Sweden; key historical events
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modified 25 November 2023
Click Here for map of Swedish railways with historical changes.
For Arctic Railway see Finnish rail map.
See also Finland
9 September 2018, Swedish elections produced a deadlock. Of 349
seats (majority = 175), the Left coalition received 144 seats, down 15 (40.6%
of vote). The Centre Right coalition received 143 seats, no change (40.0% of
vote). The third largest party was the anti-immigrant Populist Right party,
Swedish Democrats, with 63 seats, up 14 (17.6% of vote). However none of the
other parties were prepared to form a coalition with the Swedish Democrats. The
full results were; Left = Social Democrats, 101 seats, -12 (28.4% of vote),
Green Party 15 seats, -10 (4.3% of vote), and Left Party, 28 seats, +7 (7.9% of
vote). Right � Moderates, 70 seats, -14 (19.8% of vote), Centre Party, 31
seats, +9 (8.6% of vote), Liberal Party, 19 seats, n/c (5.5% of vote), and
Christian Democrats, 23 seats, +7 (6.4% of vote). Had the Green Party failed to
make 4% they would have received no seats under Swedish election law.
13 August 2018, Over 100 cars were burnt in co-ordinated attacks
across several Swedish cities. The disorder was widely blamed on migrant gangs.
6 April 2017, An Islamist terrorist drove a lorry into crowds shopping
in the centre of Stockholm; 4 people were killed.
25 May 2013, A sixth night of rioting in the Swedish capital,
Stockholm; many cars were burnt, mainly in poorer areas.
14 September 2003, In a referendum, Sweden rejected joining the Euro.
11 September 2003, Anna Lindh,
Swedish Foreign Minister, died.
10 September 2003, Anna Lindh, foreign minister of Sweden, was
fatally stabbed whilst shopping.
1999, The Swedish
cabinet became the first in the world to have a majority of women.
27 August 1997, Norway and Sweden admitted
that, between 1934 and 1967, they sterilised thousands of people deemed
�substandard�, including the disabled.
13 November 1994, In a referendum, Swedish voters chose to join
the European Union. They joined in 1995.
13 February 1992, Carl Bildt announced the end of Sweden�s
policy of neutrality.
28 February 1986. The Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme,
was assassinated, and his wife Lisbeth wounded, in an ambush in central
Stockholm. Neither
the perpetrator nor a motive were ever discovered.
19 September 1982, In Sweden, the Social Democrats under Olof Palme
won the elections.
13 October 1978, A new Swedish Government, minority Liberal,
took power under Ola Ullsten.
5 October 1978, The Swedish Centre-Right Government
collapsed over the issue of nuclear power.
19 September 1976, Swedish general election ended 40 years of
Social Democrat government led by Olof Palme. Thorbjorn Falldin, Conservative,
became Prime Minister.
27
February 1974, New Constitution in
Sweden stripped the monarchy of all remaining powers. The Riksdag (Parliament)
became unicameral.
15 September 1973, Gustavus VI, King of Sweden since 1950, died
aged 90. He was succeeded by his 23-year-old son, Carl Gustavus XVI.
10/1969, In Sweden, Olaf Palme was elected Party
Leader and Prime Minister, succeeding Tage Erlander who had been in power since
1946.
1960, Sweden joined the European Free Trade Area (EFTA).
21 July 1957, Stefan Lofven, Swedish Prime Minister
(2014-18), was born in Stockholm.
19 June 1957, Anna Lindh, Swedish politician, was born.
9 March 1957, Mona Sahlin, leader of the Swedish Social
Democratic Party, was born in Sollefte�, Sweden.
29 October 1950, Gustav V, King of Sweden since 1907, died aged 92, after a
43-year reign. He was succeeded by his 61-year old son, Gustavus VI Adolf,� who ruled until 1973.
October 1948, The Swedish
Parliament approved the creation of a National Health Service.
26 January 1947, Prince Gustav of Sweden was killed in a air
crash near Copenhagen
30 April 1946, Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden since 1973,
was born in Solna
10 April 1940. Sweden insisted on its neutrality
during World
War Two; however it allowed German forces to transit its territory to
invade Norway.
20 September 1936, In Sweden, the Social Democrats won the
General Election with 46% of the vote.
24 September 1932, In Sweden, Socialist Per Albin Hansson became Prime
Minister. He retained this office until 1946, and his Socialist party remained
in government until 1976. There was a severe recession in Sweden at this time.
12 March 1932, Ivar Kreuger, 52, Swedish civil engineer and
industrialist committed suicide.
14 May 1931, In Sweden,
soldiers shot and killed striking workers at Adalen.
1919, Universal adult suffrage in Sweden.
1917, A new Swedish Liberal Government limited exports that were
helping the German war effort.
16 September 1917, General
election in Sweden, the Liberal Swedish Social Democratic Party gained control
from the conservative Electoral League, winning 86 of the 230 seats in the
Riksdag.
1914 - 1917, Sweden was nominally neutral during World War One, however they supplied Germany
with war goods.
4 August 1909, General
Strike began in Sweden over wages and working conditions.
8 December 1907, King Oscar II of Sweden died, aged 78, after a
35-year reign; he also ruled Norway until 1905. His eldest son, Gustav V,
49, became King, and ruled until 1950.
29 July 1905, Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish Secretary-General of
the United Nations, was born in
Separation of Norway from Sweden, 1905
26 October 1905. Norway and
24 September 1905,
The Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) agreed to Norwegian independence.
13 August 1905, A referendum
in
7 June 1905. Norway declared independence from
13 June 1901, Tage Erlander, Prime Minister of Sweden
1946-69, was born in Ransater. He made Sweden into a welfare state.
1900, In Sweden, the Liberal
party was formed, to fight for an extended franchise. It first took power in
1905 under Karl
Staaff.
1890, Exploitation of the great
iron ore deposits at Kiruna began; see railways (Sweden) for transport development
here.
11 November 1882, Gustav VI, King of Sweden, was born the eldest
son of Gustav
V.
18 September 1872, Charles IV of Sweden died at Malmo, aged 46.
He was succeeded by his 43-year-old brother, as Oscar II.
1866, The Swedish Riksdag
(Parliament) was made bicameral.
8 July 1859, King Oskar I of Sweden died aged 60 after a
15-year reign. He was succeeded by his 33-year-old son who reigned as Charles XV
until 1872.
16 June 1858, Gustav V, King of Sweden from 1907 to 1950,
was born the son of Oscar II.
18 October 1854, Salomon August Andree, Swedish engineer, was
born in Grenna.
21 October 1853, Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm.
22 December 1846, Oscar Josef Alin, Swedish politician, was born
in Falun (died 31 December 1900 in Uppsala).
8 March 1844, Charles XIV, King of Sweden, died aged 81, after a 26-year reign. He was succeeded by his
son, Oskar I,
aged 44.
7 February 1837, Gustavus IV, King of Sweden, died. King of
Sweden from 1792; he was born in 1778.
21 January 1829, Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, was born.
3 May 1826, Charles XV, King of Sweden, was born (died 18
September 1872).
5 February 1818, Charles XIII of Sweden died aged 69 after a 9-year reigh. He was
succeeded by Crown Prince Jean Bernadotte (55), who now became Charles XIV.
He ruled until 1844.
1815, Congress of Vienna.
Sweden ceded territory to Russia and Denmark. A long period of peace began.
4 November 1814, Norway united with Sweden, see 7 June 1905.
27 December 1813, Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm, Swedish statesman,
died in Schleswig.
3 March 1813, Britain agreed with Sweden that it would not
oppose a union of Sweden and Norway.
Sweden and
Napoleonic Wars
17 November 1810. Sweden declared war on
Britain.
For more on Napoleonic wars see France-Germany
20 October 1810, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte arrived
in Sweden as Regent (see 21 August 1810), with the name Charles John, whilst King Charles
XIII was ill.
21 August 1810, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, French
soldier, was elected Crown Prince by the Swedish Riksdag, see 20 October 1810.
28 May 1810, Crown Prince Christian of Sweden died during a
fit of apoplexy.
6 January 1810, By the treaty of Paris,
Sweden joined the Continental system, closing its ports to british trade. In
return, Pomerania was returned by France to Sweden.
1 March 1810, The world�s
first Ombudsman, Lars Mannerheim, was appointed in Sweden.
17 September 1809, In February 1808 Tsar Alexander invaded Finland,
then part of Sweden, without a declaration of war.� On this day the Treaty of Fredrikshamn ended
the war; Sweden ceded Finland and the Aland Islands to Russia. Sweden was
unable to secure an undertaking by Russia not to fortify the Aland Islands,
which were close to Stockholm, but see 30 March 1856.
5 June 1809, Charles XIII became King of Sweden.
King
Gustavus IV
29 March 1809, King Gustavus IV of Sweden officially
abdicated. This followed military defeats in the war with Denmark.
13 March 1809, Swedish
Army officers seized King Gustavus IV of Sweden and put him under
house arrest in the royal apartments. A provisional government was announced,
led by the Duke
of Sudermania. On 29 March 1809 Gustavus IV officially abdicated, and on 10
May 1809 the Swedish Government announced that the Gustavus family would not regain
the throne.
30 April 1800, Olaf Wallqvist,
Swedish statesman, died (born 1755)
1 November 1778, Gustavus IV, King of Sweden, was born.
King Gustavus III, reigned�
1771-92
29 March 1792, King Gustavus III of Sweden died, aged 46 (acceded 1771). He was
succeeded by his son, 13-year old Gustavus IV.
16 March 1792, Gustavus III, King of Sweden,
was shot at a masked ball; he died on 29 March 1792. King of Sweden from 1771,
he was born in 1746. He was succeeded by his 13-year-old son who ruled as Gustavus IV
until his forced abdication in 1809.
14 August 1790, The Treaty of Verela ended the Swedish-Russian War, with no significant
territorial changes.
24 August 1789, The Russian Navy destroyed
the Swedish fleet in the Gulf of Finland.
3 April 1789, King Gustavus III of Sweden
passed an Act of Unbity and Security, giving him absolute powers.
19 August 1772, Gustavus III
of Sweden re-established an absolute monarchy, as he removed the Riksdag�s
power to legislate. However he also liberalised, abolishing torture and
proclaiming the freedom of the press and of religious worship.
24 January 1746,
Gustavus III,
King of Sweden, was born.
29 March 1772, Emanuel
Swedenborg, Swedish mystic, died in London (born 29 January 1688 in
Stockholm)
12 February 1771, King Adolphus
Frederick of Sweden died, aged 60, in Stockholm. He was succeeded by
his 25-year old son, Gustavus III.
26 January 1763, Charles XIV, King of Sweden, was born.
2 June 1761, Jonas Alstromer, Swedish industrialist, died
(born 7 January 1685 in Alingsas, Vestergotland).
9 October 1757, Charles X, King of Sweden, was born.
7 October 1748, Charles XIII, King of Sweden, was born (died 5
February 1818).
17 April 1742, Arvid Horn,
Swedish statesman, died (born 6 April 1664).
Great Northern War
23 January 1743, Russia
and Sweden began negotiations to end their conflict.
1720, Ulrika
Eleanora abdicated in favour of her husband Frederick of Hesse, aged 44. He ruled until 1751 as Frederick I, but the
new Constitution had taken away much of the monarchy�s power.
11 December 1718, Charles XII, King of Sweden, was
killed after a 21-year reign, aged 36, shot at the Fortress of Frederiksten as
he peered across at the Norwegians. He was succeeded by his sister, Ulrika Eleanora,
aged 30, who was made Queen on condition that she accept a new Constitution
drafted by the Riksdag. She ended the Great Northern War.
24 December 1715, Swedish troops occupied Norway.
11 November 1714, Charles XII of Sweden arrived at Stralsund,
having fled from virtual Tirkish house arrest.
6 August 1714, Naval
Battle of Gangut, in the Baltic; Russia defeated Sweden.
14 May 1710, Frederick
Adolphus, King of Sweden from 1743, was born (died 12 February 1771).
28 February 1710, Sweden
defeated a force of 14,000 Danes at the Battle of Helsingborg.
8 July 1709, The Battle of Poltava (in modern day
eastern Ukraine). Peter the Great of Russia
destroyed the Swedish army. Hanover and Denmark joined with Russia in attacking
the Swedish Empire.
9 October 1708, Battle of
Lesnaya. 11,000 Swedes under Loewenhaupt were defeated by a larger Russian
force just east of the River Dnieper.
9 September 1708, The
Swedes forced a bried engagement with the Russians at Dobry. However the
Russians were pursuing a scorched earth policy, retreating as winter loomed.
The Swedish army began to run short of food and fodder for the horses. However
Charles XII decided not to retreat, but to move to the Ukraine to join the
Cossacks under Ivan Mezeppa, who had secretly agreed to mount an uposising
against the Russians with 30,000 men. However this was a military blunder by Charles,
who should have consolidated his position and supplies before marching deeper
into Russia.
Winter looms: the war turns against Sweden
8 July 1708, Charles XII
now advanced to the River Dnieper at Mogilev.
4 July 1708, Battle of
Holovsin; Sweden defeated Russia.
29 June 1708, Charles XII
crossed the River Berezina at Borisov.
26 January 1708, Charles XII
of Sweden took Grodno, which had bgeen abandoned by Peter.
1 January 1708, Charles XII
of Sweden invaded Russia, crossing the now-frozen River Vistula with 45,000
men.
3 February 1706, The
Swedes under Karl
G Rehnskold routed a laerger Polish army under Augustus.
4 July 1704, Peter
recaptured Dorpat.
13 April 1703, Battle of
Pultusk; Sweden defeated Russia, and then laid siege to Thorn.
18 July 1702, Battle of
Hummelsdorf; Russia defeated Sweden.
2 July 1702, Battle of
Kliszow. Charles
XII routed a larger Saxon-Polish army, then marched through hostile
territory to seize Cracow.
7 January
1702, Battle of Errestfer; Russia defeated
Sweden.
10 June 1701, Swedish
forces under King Charles XII relieved Riga, which had been under siege by Saxony troops (Great Northern
War). Charles
XII then went on to invade Poland.
20 November 1700, Sweden
defeated the Russians at Narva.
13 November 1700, Charles XII,
with 8,000 men, advanced on Narva. Peter of Russia chose discretion over valour
and fled.
6 October 1700, Charles XII
landed at Livonia with a small force, intending to relieve Riga. Awaiting
reinforcements, he decided to relieve Narva instead.
4 August 1700, Charles XII
attacked Zealand across supposedly un-navigable waters against the advice of
his Admiral, and advanced on Copenhagen. Denmark immediately sued for peace.
1699, Drottingholm Palace,
near Stockholm, was completed.
14 December 1697, Charles XII was crowned King of Sweden, aged
15.
7 May 1697, The Royal Castle, Tree Kronor (Three Crowns) in Sweden
burnt down, destroying a large part of the Royal Library.
King Charles XI
5 April 1697, Death of King Charles XI
of Sweden, aged 40, after a 37-year reign. He was succeeded by his
14-year-old son, Charles XII, who ruled until 1718, see 14 December 1697.
19 April 1689, Queen Christina of Sweden died
(born 1626); she had abdicated in 1654.
29 January 1688,
Emmanuel
Swedenborg, Swedish mystic, was born.
7 January 1685,
Jonas
Alstromer, Swedish industrialist, was born in Alingsas,
Vestergotland. He died 2 June 1761.
30 April 1683, France,
Brandenburg-Prussia, and Denmark agreed that Sweden should be expelled from
German territories.
17 June 1682, Charles XII, King of Sweden, was
born (died 1718).
1680, The city of Karlskrona, Sweden, was founded by King Charles XI.
2 September 1680, Per Brahe, Swedish statesman,
died in Visingborg (born near Stockholm 18 February 1602).
14 July 1677, At the Battle of Landskrona, Sweden defeated
Denmark.
31 May 1677, Danish ships defeated a Swedish naval
force.
4 December 1676, The Swedish town of Lund was defended in the Battle of Lund, one of the bloodiest
battles fought in Scandinavia.
11 June 1676, Battle of Entholm, Northern Wars. The
Danish fleet under Admiral van Tromp defeated the Swedes.
25 May 1676, Battle of Jasmund. The Danes under
Admiral Niels Juel defeated the Swedish Navy.
1672, King Charles XI, now aged 16, took full power,
from a corrupt Regency; he reigned until 1697.
6 April 1664, Arvid Horn,
Swedish statesman, was born (died 17 April 1742).
16 September 1663, The
Swedish Collegium Medicorum was founded. This later became the Swedish National
Board of Health.
3 May 1660, At the Peace
of Oliva (near Danzig), Frederick William ceded Eastern Pomerania to
Sweden.
King Charles X
13 February 1660, Charles X of Sweden
died, aged 37. He was succeeded by his 4-year old son, Charles XI. Also this day the Treaty of Copenhagen ended hostilities
between Sweden and Denmark. The Danes ceded the province of Scania, southern
tip of Scandinavia, to Sweden.
25 June 1656, The Treaty of Mareinburg was concluded between Sweden and
Brandenburg-Prussia.� The Poles under John
Casimir had expelled the Swedes, and under this Treaty Brandenburg-Prussia
was promised part of the spoils should Poland be defeated by Sweden.
24 November 1655, Charles XI,
King of Sweden, was born (died 5 April 1697).
28 August 1654, Swedish Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna died (born
1583).
16 June 1654, Queen Christina of Sweden abdicated in favour of her cousin, Charles
Gustavus (Charles X). There had been
discontent at her luxurious lifestyle and failure to produce an heir. She had
sold off large amounts of Crown Property to support the 500 nobles she had
created . She fled disguised in men�s clothes as �Count Dohna�, to settle in
Rome.Meanwhile Denmark
felt uneasy at the accession of Charles X, fearing his aggressive expansionist attitude. The
invasion of Poland
by Sweden (July 1654) was a relief to Denmark.
7 April 1651, Lennart
Torstensson, Swedish soldier, died in Stockholm (born 1603)
29 July 1647, Carl Piper,
Swedish statesman, was born in Stockholm (died 29 May 1716 in Schlusselburg)
1645, Sweden acquired Gotland from Denmark.
13 October 1644, Naval
Battle of Fehmarn. In the Fehmarn Strait, Baltic, the Swedish navy under Karl Gustav
Wrangel defeated the Danes under Pros Mund. The Danes lost 1200
men to the Swedes 100.
10 May 1641, Johan Baner, Swedish soldier during the Thirty
Years War, died in Halberstadt (born in Djursholm Castle 23 June 1596).
Swedish
campaigns to acquire the southern shore of the Baltic, see
Germany for main
history, also see Poland.
16 November 1632, Gustavus II, King of Sweden from
1611 (born 1594), was killed as his army
gained victory in the Battle of Lutzen (Thirty Years War) near Leipzig.
He was succeeded by his 6-year old daughter, Christina; in the interim,
Sweden was governed by Count Axel Oxenstierna.
23 January 1630, Under the Treaty of Barwalde, Sweden agreed, in
return for an annual tribute of one million pounds to King Gustavus Adolphus, to
respect te neutrality of Bavaria and the Catholic League.
25 September 1629,� The Treaty of Altmark ended the Polish-Swedish
war, for six years. Gustavus of Sweden was now, summer 1627, to start a campaign in northern Germany.
10 August 1628, The Swedish flagship Vasa sank on her maiden voyage at Stockholm.
8 December 1626, Queen Christina of Sweden was born.
8 November 1622, Charles X, King of Sweden,
was born.
1621, Sweden seized Riga.
27 February 1617, The Treaty
of Stolbovo ended the Ingrian War between Sweden and Russia.� Sweden
gained Ingermanland and Karelia.
20 January 1613, The Peace of Knared. Sweden paid a large
ransom for the return of the fortress of Alvsborg, on the frontier with
Denmark.
Charles IX
died (1604-11)
30 October 1611, Charles IX
of Sweden died aged 61, having ruled since 1604. He was succeeded by his
16-year old son, Gustavus II.
4 April 1611, The Kalmar
War began when Denmark declared war on Sweden.Danish troops took the Swedish
port of Kalmar, hoping to conquer the whole country.
12 March 1610, Swedish troops under Jacob de la Gardie took Moscow.
15 March 1607, Duke Charles of Sodermalmland was crowned King
of Sweden, a title he had held since 1604.
27 September 1604, Battle
of Kircholm. Newly-crowned Swedish King Charles IX landed in Estonia with
an army of 14,000 men and marched on Riga. Chodkiewicz, with 8,000 me,
two-thirds cavalry, charged and routed the swedes. Charles was almost captured,
and 9,000 Swedes killed.
20 March 1604, The Lutheran Duke Charles of Sodermalmland assumed the
title of King
Charles IX of Sweden.
Charles IX
acceded
18 February 1602, Per Brahe, Swedish statesman, was born near
Stockholm (died in Visingborg 2 September 1680).
23 June 1596, Johan Baner, Swedish soldier during the Thirty
Years War, was born in Djursholm Castle (died in Halberstadt 10 May 1641).
9 December 1594, Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, was born.
1592, Swedish King John III
died aged 55, having failed to Romanise the country. He was succeeded by his
28-year-old son Sigismund,
who had been King of Poland since 1587. Sigismund married the Austrian Archduchess Anne.
15 January 1582, Ivan IV, The Terrible, of Russia ceded, at the
Peace of Zapoli, Livonia and Polotsk to Stephen Bathory of Poland. He also
ceded this day, by the Truce of Ilyusa, Ingria to Sweden. Muscovy lost the
Baltic seaboard for over a century.
King Eric XIV
24 February 1577, Former Swedish King Eric XIV
died at Orbyhus prison, allegedly poisoned by the prison Governor, Johan
Henriksen.
10 March 1575, The former Swedish King Eric XIV
had become a source of trouble for the State, with three rebellions hoping to
reinstate him having to be suppressed since his deposition for insanity in
1568. This day a formal sentence of death was passed upon him.
13 December 1570, The Peace of Stettin ended the war between Sweden
and Denmark,
recognising Swedish independence.
25 January 1569, The Swedish Riksdag confirmed the choice of new King and
formally deposed Eric XIV.
30 September 1568, King Eric XIV of Sweden was deposed� by the Swedish army and nobility after
several years of worsening insanity. He was succeeded by his 31-year-old
brother who reiged until 1592 as John III.
4 July 1568, King Eric XIV of Sweden, having recovered his
sanity somewhat, married Karin at Stockholm.
16 January 1567, King Eric XIV of Sweden, already showing signs
of incipient insanity, arrived at the Riksdag in Upsala where he delivered a
speech condemning the treachery of the nobility.
15 June 1566, In Sweden, Count Nils was ritually humiliated by King Eric XIV,
who was fearful that the power of the Swedish aristocracy might supersede that
of the monarchy.
30 May 1563, The Nordic Seven Years War began between Denmark and
Sweden.
4 October 1562, Duke John of Sweden married Catherine,
daughter of King
Sigismund I of Poland. He also pledged to help Poland conquer Livonia (approximately,
modern-day Estonia and Latvia). This was a breach of the Arbiga Articles (drawn
up by King Eric XIV on 15 April 1561 at Arboga) which proscribed the royal
dukes from making any political treaties without Royal assent. Eric sent an
army. 10,000 strong, to John�s Duchy of Finland to seize him and bring him back to
Sweden.
6/1561, Eric XIV was crowned King of
Sweden at Upsala.
15 April 1561, King Eric XIV of Sweden summoned a Riksdag at
Arboga which drew up the Arboga Articles this day, proscribing the power of the
royal dukes, John
and Charles.
29 September 1560, Gustavus Vasa, King of Sweden, died. His
son Eric XIV,
who had been about to sail for England to propose marriage to Queen Elizabeth
I, now hastened back to Stockholm.
25 June 1560, Gustavus I of Sweden abdicated, aged 64. King
of Sweden from 1523, he was born in 1496. He was succeeded by his son, Charles IX.
1533, Eric XIV, King of Sweden
1561-68, was born (died 1577).
1527, Evangelical Lutheranism was established as the
State Religion.
24 June 1526, Religious reform began in Sweden, under King Gustavus I
Vasa. The Swedish Diet accepted the King�s demand for Royal control
of the Swedish Church and all its assets.
Union of Kalmar
1397 - 1523
6 June 1523, Gustavus Vasa,
aged 27, was elected King of Sweden, and finally established full independence
from Denmark. End of the Kalmar Union.
This was confirmed by the Treaty of
Malmo, 1524.
24 August 1522, Gustavus Vasa
was appointed administrator of Sweden and promised to free the whole country
from Danish rule. In November 1522 the Danish nobility also rebelled against King Christian
II.
30 January 1522, The
powerful German port of Lubeck allied with Gustavus Vasa of Sweden, against Danish King Christian
II.
2/1521, A popular revolt against Christian II. Gustavus Vasa
captured Uppsala.
8 November 1520, The
Stockholm Bloodbath. King Christian II killed leading Swedish
nobles and churchmen, starting a national revolt under the future leader Gustavus Vasa.
4 November 1520, Christian was crowned King of Sweden.
18 January 1520, Christian II of Denmark defeated the Swedes at
Lake Malar. The Swedish regent, Sten Sture the Younger, died of his wounds on
3 February 1520, and Christian II could now become King of Sweden
also.
1513, King John I of Denmark
(who was also King
John II of Sweden, 1497-1501), died after a 32-year reign. He was
succeeded by his 32-year-old son as King Christian II of Denmark and Norway,
but Sweden refused to accept his rule.
2 January 1512, Swedish Regent Svante Sture died. The Council
of State elected the pro-Danish Bishop Gustave Trolle as his successor.
28 October 1497, John of Denmark
(reigned 1481-1513) defeated the Swedes, entered Stockholm, and revived thye
Kalmar Union.
12 May 1496, Gustavus Vasa,
King of Sweden, was born.
15 May 1470,� Charles VIII,
King of Sweden, died
20 June 1448, The Swedish nobility chose Karl Knuttson as King; however
the Danes chose Count
Christian of Oldenburg.
5 January 1448, In Helsingborg, Sweden, Christopher III of Bavaria, King
of Denmark, Norway and Sweden died. The
Kalmar Union temporarily dissolved.
28 October 1412, Margaret,
Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, died.
20 June 1397. The Union of Kalmar united Denmark, Norway,
and Sweden under one monarch. See 1380.
1380, Hakon, King of Norway, died. His
surviving wife was Queen Margaret (born 1353, married 1363, and
daughter of Waldemar
III, King of Denmark). Her son Olaf died in 1387, which meant she became
ruler of Denmark also. She defeated Albert, King of Sweden, thereby gaining
that country too. Margaret then instituted the Union of Kalmar, 1397, to
permanently unite these three countries. Margaret died in 1412.
23 July 1373, St Bridget, patron saint of Sweden, and
founder of the Briggitine order, died.
30 November 1363, The Swedish nobles forced the abdication of
Magnus II
Eriksson at age 47 after a weak 44-year reign. He was freplaced by
their puppet, Albert
of Mecklenburg, who became Albert II, and ruled until 1387.
8 July 1319, Three-year-old Magnus Eriksson was elected king of Sweden, thus uniting it
with Norway. His mother Ingeborg of Norway was given a place in the
regency in both Sweden and Norway.
18 December 1290, Sweden�s King Magnus Ladulos died aged 50
after an 11-year reign. He was succeeded by his 10-year-old son who was crowned
Birger III
in 1302; he ruled until his exile in 1318.
21 October 1266, Binger Jarl, who founded the city of Stockholm,
died.
1255, The city of Stockholm was founded, on an island in
a fjord, by Binger
Jarl.
15 July 1240. Alexander Nevski defeated the Swedish army,
led by General
Briger Jarl, on the banks of the Neva.
1150, King Sverker of Sweden was
deposed after a 16-year reign that has amalgamated the Swedes and Goths. He was
succeeded by Eric
IX, who ruled until 1160.
1090, King Ingo of Sweden acceded
(died 1112).
1016 � 1035, Under King Canute the
Great, all of Scandinavia and England were united.
993, Sweden�s first Christian
ruler, Olaf
Skutkonung, acceded. Son of Eric the Conqueror, he ruled until his death
in 1024.
517, The first documented
Viking raid on Gaul. The Viking King Hygelac was killed and his
fleet defeated.
600s, The Svear, from which the name �Sweden� derives�, extended their
control across much of central Sweden.
500, Danes from Scania
(southern Sweden) settled in Jutland (Denmark).
8,000 BCE, Start of hunter-gatherer
peoples in Scandinavia, as the climate warmed.