Around 12,000BCE the end of the Ice Age allowed humans to move into the land that we now call Sweden. By 8,000BCE the country was quite well-populated and small settlements or towns were established in the fertile and well-forested land.
But, as the world is continually warming and cooling, the return of the ice and cold temperatures meant that the interior [middle] of the country was abandoned and the inhabitants forced further southwards, towards the sea. This climate change gave birth to a nation of sea-faring people, who traveled long distances across the seas in their long wooden boats with the red and white striped sails..
By the time the temperature warmed up once again and the inland became good farming ground Sweden had already established for itself what we know as the Viking Culture. This is often represented by pictures of tall, blond people wearing warm animal-skin cloaks and wearing helmets with horns on each side…though the horned helmets are more an artistic than a true historical detail.
Most people think of The Vikings as war-like people who were continually invading other lands but in fact, by the year 1 they were known all over the ancient world as great traders and the founders of many of the great cities of Russia. They traveled to the Middle East, to what is now Canada and North America , all through The Mediterranean and, some believe, even as far as Africa and the Pacific ocean.
However as other civilizations began to rise in Europe the Vikings gradually settled more into their rich and fertile country and became successful farmers, taking advantage of goods from all over the world that the trade routes that they had originally opened up made available.
In the 11th century, Olaf Sköttkonung became the first Swedish king to be baptized as a Christian. However, in the 16th century the official religion became Lutheran – a religion founded by Martin Luther who broke away from the Catholic Church to which most of the rest of Europe belonged.
In the fifteenth century an attempt was made to unite Sweden, Norway, and Denmark into one country, but this led to much warfare and enmity between the Danes and the Swedes. In 1520, the Danish king Christian II conquered Sweden and in the “Stockholm Bloodbath” put leading Swedish personages to death.
Gustavus Vasa (1523–1560) broke away from Denmark however and fashioned the modern Swedish state. He is one of Sweden’s most famous forefathers'
Another is Gustav II Adolf known as Gustavus Adolphus, the "Lion of the North”. Under his rule Sweden became a very great and powerful nation.
Unfortunately, after his death in 1632 in the Battle of Lützen, Sweden was plunged into almost constant war. It is because of this that Sweden became a neutral [would not take sides; refuses to fight wars] country in European wars since then, including both World Wars. At one period when it was still involved in bloody wars, it gained control of Norway but gave back control of this country in 1902.
Modern Sweden is known worldwide for its progressive social welfare policies, its fair and neutral outlook and its’ high educational standards.
Some quick facts:
. Sweden has the only extensive wilderness area left in Europe
· Sweden has the only extensive wilderness area left in Europe.
· Over 1.5 million Swedes have emigrated to America
· Many Swedish Vikings who plundered England stayed there and brought with them some of the words we use to-day in English
· Sweden joined the European Union it 1994
· Sweden has twice voted on adopting the Euro and each time refuses to adopt it
· Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, was assassinated by a gunman on Feb. 28, 1986,
· Sweden has a 99% literacy rate
· The population of Sweden is 9.1 million
· There are 29 different Internet Service Providers in Sweden
National name: Konungariket Sverige
Sovereign: King Carl XVI Gustaf (1973)Prime Minister: Fredrik Reinfeldt (2006)
But, as the world is continually warming and cooling, the return of the ice and cold temperatures meant that the interior [middle] of the country was abandoned and the inhabitants forced further southwards, towards the sea. This climate change gave birth to a nation of sea-faring people, who traveled long distances across the seas in their long wooden boats with the red and white striped sails..
By the time the temperature warmed up once again and the inland became good farming ground Sweden had already established for itself what we know as the Viking Culture. This is often represented by pictures of tall, blond people wearing warm animal-skin cloaks and wearing helmets with horns on each side…though the horned helmets are more an artistic than a true historical detail.
Most people think of The Vikings as war-like people who were continually invading other lands but in fact, by the year 1 they were known all over the ancient world as great traders and the founders of many of the great cities of Russia. They traveled to the Middle East, to what is now Canada and North America , all through The Mediterranean and, some believe, even as far as Africa and the Pacific ocean.
However as other civilizations began to rise in Europe the Vikings gradually settled more into their rich and fertile country and became successful farmers, taking advantage of goods from all over the world that the trade routes that they had originally opened up made available.
In the 11th century, Olaf Sköttkonung became the first Swedish king to be baptized as a Christian. However, in the 16th century the official religion became Lutheran – a religion founded by Martin Luther who broke away from the Catholic Church to which most of the rest of Europe belonged.
In the fifteenth century an attempt was made to unite Sweden, Norway, and Denmark into one country, but this led to much warfare and enmity between the Danes and the Swedes. In 1520, the Danish king Christian II conquered Sweden and in the “Stockholm Bloodbath” put leading Swedish personages to death.
Gustavus Vasa (1523–1560) broke away from Denmark however and fashioned the modern Swedish state. He is one of Sweden’s most famous forefathers'
Another is Gustav II Adolf known as Gustavus Adolphus, the "Lion of the North”. Under his rule Sweden became a very great and powerful nation.
Unfortunately, after his death in 1632 in the Battle of Lützen, Sweden was plunged into almost constant war. It is because of this that Sweden became a neutral [would not take sides; refuses to fight wars] country in European wars since then, including both World Wars. At one period when it was still involved in bloody wars, it gained control of Norway but gave back control of this country in 1902.
Modern Sweden is known worldwide for its progressive social welfare policies, its fair and neutral outlook and its’ high educational standards.
Some quick facts:
. Sweden has the only extensive wilderness area left in Europe
· Sweden has the only extensive wilderness area left in Europe.
· Over 1.5 million Swedes have emigrated to America
· Many Swedish Vikings who plundered England stayed there and brought with them some of the words we use to-day in English
· Sweden joined the European Union it 1994
· Sweden has twice voted on adopting the Euro and each time refuses to adopt it
· Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, was assassinated by a gunman on Feb. 28, 1986,
· Sweden has a 99% literacy rate
· The population of Sweden is 9.1 million
· There are 29 different Internet Service Providers in Sweden
National name: Konungariket Sverige
Sovereign: King Carl XVI Gustaf (1973)Prime Minister: Fredrik Reinfeldt (2006)
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