Denmark
-
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
-
Erik the Victorious
The numbers that are found after, or in the middle of, king names can be confusing. For example, Erik XIV was not preceded by thirteen other Eriks. Instead, each of his numbers is a way of trying to show a… Continue reading
-
From English Princess to Nordic Queen
She is probably the most powerful queen in Swedish history, apart from Kristina, who actually ruled in her own name. But Filippa of England is also probably the most forgotten, even though she became queen not only of Sweden, but… 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
-
Queen Christina’s life in exile
April 19* marks the 336th anniversary of Queen Christina’s death, and it might be a good idea to examine her life after she left Sweden. Of course, my text is only skimming the surface, simply to function as a blog… Continue reading
-
Viking Dynasties – The Royal Families of Lejre and Uppsala Between Archaeology and Text
Red. Tom Christensen, John Ljungkvist & Neil PriceAarhus University Press, 2024623 pages Ancient Scandinavia attracts many with its mythical kings and wars, tales of heroic deeds and grand central places with royal hall buildings, not infrequently adorned with details in… Continue reading
-
Lejre, a seat of power
Lejre, located a few miles southwest of Roskilde in Zealand, was known as a village as early as the 6th century. According to mythology, this was the place of Denmark’s first royal dynasty, i.e. the Sköldungarna (Scyldings), and several archaeological… Continue reading
-
Runestones of Scandinavia
Runestones rightfully fascinate many. They are a voice from a bygone era that often tells of a loss in the sense that they have mostly been raised by a parent or other relative of someone who no longer exists. There… 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
-
Queen Elizabeth’s Swedish Lady-in-Waiting
As I previously wrote, Cecilia Vasa had a following of around a hundred people when she arrived in England for her unsuccessful stay at Queen Elizabeth’s court. One of these was Helena Snakenborg, born in 1549, daughter of the castle… Continue reading
Scandinavian History 