history of Sweden

Introduction
Earliest settlements
The Viking Age
- Trade
- Christianization
The 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries
- Civil wars
- Code of law
The Kalmar Union
- Political conflict
- End of the Kalmar Union
The early Vasa kings (1523–1611)
The Age of Greatness in Sweden
- The reign of Gustav II Adolf
- Swedish warfare through the mid-17th century
- Impact of continuous warfare on Sweden
- The reign of Charles XII
- Social and economic conditions in Sweden in the 16th and 17th centuries
The 18th century
- The Age of Freedom in Sweden (1718–72)
- The era of Gustav III
The Napoleonic Wars and the 19th century
- Royalist reaction
- Bernadotte
Society and politics in Sweden (1815–1900)
- Population and the economy
- The conservative era in Sweden (1815–40)
- The liberal reform period in Sweden
  - Principal reforms
  - Parliamentary reform
- Swedish political stagnation (1866–1900)
- Foreign policy
  - Change in alliance policy
  - Pan-Scandinavianism
  - Swedish neutrality and friendship with Germany
- The Swedish-Norwegian union
Sweden in the 20th century
- Political reform
- Defense policy
- Swedish policy during World War I
- The Liberal–Social Democratic coalition
- Swedish domestic policy (1918–45)
  - Party politics
  - The economic climate
- Swedish foreign policy (1918–45)
- The Swedish welfare state
  - The period of social reform
  - New constitution
- Swedish foreign policy into the 1990s
- Domestic affairs through the 1990s
Sweden in the 21st century

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Map of Sweden showing its national boundaries, major cities, and political subdivisions, with neighboring countries Norway and Finland also labeled. The map includes a numbered key to Swedish regions and an inset locator map highlighting Sweden's position in northern Europe.

Illustration of Viking ships with striped sails and dragon-headed prows sailing through rough seas, with shields lining the sides and crew on board.

history of Sweden: References & Edit History

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Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

Henrik Enander
Former Lecturer in History, University of Stockholm.
Susan Ruth Larson
Executive Director, Center for Scandinavian Studies, Minneapolis, Minn.
Gudmund Sandvik
Lennart T. Norman
Archivist and historian.
Jörgen Weibull
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Deleted Web site: History World - History of Prussia.	Gloria Lotha	Jan 16, 2025
	New article added.	Jeff Wallenfeldt	Jul 22, 2023