Editing History of Sweden (section)

== Viking Period and Middle Ages: 800–1500 ==
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{{main|History of Sweden (800–1521)}}
[[Image:Vikings-Voyages.png|thumb|left|300px|Viking expeditions (blue): depicting the immense breadth of their voyages throughout most of Europe, the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean]]
[[File:Northern Europe in 814.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Swedish tribes in Northern Europe in 814]]

For centuries, the Swedes were merchant seamen well known for their far-reaching trade. During the 11th and 12th centuries, Sweden gradually became a unified Christian kingdom that later included Finland. Until 1060, the kings of [[Uppsala]] ruled most of modern Sweden except for the southern and western coastal regions, which remained under Danish rule until the 17th century. After a century of civil wars, a new royal family emerged, which strengthened the power of the crown at the expense of the nobility, while giving the nobles privileges such as exemption from taxation in exchange for military service. Sweden never had a fully developed [[feudal system]], and its peasants were never reduced to [[serfdom]]. The Vikings from Sweden partly took part in the raids of the Western and Southern regions of Europe, but mainly traveled east to Russia, Constantinople and the Muslim world ([[Serkland]]).<ref>[[Carl L. Thunberg|Thunberg, Carl L.]] (2011). ''Särkland och dess källmaterial''. Göteborgs universitet. CLTS. {{ISBN|978-91-981859-3-5}}.</ref> The large Russian mainland and its many navigable rivers offered good prospects for merchandise and plundering. During the 9th century, extensive Scandinavian settlements began on the east side of the [[Baltic Sea]].

The conversion from [[Norse paganism]] to Christianity was a complex, gradual, and at times violent (see [[Temple at Uppsala#Destruction|Temple at Uppsala]]) process. The main early source of religious influence was [[England]], due to interactions between [[Norsemen|Scandinavians]] and [[Saxons]] in the [[Danelaw]], and with [[Hiberno-Scottish mission|Irish missionary monks]]. [[Germany|German]] influence was less obvious in the beginning, despite an early missionary attempt by [[Ansgar]], but gradually emerged as the dominant religious force in the area, especially after the [[Norman conquest of England]]. Despite the close relations between Swedish and [[Russian aristocracy]] (see also [[Rus' (people)|Rus']]), there is no direct evidence of [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] influence.

Around the year 1000, [[Olof Skötkonung]] became the first known king to rule both [[Svealand]] and [[Götaland]]. Historical details about some of the early medieval kings are obscure, and even the dates of their reigning periods remain unclear. In the 12th century, Sweden was undergoing dynastic struggles between the [[House of Eric|Erik]] and [[House of Sverker|Sverker]] clans. Svealand and the Swedes were usually more supportive of the Erik dynasty and Götaland and Geats more supportive of the Sverker dynasty, which wanted friendlier relations with Denmark. This further divided the country between parties because the ruler was not clear. The country elected their king from each district by selecting 12 people<ref>
Ulwencreutz, Lars, Från Oden till Vasa: Svea rikes regentlängder 110 regenter på 1500 år, [Lulu], [Förenta staterna], 2015
APA Page 30-33</ref> from the local nobles, who then elected the king at the [[Stones of Mora]]. The divide ended when a third clan married into the Erik clan and founded the [[House of Bjälbo|Bjälbo]] dynasty. This dynasty gradually consolidated Sweden to a strong state.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bagge|first=Sverre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NFJNAgAAQBAJ|title=Cross and Scepter: The Rise of the Scandinavian Kingdoms from the Vikings to the Reformation|date=2014|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-5010-5|pages=33|language=en|access-date=15 December 2021|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423120140/https://books.google.com/books?id=NFJNAgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the early Middle Ages, the Swedish kingdom also expanded to control [[Norrland]] and [[Finland]]. This expansion sparked tension with the Russian states, a tension that was to continue throughout Swedish history.

In 1319, Sweden and Norway were united under King [[Magnus Eriksson]], who was the paternal grandson of King [[Magnus Ladulås]] of Sweden and the maternal grandson of King [[Haakon V of Norway]]. On 21 July 1336, Magnus was crowned king of Sweden and Norway in Stockholm. In 1332 the lands of the eastern Danish provinces, which included [[Scania]], [[Blekinge]] and [[Ven, Sweden|Ven]] were sold to King Magnus from Duke Johan of Holstein (who had received the provinces from the Danish king), after the local population expressed dissatisfaction with Duke Johan and stated they would rather be ruled by the Swedes. The Duke started negotiations with the Swedes and it was agreed that the Swedish king would redeem the pledge for 34,000 marks of silver (6 432 kilo).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scott |first=Franklin Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qv8zxie3A18C&dq=magnus+eriksson&pg=PA72 |title=Sweden, the Nation's History |date=1988 |publisher=SIU Press |isbn=978-0-8093-1489-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-05-19 |title=Skåneaffären 1332 |url=http://www.smb.nu/svenskakrig/1332.asp |access-date=2024-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519010715/http://www.smb.nu/svenskakrig/1332.asp |archive-date=2007-05-19 }}</ref>

After the [[Black Death in Sweden|Black Death]] and internal power struggles in Sweden, Queen [[Margaret I of Denmark]] (the former daughter-in-law of King Magnus Eriksson) united the Nordic countries in the [[Kalmar Union|Union of Kalmar]] in 1397, with the approval of the [[Swedish nobility]].