14th century
-
St Bridgid of Sweden
On 7 October 1391, Birgitta Birgersdotter was canonised by Pope Boniface IX in Rome. She had been dead for 13 years at that time. Internationally, she’s mostly known as St Bridgid of Sweden, as in the headline, but will throughout… Continue reading
-
Scandinavian bog bodies
Imagine that, for whatever reason, you are out walking on a bog, and suddenly you see what appears to be human remains. A hand sticks up, or maybe even a face looks back at you from between the tufts. It… Continue reading
-
Magnus Eriksson, the forgotten king
On December 1, 1374, a ship sank in the Bömmelfjord outside Bergen. One of those who died that day was a deposed Swedish king, stripped of his throne and more or less exiled to Norway, where his son ruled. Magnus… Continue reading
-
The massacre at Visby ring wall
”In the year of the Lord 1361, King Valdemar of Denmark captured Gotland and Visby, where he killed about one thousand eight hundred peasants in a battle the day before St. James’ Day.” The words are found in the yearbook… Continue reading
-
Eriksgata, to introduce a King
Now the king will ride his eriksgata, and the men of the country will follow him and give him hostages, such that he is safe and secure, and swear this oath that was said before. And the king must promise… Continue reading
-
Mora stone, where kings were elected
About one-mile southeast of the cathedral in Uppsala is, compared to the cathedral, a significantly less well-known memorial to Swedish history. Like so many other memories from the past in Uppland in particular, it is about stones, but, which otherwise… Continue reading
-
Feuding brothers and death
In February 1306, Torgils Knutsson was executed by beheading on Pelarbacken, better known as Götgatsbacken in today’s Stockholm. Despite opening with his death, he’s not the main character here. Instead, it’s King Birger Magnusson – ward of Torgils Knutsson –… Continue reading
Scandinavian History 