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: Media

Videos

Explore Stockholm

Learn about Stockholm's maritime history, as interpreted by the Vasa Museum.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Images

Sweden

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Sweden

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Viking longships

Viking longships.

Birger Jarl

Birger Jarl, statue in Stockholm.

Tage Olsin

Charles VIII

Charles VIII of Sweden, wood sculpture by Bernt Notke, c. 1480.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, Donated 1827 by Baron Carl Bonde (NMGrh 1812), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se/, photograph by Erik Cornelius.

Christian II

Christian II, portrait by Jan Gossart; in Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark.

Courtesy of the Nationalhistoriske Museum paa Frederiksborg, Denmark

Gustav I Vasa

Gustav I Vasa, portrait attributed to David Frumerie, after Jakob Binck, c. 1666.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, (NMGrh 566), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se.

Olaus Petri

Olaus Petri.

Diocesan and County Library, Skara, Sweden

Erik XIV

Erik XIV, portrait by Steven van der Meulen, 1561.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, Ständish Collection, Marwell Hall, Winchester; donated 1932 by wholesaler David Nasiell, Stockholm (NMGrh 2039), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se/, photograph by Cecilia Heisser.

John III

John III, detail from a portrait by an unknown artist, c. 1570; in a private collection.

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Sigismund III Vasa

Sigismund III Vasa, detail of a painting, school of Rubens; in the Bavarian State...

Courtesy of the Bayerische Staatsgemaldesammlungen, Munich

Charles IX

Charles IX of Sweden, portrait by an unknown artist, 1630; in Gripsholm Castle, Sweden.

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Axel Oxenstierna

Axel Oxenstierna, detail of an oil painting by David Beck; in the Nationalmuseum,...

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (NMGrh 977)

Gustav Adolphus

Gustav Adolphus (Gustav II Adolf), portrait by Matthaeus Merian the Elder, 1632;...

Statens Historiska Museer (State Historical Museums), Skoklosters slott (Skokloster Castle), Stockholm, Sweden 614_SHOES), shm.se.

Albrecht von Wallenstein

Albrecht von Wallenstein, portrait by Anthony van Dyck, 1629; in the Bavarian State...

Courtesy of the Bayerische Staatsgemaldesammlungen, Munich

Charles X Gustav

Charles X Gustav, portrait by Sebastian Bourdon; in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, Transferred 1927 from the Gripsholm Collection (NM 2642), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se.

Charles XI

Charles XI of Sweden, portrait by D.K. Ehrenstrahl, 1685; in Gripsholm Castle, Sweden.

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Historical map of northern Europe in 1660 showing the Swedish Empire at its greatest extent. Swedish-controlled territories are shaded in green, covering present-day Sweden, Finland, parts of modern-day Russia, Estonia, Latvia, and northern Germany. Areas shaded in orange indicate land lost by Sweden in 1660, including parts of Norway and Denmark. Major cities and bodies of water are labeled for geographic context.

Swedish empire in 1660

Swedish empire in 1660.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Charles XII

Charles XII, detail of an oil painting by David von Krafft after J.D. Swartz, 1706;...

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Frederick (I)

Frederick (I), detail from an oil painting by Martin von Mijtens the Younger, c....

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Emanuel Swedenborg

Emanuel Swedenborg, oil painting by Per Krafft the Elder.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden (NMGrh 1040), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se.

Gustav III

Gustav III, portrait by Lorens Pasch the Younger.

Statens Historiska Museer (State Historical Museums), Livrustkammaren (Royal Armory), Stockholm, Sweden (2805_LRK), shm.se.

Gustav IV Adolf

Gustav IV Adolf, portrait by Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder; in the Nationalmuseum,...

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (NMGrh 3334), collection.nationalmuseum.se.

Charles XIII

Charles XIII of Sweden and Norway, detail from an oil painting by Per Krafft the...

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Fredric Westin: portrait of Charles XIV John

Charles XIV John, painting by Fredric Westin.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, Donated according to the will of 1872 by Karl XV (NMGrh 1705), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se.

Oscar I

Oscar I, oil painting by Sophie Adlersparre, 1846.

Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, Donated 1951 by Tor Lagerheim (NMGrh 2366), https://collection.nationalmuseum.se/.

Oscar II

Oscar II, detail from an oil painting by Emil Osterman, 1904; in Gripsholm Castle,...

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Stockholm

Charles XV

Charles XV of Sweden and Norway, oil painting by Carl Kiörboe; in the Livrustkammaren,...

Statens Historiska Museer (State Historical Museums), Livrustkammaren (The Armory), Stockholm, Sweden (20176_LRK), shm.se.

Gustav V

Gustav V.

UPI—Bettmann/Corbis

Hjalmar Hammarskjöld

Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, bronze relief portrait by J.E. Lindberg, 1930; in Gripsholm...

Courtesy of the Svenska Portrattarkivet, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

Per Albin Hansson

Per Albin Hansson, c. 1935.

Olof Palme

Olof Palme, 1985.

Peter Jordan/Alamy

Carl XVI Gustaf

Carl XVI Gustaf, 2009.

Bengt Nyman

Göran Persson

Göran Persson, prime minister of Sweden (1996–2006), in 2005.

Stefan Löfven

Stefan Löfven.

Martina Huber/Government Offices of Sweden

Magdalena Andersson

Magdalena Andersson, 2021.

Ninni Andersson—Regeringskansliet/Handout via Xinhua/Alamy

Ulf Kristersson

Ulf Kristersson, 2023.