Editing List of Swedish monarchs (section)

== History ==
{{See also|Monarchy of Sweden|Vendel Period|Viking Age}}<!--Don't link to the legendary kings here; they are linked in the prose-->
[[File:August Malmström-Bråvallaslaget.JPG|left|thumb|Painting representing the [[Battle of Bråvalla]], a legendary battle which supposedly took place in the 8th century, fought partly between the ''[[Svear]]'' and ''[[Götar]]'']]
There were organized political structures in Sweden before the kingdom was unified; based on archaeological evidence, early tribal societies are believed to have transitioned into organized chiefdoms in the first few centuries AD, perhaps spurred by contacts with the [[Roman Empire]] and the rest of Europe.{{Sfn|Myhre|2003|pp=69, 72}} In the period AD 500–800, Scandinavian societies began adopting cultural elements from the newly established [[Germanic kingdoms]] in Europe, transitioning further into [[petty kingdoms]].{{Sfn|Myhre|2003|pp=81–82}}

Archaeological evidence suggests that were numerous petty kingdoms throughout modern-day Sweden. Foreign sources and later native sources describe the later medieval kingdom as being composed of two main regions: [[Svealand]] (particularly around Lake [[Mälaren]]) and [[Götaland]]. Sources from as early as the Roman author [[Tacitus]] ({{Circa}} 56–126) mention two main peoples or tribes in modern Sweden: the ''Svear'' ([[Swedes (Germanic tribe)|Swedes]]) and ''Götar'' ([[Geats]]); the ''Svear'' are mentioned in more foreign sources than the ''Götar'', credited with military activities at sea.{{Sfn|Lindkvist|2003|p=|pp=221–222}} The securely attested Swedish rulers in the Viking Age, predecessors of the later line of Swedish kings, ruled from the religious and political center of [[Old Uppsala]]; though its history before the Viking Age is poorly attested, it is probable that Old Uppsala had been a political and religious center since the [[Migration Period]].{{Sfn|Myhre|2003|p=88}} 
[[File:Gamla Upplsa museum.jpg|thumb|Reconstruction of [[Old Uppsala]], the center of the [[proto-historic]] Swedish [[petty kingdom]] which gave rise to the medieval Swedish kingdom]]
The earliest historically attested Swedish rulers are 9th-century petty kings from the ''[[Vita Ansgarii]]'', an account written {{Circa}} 870 by [[Rimbert]] partly concerning Saint [[Ansgar]]'s visit to Svealand.{{Sfn|Line|2007|p=46}}{{Sfn|Harrison|2011}} Some kings of Old Uppsala are also mentioned in later Icelandic texts and sagas.{{Sfn|Lindkvist|2003|p=222}} The line of [[legendary Swedish kings]] from Icelandic tradition, called ''sagokungar'' in Swedish, are not generally treated as historical figures, though some may be based on actual chieftains or petty kings.{{Sfn|Harrison|2011}} Some later king-lists deliberately extended the sequence of kings for nationalistic purposes, such as [[Johannes Magnus]]'s ''[[Historia de omnibus Gothorum Sueonumque regibus]]'' (1554); supposed ancient kings mentioned in such sources are clearly fictional.{{Sfn|Harrison|2011}}

The petty kingdoms eventually gave rise to more complex political structures and what is today considered the beginning of the Swedish kingdom developed over the course of the [[Viking Age]] and the subsequent [[Middle Ages]]. For a consecutive list from then, the first Swedish king of whom anything definite is known is the 10th-century [[Eric the Victorious]], though the information reported about him in different sources is scarce. Eric's son [[Olof Skötkonung]] was the first king to be baptized in Sweden and is credited with founding a Christian kingdom. The early and then medieval Swedish kingdom was an [[elective monarchy]], with kings being elected from particularly prominent families;{{Sfn|Lindkvist|2003|p=224}} this practice did however often result in ''de facto'' dynastic succession{{Sfn|Lindkvist|2003|p=225}} and the formation of royal dynasties, such as those of [[House of Eric|Eric]] (intermittently {{Circa}} 1157–1250) and [[House of Bjelbo|Bjelbo]] (1250–1364) as well as infighting between rival families.

From 1389 to 1523, Sweden was often united with [[Denmark]] and [[Norway]] under the kings of the [[Kalmar Union]]. Sweden's full independence was restored under [[Gustav I]] in 1523. He is often credited as the founder of modern Sweden,{{Sfn|Hogan|Hogan|2006|p=38}} and in 1544 he formally abandoned the previous elective monarchy in favor of [[hereditary succession]].{{Sfn|Lockhart|2004|p=8}} Initially adopting the medieval "King of Swedes and Geats", Gustav I later adopted the lengthier title ''rex Svecorum Gothorum Vandalorumque'' ("king of the Swedes, Geats and [[Wends]]").{{sfn|Hildebrand|1884–1885|p=59}} The last monarch to be titled as king of the Swedes, Geats and Wends was [[Gustaf VI Adolf]] ({{Reign|1950|1973}}) since his successor, the present king [[Carl XVI Gustaf]], upon his accession adopted the shortened title "King of Sweden".{{Sfn|Lindqvist|2021|p=17}}

In 1980, the rule of succession was changed from agnatic to absolute primogeniture, to the benefit of [[Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden|Princess Victoria]] (born 1977), the current [[heir apparent]].