The Chronicles of Sweden: A Swedish MEIOU and Taxes AAR

Oohforf

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• Sep 9, 2020

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• #1

The Chronicles of Sweden: A Swedish MEIOU and Taxes AAR

​

Hey all, welcome to "The Chronicles of Sweden"! I've always loved the MEIOU and Taxes mod since Eu3 and its potential for roleplay (opposed to min/maxing), and its only recently that I've actually been able get somewhat of a significant grasp on things. Sweden has always been one of my favorite nations during Eu4's time period and is always fun to try to "punch up" against hungry neighbours as them.

This will be more of a historic/history book/roleplaying AAR and not an "interactive" one. Any suggestions are welcome however!

 

Threadmarks Introduction

Index

Oohforf

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• Sep 9, 2020

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Introduction

Eric the Victorious, published by Gustaf Henrik Mellin. ​

The exact origin of the Swedish kingdom remains largely unknown. However, Eric the Victorious of the Munsö dynasty, who established his realm around the Mälaren, is placed as the first king in Sweden’s regnal order. The Swedes of old participated in numerous raids upon the British Isles, but also served as successful traders (and eventual settlers) in the lands of Russia and beyond, which was facilitated by their expertise in river navigation. Despite their relative isolation, long-term contacts and economic ties were established with the Roman Empire and the larger Muslim world.

Eric the Victorious was succeeded by his son Olof Skötkonung, the first Christian king of Sweden. With his conversion came the gradual acceptance of Christianity among the Swedish people, with pockets of the old Norse faith remaining through to the early 12th century.

It was under the House of Bjälbo that Sweden saw its solidification into a kingdom of worth at the extreme northern edge of Europe. Under the regency of the statesman Birger Jarl, Sweden established its long rule in Finland, founded Stockholm, and kept the kingdom's peasants out of the bonds of serfdom (minus in Skåneland, which was held by the Danes).

The Coat of Arms of Birger Jarl and the House of Bjälbo. Alternative names include the House of Birger and the House of Folkung

​

By the mid 14th Century, we see a divided kingdom attempting to claw its way out of the ravages caused by the Black Death. A father and son war against one another for dominance.

​

 

Last edited: Sep 9, 2020

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stnylan

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• Sep 9, 2020

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Will try to follow

 

Threadmarks Magnus IV af Bjälbo of Sweden and VII of Norway

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Oohforf

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• Sep 9, 2020

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• #4

Magnus IV of Sweden and VII of Norway ​

Magnus IV of Sweden and formerly of Norway, was king of Sweden during and after the destruction caused by the Black Death. Attempting to reign in a now desolate and depopulated kingdom, Magnus’ long reign was marked by a soured relationship between the crown, the nobility, and the common people.

Magnus – Former King of Norway

On July 21st, 1319, Magnus had himself crowned as both King of Sweden and of Norway in Stockholm, offending the Norwegian nobles who preferred to have their own separate coronation. After an uprising in 1338, Magnus was forced to give up his Norwegian crown in favour of his second son, Haakon, while also naming his older son, Eric, as the future king of Sweden. In doing so, the Norwegian nobility effectively severed the possibility of a future union with Sweden. Such an act marked the beginning of Sweden's inability to effectively project its influence beyond its own borders.

Skåneland and the Rising of Eric XII

(Note: "Skåneland" will be used to refer to the region containing the provinces of Blekinge, Halland, and Skåne, and sometimes the island of Bornholm. "Skåne" will be used to refer to the singular province.)

The seal of Eric XII.

In taking advantage of the chaos instigated by the Danish king Christopher II, Magnus purchased the wealthy and much fought over region of Skåneland in 1332. Although Magnus’ court initially lauded the bloodless acquisition of the eastern Danish provinces, its huge cost was financed by significant taxation placed upon the landed freeholders, peasantry, and nobility. Incensed, nobles in Skåneland, southern Sweden, and Finland convinced Magnus’ son and co-ruler, Eric XII, to rise in rebellion against his own father in 1356.

Northern Europe in 1356, with Sweden embroiled in a civil war. "Sweden" denotes lands held by Magnus IV, while "Sverige" denotes lands held by Eric XII.

Reasserting control over his son required calling in the assistance of the redoubtable Valdemar IV Atterdag of Denmark, who was able to knit together his own realm after the events of his predecessor. In haste, Magnus agreed to finance Denmark’s participation in the war by returning Helsingborg Castle alongside the entire region of Skåneland. The Swedish response was one of disappointment and anger in their king.

The war then began in earnest. In an effort to swiftly end his son’s rebellion and secure Skåneland for Valdemar, Magnus and his troops marched south to take the towns of Lund and Malmö/ø. Wishing to avoid a potential slaughter of his own people, Magnus ignored the suggestion of his supporters to immediately face his son in open battle and march upon his seat in Uppsala. While Eric XII laid siege to Halland, Valdemar and Magnus laid siege Blekyng and Skåne.

After capturing Halland and learning that Skåneland was to soon fall to the allies, Eric, who was otherwise occupied in the north, ordered Folke von Ascheberg to engage Magnus’ armies. The Danes quickly joined their Swedish allies in battle.

After Ascheberg’s defeat at Skåne, the capture of the province, and the recapturing of Halland, Eric’s support quickly melted away. With Eric once again placed under the authority of his father, Skåneland was returned to Denmark as promised, albeit grudgingly.

Blame for instigating the rebellion was primarily placed on the extremely critical and outspoken Bo Jonsson Grip, head of the royal council and influential member of the nobility.

Bo Jonsson was treacherous man, and grasping. He whispered venom in young Eric’s ear at every chance, promising him the support of the realm’s nobility should he turn against his own father. To me he said “Any refusal to fight would only prove that the son is as incapable as the father”.
- Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna the Elder, Knight of Uppsala

The Arms of the House of Grip

Son and father soon had a warm reconciliation and continued their co-rulership of Sweden until Eric’s death in 1359, which was soon followed by the death of his wife, Beatrix of Bavaria. It is believed that both died of the Black Death, which saw a brief resurgence in Uppland at the time. Bo Jonsson Grip, who was under house arrest at Åbo Castle at the time, was soon banished from Sweden along with Eric’s other supporters.

A re-unified Sweden in 1359 and the kingdom's population demographics.

Magnus’ Deposition

While in Germany, Bo Jonsson and the other banished nobles petitioned Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg to have his youngest son, also named Albert, lead an army to Sweden with the support of several Hanseatic cities and German merchant populations in Kalmar, Visby, and Stockholm. Fed up with their king's misrule, the nobility quickly withdrew their support. Magnus was forced to flee to his son’s court in Norway, and while en route, drowned in a ship wreck in Bømlafjorden.

Legacy & Evaluation

Magnus’ lengthy rule over Sweden allowed him to enact several bureaucratic reforms at the state level. Perhaps most significantly, he ended the ages-old practice of thralldom in 1335, which stemmed back to the Viking Age. His military projects included a relatively successful crusade against Novgorod in 1348, resulting in a sizeable number of conversions and plundering.

However, his numerous blunders with both the nobility and common peoples marked the beginning of medieval Sweden’s domestic and international decline in Northern Europe, mostly in favour of neighbouring Denmark.

 

Last edited: Sep 11, 2020

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Oohforf

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• Sep 9, 2020

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• #5

stnylan said:

Will try to follow

Click to expand...

Thanks!

 

stnylan

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• Sep 9, 2020

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• #6

A much-needed unifier

 

HistoryDude

Emperor of Greece and Rome and Holy Roman Emperor

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• Sep 10, 2020

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• #7

Nice to see Sweden united, although the loss of Norway is a large blow to expansionist foreign policy...

 

Henry v. Keiper

Copyist

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• Sep 10, 2020

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• #8

A lovely start, and a good read! I will definitely subscribe.

(Also, not sure if I need to make a "Bo knows..." or a "Get a Grip" joke.)

 

Threadmarks Albert I von Mecklenburg-Schwerin

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Oohforf

Second Lieutenant

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• Sep 22, 2020

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• #9

Albert I of Sweden (Left) with his father, Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg (Right).

Musical Choice:

​

"These northerners are a quiet, reserved folk, speaking little with those who are not of their kith or kin. Yet their lords and kings manage to bluster, bicker, and bellyache at the smallest slight like the lowliest count of France. The smallfolk say that this German king is proud, and no more clever than Old Magnus. They believe a new ruler will be chosen in due time".
- Enguerrand de Massilly, Monk of Cluny.

Albert I of Sweden (colloquially known as Albert of Mecklenburg) was the second son of Duke Albert II of Mecklenburg and Euphemia Eriksdotter, sister of the deposed Magnus IV. With Magnus' first son dead and his second barred from taking the Swedish throne by the Norwegian aristocracy, the Mecklenburgers of Germany possessed a legitimate and worthwhile claim.

With the iron-fisted support of Bo Jonsson Grip, Albert defeated Magnus and was finally crowned as king of Sweden at the Stones of Mora in 1365. The then regent of Stockholm, Hedwig Trolle, allowed Albert into the city. Although the country had a new king, it quickly became clear that much of the state was truly in the hands of Bo Jonsson.

Opposed to selecting a wife from among the local Swedish families, Albert appealed to his homeland for a spouse, and soon married Cordula of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Bo Jonsson Grip, Man of Power

In an effort to appease his aristocrats, Albert quickly doled out a great deal of crown territory alongside the many estates belonging to Magnus' former supporters and sycophants. Sweden's choicest estates and farm titles were given to Bo Jonsson, with the fortresses at Kalmar, Vyborg, Nyköping, and Åbo coming into his posession. From his newly constructed seat of Gripsholm Castle, the Grips came to rule over a third of all Sweden. Albert soon gave Bo virtual control over Finland.

In orange, the lands held by Bo Jonsson and the Grips in and around 1386.

Albert's Tax Policy

Now possessed of only a paltry sum of crown land, Albert began to extort his local landowners and peasants for nearly all they had. Planning for potential conflicts against his political rival Margrethe Valdemarsdatter of Denmark and Norway (whom he nicknamed "King Breechless" in reference to her gender), Albert hiked up taxes, forcing the people to pay the equivalent of 200 grams of silver in goods. Such a staggering amount shocked both freeholders and aristocracy alike.

"His collectors are little more than bullies, plundering the nation's common folk for what little they have. When one family near Uppsala had nothing left to give, they took their furniture, destroyed what was left, and set their farm aflame as punishment. I am told the queen warned him, saying 'The people grow angry with your extortions', to which he answered, 'It is merely my right'".
- Enguerrand de Massilly


Deposition

Allegedly by the grace of his capable wife, Albert managed to hold on to Sweden until 1380. Upset by his preference of appointing German officials in the provinces and his upcoming attempt at reducing their vast estates, the nobility invited Queen Margrethe to invade and act as regent for the kingdom.

Albert was deposed and imprisoned at Lindholmen Castle in Skåne, where he was presented with the options of either giving up Stockholm and his throne or paying a significant fine to both Margrethe and the Swedish nobility. Near penniless, Albert was forced to give up his crown and return to Mecklenburg.

King Albert begging Queen Margrethe for mercy. An imagined picture with an unknown source, 1589.

Legacy and Evaluation

Albert was largely viewed as a greedy and proud king who did little more than beggar his own subjects. However, it must be at least partially acknowledged that much of the vitriol aimed at the deposed ruler is likely due to his foreign background, as evidenced by his more common name "Albert of Mecklenburg": a king who ultimately did not belong to Sweden.

His deposition marks the beginning of Denmark's dominance over Sweden and the beginnings of the Kalmar Union.

 

Last edited: Sep 22, 2020

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stnylan

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• Sep 22, 2020

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• #10

A dark day for Sweden

 

HistoryDude

Emperor of Greece and Rome and Holy Roman Emperor

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• Sep 23, 2020

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• #11

Why didn't the nobles just crown another foreign king? One that would obey their whims?

 

Oohforf

Second Lieutenant

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• Sep 23, 2020

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• #12

stnylan said:

A dark day for Sweden

Click to expand...

That's one sinister smiley face. Do we have a Dane in the house?

HistoryDude said:

Why didn't the nobles just crown another foreign king? One that would obey their whims?

Click to expand...

At the time, the nobles of the realm had little patience for the idea of any king - period. Although she is effectively the ruler of the country, Margrethe serves as acting regent of Sweden, and performs as an extremely competent one at that.

 

stnylan

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• Sep 23, 2020

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• #13

Oohforf said:

That's one sinister smiley face. Do we have a Dane in the house?

Click to expand...

By marriage

 

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guillec87

Field Marshal

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• Sep 28, 2020

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• #14

subbed!!!

 

Threadmarks Margrete I Estridsen (Part I)

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Oohforf

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• Oct 13, 2020

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• #15

Margrethe I
​

Margrethe I was likely the most capable administrator in Scandinavia during the late Middle Ages. Born in 1353, Margrethe was the last child of Valdemar IV of Denmark and his wife Helvig of Schleswig. Soon known to her people as the "Lady Queen", she acted as a bargaining chip between the three Scandinavian kingdoms due to her engagement to Haakon VI of Norway, son of Magnus "Smek" of Sweden.

Margrethe was known for her striking figure, maintaining a dignified stature and a noble character throughout her entire life. Dark of hair and eyes, the Lady Queen grew handsome into adulthood and middle age. However, it was her unrelenting diligence and force of will, and not merely her charm, which laid the foundations for the short-lived Kalmar Union.

Queen of Denmark and Norway

Upon the death of her father Valdemar "Atterdag" in 1377, Margrethe quickly secured the position of her son, Oluf of Norway, over Denmark. Even during her time as Norwegian queen consort, Margrethe was sure to maintain her own contacts in the magnate-run Danehof, earning her a number of supporters that otherwise would have worked to curb the royal authority generated by Valdemar. As Oluf was too young to rule, Margrete served as regent, aptly continuing her father's work of knitting together a kingdom that was partitioned only a few generations earlier.

Queen of Sweden and the Kalmar Union

The subjugation of Sweden​

After former king Albert's flight to Germany, the Swedish nobles assembled at Dalaborg Castle in 1380 and accepted all of Margrethe's terms. Alongside recognizing young Oluf as future king of Sweden, Margrethe was declared "Sovereign Lady and Ruler" of the state.

Although the Swedish nobles were happy to be rid of Albert, Margrethe's reception in Stockholm was mixed. There was little evidence that young Oluf would serve more ably than those who came before him, even with the guidance of his formidable mother. The young king was seen as shy and slight of frame, with little penchant for swordsmanship and military affairs, therefore unimpressing the most hawkish lords of his mother's realm. Furthermore, the prospect of being in a union dominated by Denmark was disquieting; the most anxious nobles expected that their new queen regent would overturn native laws and staff Sweden's administrative sectors with Danes and Germans.

They were quickly proven wrong, however. Fully cognizant of local pride and prejudice, Margrethe assured the peoples of all three kingdoms that she would uphold their laws and draft officials only from their local population centres. Much to the approval of the nobles and magnates, Margrethe ruled Sweden with a light touch, consenting to pass laws only with their approval. The primary representative of the Swedish nobility at Margrethe's court was the young Johan Nilsson Ulv.

Johan Nilsson Ulv

Johan Nilsson Ulv, son of Nils Stensson and Karin Knutsdotter Ulfsax, was probably born in 1375 at Vyborg Castle in Finland, the eastern-most fortress in all of Sweden. Granted the title by the powerful Bo Jonsson after King Albert's victory, Nils Stensson came into great prestige as the prime protector of the eastern border and of the realm. Bo Jonsson, appreciative of the unfaltering support provided by Nils, accepted young Johan as his pupil, seeing that he was educated in the nuances of statecraft, diplomacy, and economics.

Vyborg Castle in the 15th century.

Bo Jonsson was adamant that Johan be completely informed on the inns and outs of Northern European and Hanseatic politics. As such, Johan was to spend the majority of his teenage and early adulthood years in the Free City of Lübeck. Spending time in the court of then-Burgomeister Lothar Minden, Johan quickly took to affairs of administration, international relations, and trade. Projects of note included his establishment of trade houses representing the lucrative copper industry at Falun.

Johan soon caught the attention of Queen Margrethe, who was looking to further ingratiate herself among the relatively riotous Swedish nobility. Noting his expertise in policy and diplomacy, the queen accepted him as the nobles' choice of chief representative. Ultimately a supporter of the queen regent, Johan combined his ability at diplomacy with instances of force, facilitating Sweden's continued participation in the Kalmar Union.

Johan Nilsson was known for his relatively cool demeanor and his piety, preferring the company of his books and a small circle of friends. In diplomatic contexts however, Johan presented himself as vivacious and dynamic. Never prideful or haughty, Johan was sure to consider the opinions of the Swedish smallfolk alongside those of his brash magnates, voicing their concerns with equal passion to the Lady King.

Union of Kalmar

The queen moved quickly to unify the three realms in law if not in practice, wishing to ensure a smooth transition to Oluf once he reached adulthood. Margrethe also wished to present a united front against the Hanseatic League, who presumed to establish trading monopolies across the Baltic. Signed in Kalmar, the treaty stipulated that all three kingdoms are to be united in love and brotherhood, never again divided, and rushing to the aid of the other when war and rumors of war arise.

As evidenced by the need for a chief representative, the Swedish nobles proved to be the most antagonistic for Margrethe. Attempts at curbing the influence of the nobility for the sake of her own civil servants was met with contempt, with the boldest magnates citing Sweden's former prestige as a sovereign kingdom when they called for increased autonomy. Voiced by Johan Nilsson, the Swedes turned down the queen regent's calls for a reformed assembly of nobles.

Due to such tensions, Margrethe came to favour Norway, awarding their lords with extra privileges in recognition of their loyalty and relative passivity.

Death of Oluf

Oluf died suddenly in 1385 at the age of 14. As servants and courtiers did not report any signs of illness in the young king at the time near his death, rumors of poisoning immediately became the main subject of conversation among the smallfolk. Large sectors of the Norwegian peasantry even argued that Oluf never truly died, but instead escaped his fearsome mother and hid once he heard of her intention to have him killed. In one remarkable case, a "False Oluf" was presented to the queen by the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Despite his finery and striking resemblance to the dead prince, it was quickly revealed that the False Oluf did not speak a word of Danish, and admitted that he was instead the son of peasants from Prussia. Margrethe had him burned at the stake while wearing a mock crown, and soon had a lengthy explanation confirming the death of her real son drawn up and dispatched around the Baltic.

Margrethe was faced with the prospect of her Kalmar Union immediately dissolving, and so brought all three kingdoms together into a personal union. It was expected that the queen regent present her lords with another heir with linkages to at least two of the three kingdoms. Claiming descent from kings Valdemar I of Sweden and Eric IV of Denmark, Einar of Oldenburg was selected. Einar himself would prove to be one of the most controversial political actors seen in late medieval Scandinavia.

 

Last edited: Oct 18, 2020

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stnylan

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• Oct 13, 2020

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• #16

Not a woman to be denied, apparently.

 

Oohforf

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• Oct 13, 2020

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• #17

stnylan said:

Not a woman to be denied, apparently.

Click to expand...

Can't disagree. Although, minus some of the proudest Swedish families, she does appear to inspire loyalty.

 

HistoryDude

Emperor of Greece and Rome and Holy Roman Emperor

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Mar 19, 2018

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• Oct 25, 2020

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• #18

This new Kalmar Union won't last...

 

Threadmarks Margrete I Estridsen (Part II)

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Oohforf

Second Lieutenant

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Mar 14, 2012

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• Dec 6, 2020

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• #19

Hey all, my apologies for the lack of updates. School has been particularly busy, and I've been dealing with some massive personal tragedies to do with COVID-19. Writing has been a bit therapeutic, however! I hope everyone is doing well.

Einar of Oldenburg

Einar von Oldenburg, future king of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Einar I, born “Conrad”, was declared as king of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden after the death of Oluf Bjelbo. His arrival from Oldenburg in 1389 was marked by a significant level of pomp and celebration, with the smallfolk of Copenhagen and Roskilde eager to observe their attractive and dynamic prince. The high lords of Denmark and Norway, although initially apprehensive as it concerned his foreign birth and weak mastery over the Scandinavian tongues, were dazzled by his levels of charisma and confidence.

The Swedes however offered only a lukewarm response to the arrival of Einar in Scandinavia. Indeed, few tears were shed over the death of Prince Oluf as most lords were merely content to remain under an extended regency headed by Queen Margrethe. The new prince’s coronation in Stockholm and subsequent procession across the country was a quiet affair, going nearly unnoticed by the people.

The Prince and the Queen

The late 1380s saw the queen regent strengthening the crown's authority over Denmark and Norway. By 1387, only lip service was paid to the Danish Rigsrådet, as the queen regent came to rely upon her own set of hard-working civil servants. Her choice in governance was a message to both her subjects and her young prince: all monarchs to follow intend on maintaining a firm hand over the Union. Riotous Sweden was kept in check with the help of Johan Nilsson and Margrethe's increased presence in the country. Foreign policies saw the establishment of a long-term alliance with Poland, further securing her prince’s future rule.

In 1395, Queen Margrethe granted Einar rule over western and northern Jutland in Denmark, all as a sort of test run of his future rule. Establishing his seat at Alborg, Einar began a significant overhaul of the local laws, chipping away at the institutions that kept the common folk bounded as unfree serfs. Ever ambitious with his intentions to break the power of the local landowners, the young prince was ruthless in his conduct.

The test run proved to be a failure. Complaints of tyranny increased in number, prompting the queen to launch a full inquest into the conduct of the young prince. Einar ignored the queen’s numerous and increasingly sharp summons to Copenhagen. After months of deliberation, Margrethe privately concluded that the survival of the union depended on disinheriting the prince and replacing him someone more pliable. The queen’s decision was to remain a secret until he was legally disinherited and sent back to Oldenburg.

“Through bloodshed, he means to undue the good laws that have so bounded these three kingdoms together. To think our prince once charmed us all with such ease”.
- Margrethe I

Death of Queen Margrethe

While en route to Odense, Margrethe took sick and died at Kalundborg Friary in 1404. According to local legend, the queen foresaw her death and decided to extend her stay at the friary rather than taking her chances on the rough seas. Before her passing, the queen gave charity and saw that her jewelry was donated to the nearby village. Notably, queen’s illness was noted for its “sudden and violent” nature. Due to her tumultuous relationship with Prince Einar, it was suggested that poisoning was at play. The true cause of the queen’s demise remains lost to history.

Church of Our Lady, Kalundborg.

Legacy and Evaluation

Margrethe was perhaps the most important statesperson in 14th century Scandinavia. Her emphasis upon creating a centralized state authority laid the foundations for Denmark and Sweden's patterns of rulership in the Early Modern Period. It was however her choice in heir that would cause the almost immediate dissolution of the Kalmar Union upon her death.

 

• Oohforf
• Dec 6, 2020
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Idhrendur

Keeper of the Converters

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• Dec 6, 2020

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• #20

Sorry to hear that life has been rough. I'm glad writing is therapeutic for you!