The Kalmar Union: Sweden's Medieval Union with Denmark and Norway

This episode of The History of Sweden explores the Kalmar Union (1397–1523), a personal union that bound Sweden, Denmark, and Norway under a single monarch. We dive into the rise of Queen Margrethe I, who engineered the union through diplomacy and war, and the tensions that followed as Swedish nobles chafed under Danish rule. Key figures include Erik of Pomerania, Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, and Karl Knutsson Bonde. We discuss the fractious relationship between the Swedish Riksdag and Danish kings, the role of the Hanseatic League, and the series of revolts that culminated in Gustav Vasa's final break. The episode also covers the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520, which turned Swedish sentiment decisively against the union. This is a story of power, rebellion, and national identity—a crucial prequel to Sweden's emergence as an independent kingdom.

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