Expansion Union of Kalmar, 1397-1523






Feudalization



Traditionally, Viking warfare was based on the fleet. The feudal society of Continental Europe, however, was dominated by the cavalry, by knights riding horses; the ownership of a battle horse, and of a fortified castle to dwell in, became defining status symbols of a nobleman. Europe's nobility became a distinct class, separated from the commoners.
The crusades brought Scandinavian noblemen in close contact with French, English, German and Arabian noblemen. It was an opportunity to observe their manners and lifestyle. In the 13th century, Danish and German nobility, especially in (German) Holstein and (Danish) Schleswig, have intermarried. Castles were erected all over Denmark, and, from ca. 1250 onward, in the Kingdom of the Svear and Goetar. The 13th century was a century of codification of (hitherto orally practiced) law, under supervision of the royal administration. In Denmark, the JYSKE LOV (law of Jutland) was codified in 1241; the oldest Swedish landscape's law codex, that of VAESTERGOTLAND, dates back to 1220. In Sweden, the STATUTE OF ALSNO (1280) legally defined nobility according to the French/German model : noblemen had to own and train horses, had to own armour, were not to engage in any trade, enjoyed a higher legal status than commoners, were to serve at their own expense in the case of war. Feudalization had a different impact on Scandinavia than on the rest of Europe. Most feudalized was Denmark proper, including Scania, because of it's proximity to Germany. Sweden was somewhat feudalized, Swedish nobility however being less connected with non-Swedish nobility by intermarriage; Sweden's nobility preserved a clear national identity. Finland's nobility was Swedish by nationality. Norway hardly had any feudal nobility. The Faroes, Iceland, Greenland were not feudalized at all. Neither were NORTHERN FRISIA - the Frisians used their dikes as bullwarks of defense. When Danish King Abel in 1252 wanted to enforce new taxation, the Frisians defended themselves; King Abel died in the fight. The island of GOTLAND, a rather independent republic dominating the trade in the Baltic sea, neither was feudalized.
The feudal model classified society in 3 groups - clergy, nobility and commoners. From the 14th century onward, diets in many countries were organized according to the status of the representatives, in curiae (chambers). Sweden, however, had a 4th curia - the BONDES (free farmers). As society was predominantly agricultural, and noblemen were few in number, the farmers preserved a higher degree of liberty and political importance then their colleagues on the European continent.
Royalty established a network of castles in their respective kingdoms, in order to strengthen the defense and to organize the administration. Such castles, for instance, are AKERSHUS in Norway, KALMAR in Sweden, VIBORG (Viipura) in Finland, HELSINGOER (Hamlet's Elsinore) in Denmark.
These changes aforelisted - the codification (and modification) of the law under royal supervision, the reformation of society based on the feudal model, the establishment of a strong administration which could enforce taxation, did not happen uncontested. Both Denmark and Sweden went through a period of turmoil, several contenders for the throne fighting each other for much of the time. The advance of the HANSEATIC LEAGUE brought other problems - it dominated trade to such an extent, that it could dictate politics on the Scandinavian kingdoms. Denmark, under Valdemar Atterdag in 1343 was broke. It had to give away ESTONIA to the Livonian Order and SCANIA with Blekinge and Halland to Sweden as pawns to restore it's finances. Denmark economically came to depend on the SOUND LEVY, a toll taken from ships entering/leaving the Baltic Sea. King MAGNUS in 1319 managed to unite Sweden and Norway in dynastic union (until he was deposed in Norway in 1343).







Table : Scandinavian Kings durting the Early Feudal Period (1250-1380)
source : Klaus-Juergen Matz, Regententabellen zur Weltgeschichte, Muenchen 1980, pp.199f (Dk), 231 (N), 248 (S)
KINGS OF DENMARK

Abel (1250 - 1252)
Christoph (1252 - 1259)
Eric V. Glipping (1259 - 1286)
Eric VI. Menved (1286 - 1319)
Christoph II. (1319 - 1332)
Valdemar III. (1326 - 1330)
Gerhard, Duke of Jutland Regent 1326-1340
Valdemar IV. Atterdag (1340 - 1375)
Olaf IV. (1376 - 1387) 		KINGS OF NORWAY

Hakon IV., the Old (1217 - 1263)
Magnus VI. the Lawgiver (1263 - 1280)
Eric III. (1280 - 1299)
Hakon V. (1299 - 1319)
Magnus VII. (1319 - 1343)
Hakon VI. (1343 - 1380)
Olaf IV. (1380 - 1387) 		KINGS OF THE SVEAR AND GOETAR

Birger Jarl regent 1250 - 1256
Valdemar Birgersson (1266 - 1278)
Magnus Ladulas (1278 - 1290)
Birger Magnusson (1290 - 1319)
Magnus II. (1319 - 1363)
Eric XII. (1350 - 1359)
Hakon Magnusson (1362 - 1380)
Albrecht of Mecklenburg (1364 - 1389)



EXTERNAL
FILES 		The Founding of the Kingdom, in : History of Sweden, from the Swedish Institute, encyclopedic, scroll down
Conflict and Disintegration of the Kingdom, from History of Denmark, from Den. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, scroll down


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on November 8th 2004

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