A Flatpack History of Sweden
A Flatpack History of Sweden is an English-language podcast that charts Swedish history chronologically, from the Stone Age through the Viking Age to the modern day. Each episode takes a light-hearted, conversational step forward along that timeline, introducing a new period, person or event. The hosts mix humour with storytelling to make the subject accessible to newcomers and history buffs alike. In their companion series Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, they also judge and rank all of Sweden's monarchs.
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1. Welcome!
Welcome to A Flatpack History of Sweden! In this perhaps too long introductory episode, we say hello to our new podcast, explain the format and give a brief lowdown on what we are going to be talking about on our journey through Swedish history!
Update: We have just re-released the first 8 episodes of the podcast, so people can enjoy the first episodes with an improved sound quality! We give a l
Introducing Kingdom: Swedish Rulers
Hello new listeners to A Flatpack History of Sweden!
We're dropping this brief episode here at the start of the feed to let you know that in 2025 we started our second podcast, discussing and ranking all the kings, queens and regents of Sweden.
It is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers.
Just search for Kingdom Swedish Rulers in your podcast player and you should be able to find it. There you can find
2. Stone Age Swedes - After The Ice
We kick off our podcast with a look at how Sweden physically formed after the last ice age. We meet the first people to move in after this change and see how they lived during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic Ages. Expect Mammoths, hunter-gatherers and a very special lady - Bäckaskogskvinnan!
Please do follow us on Twitter on too! @FlatpackSweden
3. Stones, Farming and Goats
We continue investigating the Stone Age in Sweden, this time focusing on the Neolithic period. We find out how farming was developed, why so much fire was involved and touch on the amazing graves and burial chambers we will focus on more next time around.
Please do follow us on Twitter on @FlatpackSweden and give us a like and a follow on Facebook too!
4. Swedish Neolithic Cultures
In this episode we delve much deeper into the three major cultures of the Swedish Neolithic Period: The Funnel Cups, The Pitted Ware Culture and the Battle Axe Culture. Listen as we learn more about these three different cultures and lifestyles, explore their differing burial methods and learn about what was happening around the world too!
Please do follow us on Facebook and Twitter and give us a
5. Boats, Bronze and Bartering
This time we welcome you to the Swedish Bronze Age, a time of trading and adventure. Packed full of new discoveries, contacts across Europe and even potentially a bit of murder, Sweden begins its journey into the world of metals. See how Sweden developed into a real export powerhouse, funding some of the more impressive developments back home.
6. Graves and Stones May Hide My Bones
It's time for part two of our Bronze Age journey. This time we focus on graves, rock art and a little bit of a phallic obsession. From 1800 BCE to 500 BCE, there's a lot of physical evidence to talk about!
7. The Not So Missing Iron Age
In this episode we introduce the Iron Age to our story of Swedish history. This week we cover the first two major periods of the Iron Age; The Pre-Roman Iron and the Roman Iron Age, as we look at nearly 1,000 years of history. Bonus: There are Romans included...
8. Even More Ironing
Welcome to Part 2 of our investigation of the Iron Age in Sweden and south Scandinavia. This time we take a look at the Germanic Iron Age, with its Migration Period and Vendel Period. See how society gradually shifts as we head towards the Viking Age. We also visit one of our favourite Swedish historical sites, Ales Stenar!
9. Mind the Gap!
In this episode we're taking a break from the chronological narrative, as we stop to reflect on the crossover between fact and fiction, and the problems this may cause going forward. We discuss the Nordic Sagas, crazy kings and the many peoples who may or may not have existed in Sweden in the gap between the Iron Age and the Viking Age. We will meet colourful characters like King Weatherhat and a
S1. Swedish Civilian Dog Tags
Surprise! This is our first special episode, breaking the chronological order to talk about an interesting historical object we found in our flat recently. Sweden issued civilian dog tags to all new born citizens for 50 years between 1960 and 2010. But why? We look into it and also have a brief chat about the history of dog tags in general.
10. The Vikings Are Here
They have arrived! The Vikings are finally here. In the first of many episodes on this famous period of Swedish history, we give a rough introduction to the Viking period as we look at origins of the name Viking, where they lived, what they got up to and what kind of people they were. Were they even all Vikings?
We also hear from Jerry of the Presidencies Podcast as he reads out a quote from us, s
11. The Vikings Attack
In this episode we start the real chronological journey through the Viking period. We begin with a look at the first large Viking raids on western Europe, in the rough period of 790-850. The Vikings started their now famous raids in this period, with the pivotal moment being the attack on the Christian monastery of Lindisfarne in 793. We look at the reaction to this attack and the following raids
12. The Amazing Adventures of Ansgar!
In this episode, the Vikings get a visit from our most interesting character so far. Ansgar is the fascinating first Christian missionary to Sweden, who tirelessly tries to spread his religion throughout Sweden, in the town of Birka. We meet many other interesting characters, including the Viking "Kings" Björn and Anund, Father Witmar, Gautbert, King Louis the Pious and a host of supporting charac
13. Swedish Vikings in the East
We begin this episode by getting to know the Rus in more detail, a name for the Swedish Vikings as they headed east towards modern day Russia, Ukraine, Greece and Turkey. We see how the Byzantine and Arabic sources describe these new arrivals and determine exactly how "Swedish" they remained after their many trips to the region. We also talk about how some of these Rus ended up back in western Eur
14. From Vikings To Rus
In this episode we continue the story of our Swedish Vikings as they venture both east and south, heading towards Kiev, the Black Sea and Constantinople. The Rurik dynasty of rulers take hold of a few major towns in the region, such as Kiev and Novgorod and begin to set up a bit of a power base. We look at about 50 years of relations between these Rus and the Byzantine Empire, covering attacks, tr
15. Igor, a Viking Ruler in Kiev
Still with the Viking Rus in the east, this time we quickly finish off leader Oleg with a dramatic, prophecy heavy death. We then examine his successor Igor and look at what we know about the events from his time ruling the Rus from Kiev. Spoilers: Heavy use of Greek Fire as the Byzantine Navy appears, more trade treaties with help from the Primary Chronicle and another ugly death to finish with.
News Update
News Update: We are moving to live in Sweden and the podcast is coming with us! Listen to this brief announcement as we talk more about it and explain how the move might have an impact on the next few episodes, but also the exciting opportunities to come. Tack så mycket!
16. Viking Women Part One
We are back in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia after our trip eastwards to look at the Rus. We are now starting a short series of episodes on the lives of women in the Viking age. We will look at everything they had to face in society in the next few episodes. This time we give an overview of all the things that these women would have got up to, including childbirth, running the farm, owning bu
17. Viking Women Part Two
This is Part Two of our mini series on the lives of women during the Viking Age in Sweden and across the Viking world. We examine which sources can help us find out about these amazing people, then look at the role women played in marriage, politics, battle and what they might have worn. We also look at the darker side of Viking life as we see how women slaves would have been treated.
18. Stories of Viking Women
A slight change of format whilst Åsa is in Sweden, so this time we'll see Chris describe the lives of four Viking women to a special guest host. We look at the stories of a Swedish Princess, two residents of Birka and finally get to see how Olga led the Rus from Kiev after Igor's brutal death!
19. Viking Religion and Beliefs
In our final thematic episode about the Viking Age in Sweden and Scandinavia, we explore what some Vikings would have believed and which Gods existed in their world. Prepare for a few strange stories and a godlike cow with a crazy name!
(1: Unfortunately our resident artist (Chris) no longer has access to a fancy stylus to create the image art for our episodes, but hopefully they will return so
20. Viking Sites in Stockholm
In a first for the podcast, we head outside to explore our new home city of Stockholm. We explore the island of Lidingö and find three Viking sites; two runestones and one grave site burial mound. Check out our social media pages for photos of all three places!
21. Wrapping Up the Viking Age
As we approach the end of the Viking Age in Scandinavia, we summarise everything we've learned so far and touch on some other topics we didn't cover in detail in the last few episodes. We set the scene for the arrival of the first "proper" Swedish Kings as we prepare to soon say goodbye to the Vikings. But first, let's talk more about runes, laws and thralls, plus other subjects.
Bonus jokes inclu
22. Erik Segersäll - The First Swedish King?
We have finally reached the real beginning of the Swedish monarchy! Or have we? Erik Segersäll sometimes gets the credit for being Sweden's first King, after establishing a new town and even taking over most of Denmark. We'll see how much his royal claim stacks up as we reach the final century of the Viking Age. Listen for a story full of blood, battles and bovine secret weapons!
23. Olof Skötkonung - The First Swedish King!
This time we examine the first real King of Sweden, Olof Skötkonung (The Coin King!) His Viking dad set the stage, but now the son truly takes on the mantle of ruling Sweden. Olof makes coins in Sigtuna (with the help of some English immigrants), becomes Christian and his main enemy might have swum all the way to Rome!
24. Sigtuna - Sweden's Oldest Town
We're out and about again! This time we visit Sweden's oldest town, Sigtuna. Founded by Viking leader Erik Segersäll and improved on by his son and King, Olof Skötkonung, the town still has lots of remains from that time visible today. Listen to us explore the runestones, church ruins and Sweden's oldest main street, in our second on-location recording. Unfortunately, it also has some not very po
S2. Swedish Urban Bomb Shelters
We're taking a break from our usual chronological journey and instead visit a historical site in our own home. In what could be seen as part two of our special episode about dog tags, we continue to look at Sweden's preparations for war in the 20th century. Just like with the dog tags, we found that we're living with a reminder of history, namely a bomb shelter in our own basement! We go to have a
25. One Year Anniversary!!
This time we celebrate one whole year of us talking about Swedish history! We look back at our favourite moments, and reflect on all the things we have talked about so far. We both go through our top 5 favourite things from the first year, thank all you lovely listeners and give a few shout outs to some fellow podcasts we have met along the way.
Thank you as ever for all the lovely messages, revi
26. Enter the High Middle Ages
After two special episodes, we return to the chronological narrative. We enter the High Middle Ages and prepare to finally say goodbye to the Vikings. We find out about the lovely herring people would have eaten, see slavery begin to disappear and generally see how life was changing for people in this period.
27. The Sons of Olof Skötkonung
We start this episode in 1022 as Anund Jakob ascends the throne of Sweden, becoming King after his father, Olof Skötkonung. We look at his reign and how he was followed by his half-brother Emund. There is as always more war among the Scandinavian nations, religious turmoil and an intriguing historical dilemma surrounding some coins minted in Sigtuna!
(Had to briefly take down the episode as we no
28. 50 Years and 10 Reigns
The relative stability of the Olof Skötkonung dynasty is thrown into chaos. Strap yourselves in for power struggles, pagan revolts, more Scandinavian wars and the construction of Sweden's first Abbey. We rattle through half a century of political and royal drama as the crown changes hands back and forth throughout the period.
If you want to skip ahead in the narrative, on 24th April we will be
29. Christianity Spreads Its Wings
As Sweden progresses through the High Middle Ages, Christianity is becoming an increasingly important part of everyone's lives, from the kings down to the peasants. The church is taking control over some parts of local administration, education, taxation and large public building works such as Sweden's first abbeys. We can't understand life in Sweden at this point, and going forward, if we don't u
30. Queens, Rebels and Crusades
In another episode full of regal drama, sometimes playing out more like a South American telenovela than Swedish history, we finish the story of the Stenkil dynasty, beginning with the brothers Filip and Inge the Younger. We also meet Ingegerd, in whom so many great historical narratives converge. Religious matters continue to keep the Swedes on their toes, as the Crusades turn local! We end up wi
31. Sverker
Today we are dedicating an entire episode to the tumultuous times of King Sverker! No shortage of drama here, as we see another extended Danish civil war, introduce the Novgorod Republic (who are worthy of their own podcast series!) and discuss an evil crime committed by Sverker's horrendous son...
We also meet the only English Pope, continue the story of Queen Rikissa, and try to figure out more
32. Four Murders and a Funeral
King Sverker is dead. He will be followed by decades of fighting over the throne between his own Sverker dynasty and the rival Erik dynasty. In this episode, we cover the first four decades of this drama, which includes a King being proclaimed a Saint, more royal intermingling and the rise of a powerful, non-royal family of Jarls.
Seeing as the crazy marriages and family relations from last time
33. Welcome to Stockholm!
Finally, after 32 episodes and thousands of years of Swedish history, we can welcome you to the nation's capital Stockholm! It hasn't been around until now, but from the late 1100s onwards, it will explode onto the scene, with German merchants, forts and a royal presence. And, as a bonus, the Swedish phrase of the week also has a Stockholm theme!
P.S. Have a closer look at this week's episode pi
34. Kings and Jarls Play Jenga
We kick off this episode with Sverker II, who returns from exile and becomes King of Sweden as the Jarl, Birger Brosa of the Bjälbo family, is busy pulling the strings behind the scenes. However, a few years later, after Birger Brosa finally leaves the scene, Sverker II quickly moves against the established system and the jenga tower of Swedish political power promptly comes toppling down. Who wil
35. Law and Order Part One
Welcome to the office of Law and Order: Medieval Sweden Unit! In the first of this two-part mini series on crime, laws and justice in Sweden during the 12th and 13th centuries, we're looking into some overarching changes to legal practices. In Part One, we examine what and who influenced these changes, such as the church and more contact with northern Europe. There will be blood feuds and the chur
36. Law and Order Part Two
After a brief discussion of windmills in England, we pick up where we left off last time and continue our discussion of the legal system in the High Middle Ages in Sweden. Today we take a closer look at the practical aspects of legal practice, such as how courts worked and what punishments there were as society gradually moves away from Viking justice. We'll also meet Sweden's very first written d
S3. Intelligent Speech - Sweden during WWII
Surprise! It's not time for a regular episode this week, but instead we're bringing you an extra special episode. Back in April we had the pleasure of giving a talk at the Intelligent Speech Conference 2021. This is the recording of said talk, plus a brand new intro and outro that we've recorded specially.
In our talk we look at how and why Sweden, unlike all of its neighbours, escaped invasion d
37. From Erik to Erik
We pick up where we left off in Episode 34, with the death of King Johan. Previously exiled Erik returns to Sweden from his mother's family in Denmark to take the throne as a young man. A regency council is appointed, before drama ensues amongst its members. Later in the episode, we witness the emergence of one of Sweden's most famous and important figures, as Sweden's first great statesman enters
38. Birger Begins
If Hollywood were to make a film on Sweden in the 1200s, the main character would be Birger Jarl. We saw him introduced to the story last time, but now we look at his life in detail, in the first of three episodes looking at his achievements and the impact he had on his country. In this first episode we cover his early life, entrance into politics and everything he does up until he declares his so
39. The Mighty Jarl Rises
It is time to continue our discussion about the life and deeds of Birger Jarl. This time we look specifically at what happens in the 1250s, a busy decade for our rising leader. He is occupied by marrying off his kids to form political alliances, quashing domestic rebellions, and buttering up visiting German traders. We also see what happened in a war that never was!
Finally we skip forward to the
40. Birger Jarl or Birger King?
In our third and final episode about Birger Jarl, the mighty Jarl continues to rule as the puppet master of his son, King Valdemar. He appoints his other sons dukes and even uses the title himself occasionally. He has a second marriage and with that creates an unholy alliance that annoys the Danes. Plus, Sweden fights some more in the east, along with other developments. But even a mighty man like
S4. Sweden and the Chernobyl Disaster
April 2021 saw the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Whilst widely known around the world as a disastrous industrial accident, Sweden's involvement in the aftermath is usually overlooked. In this new special episode, we will explore how the world outside the USSR found out about the disaster, with help from a Swedish power plant worker's shoes!
As it is a special episode, we h
41. An Island of its Own; The History of Gotland So Far
This time we introduce a new landmass to our chronological story: The island of Gotland! We cover thousands of years of Gotland's history, with a focus on trade and how it fits into the story of the Baltic Sea and the surrounding regions. We'll see why as time goes on, the island becomes more and more integrated with the Swedish Kingdom, but it definitely is a gradual process. We then look at the
42. No Finish to Swedish Expansion
Moi and welcome to Finland! From now, Finland will play an integral role in the history of Sweden. In this episode we go back in time, to cover hundreds of years of Finnish history until the Swedes come into the story. We cover how Finland developed, what the different societies living there looked like and what they go up to around the Baltic Sea. We then look at how the first interactions with S
43. Valdemar: The Shackles Are Finally Off
King Valdemar is finally free of the shackles that his father, Birger Jarl, placed on his rule and he is ready to do some actual kinging! He will reign, he will rule, he will change things, and he will build things. Or no, he actually will not do much at all. Because Valdemar has brothers, and one brother in particular, Magnus, will cause endless trouble for him and hamper his reign.
Still, he do
44: In Charge and In Debt
After nearly 10 years feuding with his brother King Valdemar over who should rule Sweden, Magnus Birgersson finally gets his way and takes the throne after the Battle of Hova in 1275. The next five years are action-packed for Magnus and the Kingdom, as ex-King Valdemar sticks around stirring up trouble for his brother. Magnus quickly realises that Danish mercenaries are expensive as he starts his
45. State-building and Cathedral Construction
King Magnus gets a chance to spend at least some of his time formalising royal control in Sweden during the 1280s. His brother gets a Dukedom, influential figures get the titles of Drots, Marsk and Kansler, and the important building project of Uppsala Cathedral comes under new management. The King mediates in two high profile conflicts and we also explain his unusual Swedish name, Ladulås. Oh, an
46. Gone With the Wind
King Magnus III is dead and his young son Birger is too young to steer the Kingdom through choppy waters. Instead it is up to Marsk Torgil Knutsson to lead Sweden for the time being as head of the Regency Council. The 1200s end with Swedish attention turning to the east and a series of campaigns against old enemy Novgorod are launched. Back home, King Birger gets married to a Danish princess, sett
47. A Story Straight From The Bard
Our history of Sweden podcast has reached a point often compared to a level of drama usually seen in a Shakespeare play! King Birger is finally old enough to take the reigns from the regency council but it doesn't take long for his two brothers Erik and Valdemar to try and grab that power for themselves. Thanks to their web of marriage alliances, the brothers' feud lights the touch paper and all o
48. Brothers In Arms
This episode will start and end with two of Sweden's most famous historical events from the Medieval period. That means that the 11 years between the two dramatic incidents are sometimes skimmed over in histories of the era. However, so much happens and the royal family drama somehow manages to go up a level!
Bonus mini story at the end as we recount the tale of Botulf, the only Swede to ever be c
49. It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over
Welcome to the third and final instalment of the Shakespearean tale of an epic Swedish royal brotherly feud! Last time we saw Sweden being split in three with Birger, Erik and Valdemar getting one part each to rule over. At first it looks like this might work out, but it's not long before the three brothers are at each other's throats again. And this time, it's a fight to the death!
The final show
50. Sweet Company of Mine
Our milestone 50th episode is a case study on the Great Copper Mountain Mine (GCMM)! Since the Viking Age, we have seen great examples of entrepreneurship and business in Sweden, but nothing as long lasting as the Great Copper Mountain Mine, or Stora Kopparbergs Gruva. First mentioned in text way back in 1288 when the bishop of Västerås bought a share in the mine, but in reality a lot older, the G
51. Medieval Trivia
Just like at the end of the Viking Age and at the start of the High Middle Ages, we've now covered enough of the Medieval period to warrant an "everything else we haven't mentioned yet" style episode! Lots of things come up in the research that don't fit neatly into the chronological narrative, but they are still worth knowing, so we decided to talk about them in a dedicated episode.
Listen and en
S5. Swedes in the Early Olympics
It is time for another special episode! This time, as we see Swedes win medals in Beijing in 2022, we thought we would look at some of their predecessors and the Swedish athletes who competed in the first modern Olympic Games. Meet Sweden's first Olympians, first medallists and a great old man who would become an Olympic legend!
Listen to find out about all this and more, including the mystery of
52. A Royal Stock Check
We're back in the 1300s and just like young King Magnus, it is time for a crash course on the status of his realm. For the first time, a King is monarch of both Sweden and Norway and there is a lot for him to take in and figure out. Towns are growing and different types of farms are spreading throughout the country. At the same time, Denmark is falling apart and his mother starts meddling in inte
53. War and Peace
Our favourite enemy Novgorod is back in the picture, this time with siege engines and a really impressive new castle! This episode will see plenty of war between Sweden and Novgorod, but also a landmark peace treaty. Back home, King Mother Ingeborg causes so much commotion that she's removed from all positions of influence in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, down south, Denmark has time to completely fall
54. A King Comes of Age
King Magnus is now finally old enough to take the reigns of Sweden and after a bit of argument, Norway too. One of the very first things he does is treat himself to some new land by buying Skåne. Åsa's home county is now finally under the rule of a Swedish King for the first! The rest of the episode revolves around money, or lack of it, as Magnus tries to fund his coronation, Eriksgata and wedding
55. Revenge of the Danes
After having purchased Skåne, King Magnus is keen to continue expanding the Swedish territories, but so is King Valdemar in Denmark. The two lock horns over control of land around the Baltic Sea. There is trouble brewing on the island of Gotland, and over in Danish-controlled Estonia, the local population is rising up. Back home King Magnus wants to ensure the line of succession is secured and mak
56. The Black Death
The Black Death has arrived in Norway and Sweden. Magnus "hade häcken full" trying to deal with its consequences, as the plague spread throughout the countries. The Black Death affected everything; bringing major building projects to a halt, devastating entire parishes and towns, and putting a stop to potential war plans. Unfortunately, Magnus' best advice doesn't stop the spread of the disease an
57. Here We War Again
Novgorod and Sweden have been involved in on and off conflict for a couple of centuries as we reach the end of the 1340s. Things go into overdrive at the end of the decade, as King Magnus of Sweden heads east, determined to convert the Novgorodians to his version of Christianity and take control over vital trade routes. Battles centre around the Orekhov/Nöteborg castle and things get so bad for No
58. The Road to Visby
This week it is all change in the Bjälbo dynasty in another action packed episode! We start off with King Magnus' son Håkon finally taking the throne of Norway as planned, in a relatively rare peaceful transition of power. This annoys elder brother Erik who attempts to grab more power for himself... We also see the Hanseatic League actually become the Hanseatic League and King Valdemar in Denmark
59. 1361 and the Battle of Visby
This is an extra special episode for two reasons! For the first time we have enough information to spend a whole episode focusing on just one battle, the Battle of Visby in 1361, and it is also our first ever interview episode.
We speak to Thomas Neijman, PhD candidate in History at Stockholm University, an expert on the Battle of Visby and its modern day perceptions. In addition to his studies,
60. Saint Birgitta, Religious Superstar
We've talked about her on and off for a while now, so we thought it was time for a biographical special! Known as Birgitta up until now in the timeline, minor spoilers as we examine the life of the lady known in Swedish history as Saint Birgitta. It will be a journey, both literal and metaphorical, filled with visions, politics and death. She also writes a lot of letters...
S6. Tour of Skåne
It is time for another special episode! We recently spent a whole week in the county of Skåne and got to see a load of historical gems. In the chronological timeline, King Magnus has just possession of Skåne, so let's take a look at what he has had taken away from him.
Listen as we talk about the tower watchman of Ystad, the stone ship Ale Stenar, the fish of Simrishamn and much more!
(Please note
61. The Aftermath of Visby
We're back on track with our chronological narrative. We pick up where we left off after the battle of Visby in the summer of 1361. Gotland continues to suffer under its new Danish masters, but before long King Magnus decides to strike back. What follows is a Danish-Swedish-Norwegian-German-Hanseatic conflict in which alliances change quicker than in a Latin American soap opera.
Make sure you lis
62. Don’t Kiss Albert, Kiss Bo Jonsson Grip
We continue with the whirlpool that is late 14th century Swedish politics. Rebelling Swedish noblemen, with Bo Jonsson Grip at the helm, are ready to take the fight to King Magnus, with the help of their new allies Mecklenburg. Young Albert of Mecklenburg will eventually be placed on the Swedish throne, but he's really just a figurehead, as behind the scenes it is his dad and the council that wiel
63. The One Where Everyone Dies
In the spirit of a title from Åsa's favourite TV show, this is the one where everyone dies. Sorry about the spoilers...
In this episode, everything we have come to know and love/hate about Scandinavian politics for the last 30-40 years or so and that we have covered over the last 10 episodes comes crashing down. Who will be left standing at the end of the episode and who will fall victim to the G
64. From the Stone Ages to Runestones
After two and a half years, and after a request by a listener, we thought it was a good time to start recapping everything we have covered in the podcast so far. We open the Flatpack Archives and discuss a few highlights from each episode in the first half of our back catalogue. We'll finish this recap next time!
Remember you can find all our episode pictures, maps, family trees, Swedish phrases a
65. Olof to Albert
We continue with part two of our double episode recap. We start with the first Swedish King and end up with King Albert in the late 1300s, where we left off in the last chronological episode. We see royal drama, powerful jarls, dukes, Queens, Kings and much more. There's so much to cover, so let's get going!
Remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more Swedish history content and check o
66. Margareta and the Pirates
We're back in the late 1380s after our two recap episodes. We pick up the story of Scandinavia after the death of the last of the Bjälbo dynasty, King Olof of Norway and Denmark. But fear not, his mother Margarete is ready to step up and take the reins. We'll see how she enforces her will on both Denmark and Norway, with the help of her allies in the Danish court. We then rewind and focus on her t
67. Worst First Day Ever
The 1380s is drawing to a close and the decade ahead has been described by historians as "one of the most troublesome, bloody and unstable times in the history of the nations around the Baltic sea.” Queen Margareta has lost her son King Olof and now her enemies in Mecklenburg won't give in. It is time for the two sides to meet in battle, namely at Åsle in February 1389. In this episode we'll cover
68. The Mecklenburg Menace
The situation on the Baltic Sea is about to go from bad to worse as piracy takes hold. The Dukes of Mecklenburg assemble a giant fleet to try and keep Stockholm resupplied and terrorise all merchants foolish enough to risk a voyage on the water. It gets so bad that even the Dutch and the English are annoyed! Just like 100 years previously, icy water plays its part in naval combat, and two sides fi
69. The Road To Kalmar
Margareta is now truly in charge after capturing King Albert in battle last time around. In Sweden, her heir Erik is elected king at Mora Stenar, despite Margareta really being in charge. A sign of this power is how she curtails noble power and continues to make laws strengthening royal control over her three countries. Meanwhile, the Baltic Sea is still a bit of a haven for pirates though, and th
70. And So It Was Spoken In Kalmar
We have building up to this big meeting for quite a while now and trust us, it is worth it! A formal union between old enemies Denmark, Sweden and Norway is agreed in a major historical milestone. Erik will be crowned King of this new entity and it is a certainly a win for Margareta. But what was actually agreed on and was the meeting even that important at the time? Sources are confused and there
71. Not the Only Union in Town
A surprise arrival on the island of Gotland leads to our biggest digression yet! There's drama all over the north of Europe as we cover the backstory of these new players in the Swedish story - although some of them aren't that new. The Teutonic Knights are here and they're ready to take some new land!
Note: The joke section at the end is not the announcement of a new project...! :)
S7. Swedish Symbols
A special episode for a special time of year! We celebrate the festive season with a visit to one of Sweden's most famous Christmas symbols and a discussion about symbols of the country in general. From the flag to the Three Crowns, we discuss the most common things people think of when they think of Sweden - we even include the Dala Horse by special request!
Read more about the Christmas goat he
