Sweden's 1718 Plague That Shaped the Empire

In 1718, as Charles XII besieged Fredriksten, a far deadlier enemy struck Sweden: the bubonic plague. This episode follows the plague's arrival in Stockholm and its devastating march across the Baltic Empire. We explore how the epidemic, worsened by war and famine, killed over 100,000 people—about a quarter of Sweden's population. Lucas and Luna discuss the stark class divide in mortality, the strange case of the plague doctor in Kalmar, and how the crisis accelerated the fall of the Swedish Empire. They also examine the long-term consequences: labor shortages, weakened military levies, and a shift in royal authority. This is the story of a catastrophe that history often overlooks, but one that shaped Sweden's trajectory from great power to neutral state.

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