw unrest spread like wildfire throughout King Erik’s realms.

062 Exit Erik

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0200

King Erik of Pomerania survived all the peasant rebellions in the 1430s only to get into real trouble in the 1440s. But it wasn’t some external threat or domestic unrest that threatened his continued rule, but–as usual–his own hamfisted actions.

063 One King Too Many

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 06:46:00 +0200

When Christopher of Bavaria died young and childless, it only took a few weeks for the “eternal peace” between the Scandinavian kingdoms to crumble as two pretenders, one Danish and one Swedish, both were declared king–of Norway.

064 Fickle Fate

Fri, 12 May 2023 07:00:00 +0200

Christian of Oldenburg eventually won the power struggle against Karl Knutsson Bonde, and Karl had to give up his crown and go into exile. But even though Christian was now the undisputed king of the Kalmar Union, the wheel of fortune kept spinning. And Christian was in for a bumpy ride.

065 A Kingdom without a King

Fri, 26 May 2023 09:20:51 +0200

The Swedes kept teasing King Christian, saying that they kind of sort of wanted him back–if he’d only hand over his power to the Swedish Council of the Realm. Christian refused, thinking he’d be able to force the Swedes to accept him as king. After all, no country can cope without a king. Right?

066 Hopes and Schemes

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:18:16 +0200

King John inherited his father’s three crowns, as well as the headache brought on by the Swedish one. But thanks to a bit of scheming with the Russians, he managed to get the Swedes to yield. At least for about five minutes.

067 Drifting Apart

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0200

When the Swedish steward Sten Sture died, this could have caused chaos in Sweden, creating an opening for king John to recapture the kingdom he’d recently lost. But the dead Steward’s inner circle kept his death secret until a successor could be elected. Eventually, John lost his patience and sent his son Christian to deal with the Swedes like he had already handled the Norwegians.

068 The Sixth King

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0200

Christian may have become king after his father John, but when he refused to give up his mistress, both the Danish nobles and his wife’s family started to send him barely veiled threats. Threats Christian chose to ignore.

A Special Crossover Jubilee Episode

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0200

It's been 500 years since the Kalmar Union collapsed and Sweden became an independent kingdom again. The Scandinavian History Podcast marks the occasion with this Special Crossover Jubilee Episode together with A Flatpack History of Sweden.

069 The Final Showdown

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0200

Christian II wasn’t going to stop until he had conquered Sweden and re-established the Kalmar Union. Two years in a row, he equipped a fleet and paid for an expensive army of foreign mercenaries, and both times the Swedes fought them off. Even though the nobles grumbled at home and he was seriously strapped for cash, Christian made a third attempt. This time over land.

070 Bloodbath

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0200

In November 1520, Christian II was crowned king of Sweden. He celebrated this momentous event with a string of feasts and festivities that went on for days. But when it turned out that archbishop Gustav Trolle wasn’t willing to turn the other cheek, things got a bit out of hand.

071 Breaking Up

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 09:27:19 +0200

The coronation in Stockholm had only just ended when another rebellion broke out, threatening Christian II’s Swedish crown. The business with the bloodbath had turned many in the Swedish nobility against the king, but regular people joined the uprising because he also raised taxes and forbade them from carrying weapons.

072 The Count’s Feud

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0200

In the 1530s, Denmark was plagued by a civil war brought on by a combination of rivaling claimants for the crown, and a growing rift between Catholics and Protestants. Ex-king Christian was still causing trouble, and Frederick I wasn’t secure on his throne. When he died, the fighting only intensified.

073 Reformation

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0200

When Christian III became king of Denmark, he implemented the Lutheran Reformation in his new kingdom. He fired all the Catholic bishops, replaced them with Lutherans and confiscated Church property, making the Crown immensely rich and powerful. The process was surprisingly undramatic. In Denmark. In Norway and Iceland, there was plenty of drama.

074 Sweden under New Management

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 07:36:46 +0100

Unlike his Danish counterpart, Gustav Vasa wasn’t particularly interested in the Lutheran Reformation. At least not to begin with. But when he realized he could solve his money problems by confiscating Church property, Lutheranism started to sound much more interesting to the heavily indebted king of Sweden.

075 Thunder and Bells

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Even though the Lutheran Reformation was relatively moderate in Sweden to begin with, Gustav Vasa’s religious and financial reforms still provoked a number of rebellions with fanciful names throughout the country.

076 The Greatest Rebellion

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Gustav Vasa was the Swedish king who had to deal with the largest number of peasant rebellions. In the 1540s, he was also faced with the largest peasant rebellion of all time–at least in Scandinavia. He handled it like he always did, with skillful diplomacy, shrewd politics and overwhelming, brute force.

Special Episode: Margrexit

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 07:00:00 +0100

We interrupt our regular programming for a special episode about the surprise abdication of Queen Margaret II of Denmark.

077 New Kids on the Block

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:34:47 +0100

Gustav Vasa fought to establish his family as the ruling dynasty of Sweden, and to make the House of Vasa respected as equals among other European royal houses. That was often an uphill battle, and sometimes Gustav’s efforts were even undermined by members of his own family.

078 Kings, Cousins, Rivals

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:00:00 +0100

In the early 1560s, two inexperienced but ambitious monarchs had succeeded their fathers on the Danish and Swedish thrones. They happened to be cousins, but that didn’t stop them from spoiling for a fight over Scandinavian supremacy.

079 Seven Years of War

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0100

The Nordic Seven Years’ War lasted (spoiler!) seven years. The war ended when the combatants ran out of steam and money. There was no clear winner. There were, however, plenty of clear losers.

080 Murder Madness

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0100

In the spring of 1567, Erik XIV had a bit of a breakdown. The war was going poorly, and his spies and his trusted advisor Jöran Persson were feeding him information about a conspiracy among the nobility. The king decided that something needed to be done.

081 Coup d'État

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0100

In 1568, Erik XIV of Sweden had never felt better. He had recovered from his temporary madness, he had chased off an invading Danish army and he had married the woman he loved. The future looked bright. At least if you weren’t looking too closely.

082 Catholic Comeback

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0200

As soon as the war with Denmark was over, Sweden got itself involved in a new conflict with Russia. The war started because king John refused to give up his wife or Estonia to the Russians. He also refused to accept the Reformation.

083 Worst Uncle Ever

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0200

When John III died, his son Sigismund took over as king of Sweden. Sigismund was already king of Poland, so he already had some relevant experience. Still, there were two problems: Sigismund was a Catholic, and his uncle Karl really wanted the crown.

084 The Kalmar War

Fri, 10 May 2024 07:00:00 +0200

Christian IV of Denmark wanted to prove that he was a proper king. So he started a war against Sweden to win glory and, hopefully, reestablish the Kalmar Union.

085 The Emperor's War

Fri, 24 May 2024 07:00:00 +0200

Encouraged by his success in the war against Sweden, Christian IV decided to get involved in the developing conflict in the Holy Roman Empire. He was convinced that a military genius like him would be able to save his Protestant coreligionists from the Catholic threat.

086 The Lion from the North

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:14:58 +0200

After the wars in Russia and Poland finally started to wind down, the thrill-junkie on the Swedish throne decided he also wanted to try his luck playing the role of Savior of German Protestants.

087 Pray, Child, Pray!

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0200

Most German Protestants weren’t particularly happy about the Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years’ War. But Gustavus Adolphus didn’t care. He had come to save them–whether they wanted to or not.

088 Breitenfeld

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0200

In September 1631, the Swedish and the Imperial armies finally stood face to face. The battle took place just north of Leipzig, close to the village of Breitenfeld. It turned out to be the ultimate test for the new Swedish military tactics.

089 Forecast: Fog

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0200

1632 was a year of victories and triumphs for the Swedes. They moved through the Holy Roman Empire capturing everything in their way. In the fall, they were back where they had started a year earlier, on a muddy field outside Leipzig, ready to fight a new Imperial army.

090 The Show Must Go On

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0200

After the death of Gustavus Adolphus, his trusted advisor and chancellor Axel Oxenstierna was left to pick up the pieces. In the years that followed, he worked tirelessly to avoid a total collapse of the Swedish positions on the continent. It was not an easy job.

091 Peace and Other Pipe Dreams

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0200

The Swedes spent the early 1640s trying to win the war, but even if they were successful on the battlefield, every campaign season seemed to end with them retreating north with an Imperial army in pursuit.

092 By the High Mast

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 09:08:19 +0200

In the late 1630s, tensions were once again rising between Denmark and Sweden. The Danish king was spoiling for a war, and in 1643 he got it. But not in the way he’d expected. Or wanted. Still, the conflict is remembered as Christian IV’s finest hour.

093 The Family Firm

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0200

Christian IV was a real family man. In fact, he had multiple families. He was married twice, and had a string of mistresses to boot. He had at least 12 children, and he used them to solidify his rule. It didn’t always work, though. To put it mildly.

094 Dowager Drama

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0200

When Gustavus Adolphus died, Axel Oxenstierna was left to handle several thorny issues. One of the thorniest was what to do with the king’s widow Maria Eleonora. Oxenstierna wanted her to disappear from political life and into the footnotes of history. The dowager queen herself had other plans.

095 The Apostate

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Gustavus Adolphus’s daughter and successor Queen Christina had no time for fashion or suitors, but she loved culture and intellectual pursuits. She was mighty impressed by continental art, literature and philosophy. Maybe a little too impressed.

096 Revenge

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:01:56 +0100

When Frederick III became king of Denmark, he was determined to get revenge. Revenge on the scheming nobility, including his own extended family, who had robbed him of almost all royal powers. But most of all, he wanted revenge on the Swedes for the defeat in the Torstenson War.

097 Absolut Denmark

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 07:00:00 +0100

The peace in Roskilde had been a triumph for Sweden. But Karl X Gustav wanted more, so he renewed hostilities hoping to capture Copenhagen and take over all of Denmark. The very reign of Frederik III hung in the balance.

Special Episode: Christmas Weirdness

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 06:00:00 +0100

In a few days Christmas will be upon us. To mark the occasion, this episode of the Scandinavian History Podcast is dedicated to quirks of Nordic culture. It’s a totally subjective list of the five weirdest Scandinavian Christmas traditions–from the most normal to the weirdest.

098 The Scania War

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 15:45:40 +0100

Christian V may not have been particularly interested in books, administration or the French language. He didn’t care much about governing Denmark, but he was passionate about restoring its old borders. For that reason, he declared war on Sweden in 1675–a few weeks after he promised his sister could marry the Swedish king.

099 Swedification

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:00:00 +0100

In the second half of the 17th century, Swedish authorities initiated a campaign to turn the formerly Danish provinces of Blekinge, Halland and Scania Swedish. They used both carrots and sticks to change these new territories politically, economically and culturally. The process wasn’t always smooth.

100 The Great Rumble

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:54:12 +0100

There had been a few witch trials here and there in Scandinavia since the Middle Ages, but it was only after the Reformation that they became a large-scale phenomenon. In the reign of Karl XI, Sweden became the scene for the greatest witch hunt in Scandinavian history.

101 Empire

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 06:00:00 +0100

After the Scania War, Karl XI realized that Sweden was too weak to defend its northern European empire. To change this, he pushed through three important reforms that radically changed the Swedish army, economy and system of government. But would it be enough? And would the reforms survive the death of the king?

102 The Great Northern War

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:00:00 +0100

In the year 1700, Sweden was ruled by an autocratic teenager with impulse control issues. That could have been bad enough, but then Denmark, Poland and Russia declared war and attacked simultaneously. Karl XII was going to have to shape up, and fast, if he wanted to remain king of anything at all in the years to come.

103 The Final Boss

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0100

After defeating Denmark and Poland, Karl XII only needed to crush the Russians in order to declare victory in the Great Northern War. So as soon as he was done with his side quest in Saxony, he marched on Moscow to face the Final Boss, Peter the Great.

104 Long-Distance Rule

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0100

After the disaster at Poltava, the Swedish empire started to unravel. But instead of hurrying home to try and save what he could, Karl XII spent years in the Ottoman Empire. He wasn’t enjoying an extended vacation in southern climes, though. He was trying to convince the sultan to attack Russia, thereby easing the pressure on Sweden.

105 End of the Line

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0200

Karl XII had failed to get the Ottomans to ally with Sweden in the Great Northern War, but that didn’t mean he was willing to throw in the towel. As soon as he returned home, he decided to go back to fighting. This time, he had his sights on Sweden’s traditional enemy–Denmark.

106 Piety and Power

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0200

In the early 18th century, Denmark was ruled by absolute monarchs, whose personalities left their marks on the country. When Frederik IV was young, he didn’t say no to anything life had to offer. In old age, he turned to religion, and demanded that the rest of Denmark do the same.

107 Colonialism

Fri, 09 May 2025 06:00:00 +0200

In the 1600s, both Denmark and Sweden joined the race to establish colonies overseas. The Danes returned to Greenland, but also set up outposts in India. These colonial projects were quite successful. The Swedes, on the other hand, were less fortunate trying to gain a foothold in North America.

108 Scandinavian Slave Trade

Fri, 23 May 2025 06:00:00 +0200

In the 18th century, when the triangular trade between Europe, Africa and the Americas was booming, Denmark and Sweden established footholds in the West Indies. They tried to make money on trade, buying and selling sugar, tobacco, cotton–and people.

109 The Sami

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0200

From the 16th century onward, Denmark and Sweden increased their efforts to assert control over northern Scandinavia, a territory where few Scandinavians had ever gone, and even fewer lived. But that doesn’t mean the region was uninhabited. The Sami people lived there, and as the Norwegians, Swedes and Finns moved north, the Sami way of life came under threat.

110 Hats and Caps

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0200

After the death of Karl XII, Swedish monarchs lost almost all their power. Instead, the Riksdag asserted itself as the most influential body in Swedish political life. Among bribes, personal vendettas and dreams of reestablishing the empire, two political parties emerged.

111 The War of the Hats

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0200

In 1741, the Hats finally got the war against Russia that they’d been working so hard to achieve. Finally, they’d be able to recapture the territory lost during the Great Northern War and restore Sweden’s honor. Unfortunately, it soon turned out that even though they had spent years trying to start the war, they had done little to make sure that the army in Finland would be ready for it.

112 The Last Dalacarlian Revolt

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0200

When the result of the War of the Hats became known in Sweden, it was met with dismay. Not only did the Russians take even more territory, but they also wanted to decide who’d be the next king of Sweden. In Dalarna, people weren’t having any of it.

113 Science and Industry

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0200

The Age of Liberty wasn’t only corruption, palace intrigues and failed wars. Thanks to a policy encouraging science and industry, significant progress was made, and some of the discoveries and inventions from those days are still with us today.

114 Gray Eminences

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0200

If your system of government puts all the power in the hands of one man, you’d better hope the man holding all that power knows what he’s doing. If he doesn’t, things can quickly turn ugly. Unless, of course, there’s someone else standing in the wings discreetly guiding the power-holding hand to avoid disaster.

115 The Swedish Sun King

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:55:56 +0200

King Adolf Fredrik and queen Louisa Ulrika never managed to wrest power away from the Riksdag during the Age of Liberty. But Louisa Ulrika had high hopes that their son, Gustav, would follow in their footsteps and reassert royal authority–despite the best efforts of the politicians to train him to be a docile and powerless monarch.

116 Wag the Dog

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0200

A few years after his coup, the opposition against Gustav III was growing. In an attempt to improve his popularity–and to reclaim some of the land lost in the War of the Hats–he decided to start a war against Russia. Unfortunately for the king, he wasn’t allowed to start wars, but Gustav wasn’t going to let minor details like that stop him.

117 Assassins!

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0200

His war against Russia had shown Gustav III that the Swedish aristocracy was a real threat to his reign. He thought he could eliminate the threat by forcing a new set of laws through the riksdag, strengthening the crown and limiting the power of the nobility. But instead of rolling over and capitulating, the aristocrats decided to fight back.

118 In the French Shadow

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0200

The French revolution was a cataclysmic event that changed the world forever, both politically and culturally. Even though it was far away, Scandinavia did not remain untouched by these continental developements. And perhaps that's only fair, since a dramatic Nordic event allegedly contributed to the revolution in the first place.

119 The Bombardment of Copenhagen

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0200

The years following the French Revolution were plagued by seemingly endless wars. But the governments in both Copenhagen and Stockholm preferred to stay out of the fighting, instead making money trading with all sides. It worked for a while, but eventually the fires of war reached Scandinavia as well.

120 The Finnish War

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:41:27 +0100

The Franco-Russian treaty at Tilsit in 1807 spelled trouble for Sweden as well as for Denmark. Just like the Danes, the Swedes underestimated the threat of the new alliance, and soon found themselves fighting yet another war against Russia in Finland.

121 The Grand Duchy

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0100

When peace returned in 1809, the population of Finland found themselves to be the newest subjects of the Russian emperor. In the years that followed, they reshaped their political and economic lives, turning away from Sweden but at the same time resisting Russification.

122 The Men of 1809

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0100

King Gustav IV Adolf was blamed for the loss of Finland, and even before the war against Russia ended, he was ousted in a coup. His uncle Karl was given the crown, but everyone knew this wasn’t a long term solution. Karl was old and childless, so the search for a new crown prince started immediately.

123 The Prince of the Curved Bridge

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0100

After the death of Karl August, only five months after he had been elected crown prince, the Swedes needed to find another heir to the throne. The main candidate was yet another Danish prince, but there were those who had other ideas.

124 Crisis Means Opportunity

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0100

The Napoleonic Wars strained the Danish-Norwegian union bringing starvation, unrest and a crisis of legitimacy. Even worse, Sweden exploited the fact that Copenhagen had sided with the losing French, and forced king Frederik VI to hand over Norway to Sweden. But the Norwegians didn’t want to join a new union with Sweden, and saw an opportunity.

125 Norway Resurrected

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0100

During a few intense spring weeks in 1814, 112 representatives of the Norwegian people came together at Eidsvoll to draw up a constitution for Norway. They hoped the country would be an independent kingdom, but at the same time rumors of a Swedish invasion were swirling in the background.

126 War or Peace?

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0100

In the first half of 1814, Bernadotte had been busy wrapping up the war on the continent. But as summer arrived, the Swedes turned their full attention to Norway. Stockholm demanded that the Norwegians scrap their new constitution, ditch their new king and submit to Sweden. When the Norwegians refused, the Swedes threatened war.

127 The United Kingdoms

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0100

In the fall of 1814, Norway had lost the war against Sweden. The defeat had come as an unpleasant surprise to many Norwegians, who had believed the rousing patriotic speeches about liberty or death. Even those who accepted that they’d have to enter into a union with Sweden were determined to give the Swedes as little influence over Norway as possible.

128 Revolutionary Marshal, Reactionary Monarch

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0100

In 1818, Bernadotte became king of Sweden and Norway under the name Karl Johan. He was eager to develop his kingdoms economically and socially, but when his new subjects displayed dissatisfaction with his rule, the old revolutionary reverted to classic royal reactionary tactics.

129 Faith, Philosophy, Fairytales

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:21:28 +0100

After the disasters of the Napoleonic Wars, state bankruptcy and losing Norway, Denmark was in bad shape. But even though the future looked bleak, a Golden Age was actually waiting right around the corner. Its writers and thinkers would shape Danish society for generations.