medieval
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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
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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
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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
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Erik the Holy
Sweden has a national saint who is not really a saint. This because the Pope did not want to canonize him. Why is a little unclear, but a letter somewhere in the now thousand-year-old records mentioning a king who fought,… Continue reading
Scandinavian History 