A Flatpack History of Sweden

Introducing Kingdom: Swedish Rulers

Welcome to our brand new podcast, Kingdom: Swedish Rulers! 

In this new adventure, we are going to be ranking and judging all the Swedish kings, queens and regents, from Olof Skötkonung to Carl XVI Gustaf. In this episode we cover the background to the podcast, go through how we are going to judge each ruler and explain a little bit more about how the format works. 

Be sure to search for Kingdom: Swedish Rulers and follow the feed there to get all the episodes going forward. Only episodes 1 and 2 will be posted here on the Flatpack feed. This may take a day or so to appear, depending on your podcast player of choice. You can also find out more information on our website: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/kingdom-swedish-rulers/ 

P.S. The podcast is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, but we will use the fancy Swedish Ö letter in some of the logos, because we like it!

Kingdom 1: Olof Skötkonung

For some reason the first upload of this episode didn't work on the Flatpack feed, so here's the re-release! 

It is time to judge our first ever ruler, the first king of Sweden, Olof Skötkonung!

We cover the life of this interesting character who straddled eras, as we enter a country in the dying days of the Viking period. Will Olof do enough to win the coveted Kingdöm prize of The Three Crowns, or is his life story a bit of a bore?

Here are some maps which might handy too: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/about-the-podcast/maps/

Be sure to search for Kingdom: Swedish Rulers and follow the feed there to get all the episodes going forward. Only episodes 1 and 2 will be posted here on the Flatpack feed. You can also find out more information on our website: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/kingdom-swedish-rulers/ 

P.S. The podcast is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, but we will use the fancy Swedish Ö letter in some of the logos, because we like it!

Kingdom 2: Anund Jakob

Following in the footsteps of your father, who also happens to be the first king of Sweden, can’t be easy. Anund certainly has his job cut out for him, but he has learnt a few lessons from his dad Olof Skötkonung that he puts to good use. Will it be enough for him to walk away with The Three Crowns?

Be sure to search for Kingdom: Swedish Rulers and follow the feed there to get all the episodes going forward. This is the final Kingdom episode to be posted here on the Flatpack feed.

You can also find out more information on our website: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/kingdom-swedish-rulers/ 

P.S. The podcast is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, but we will use the fancy Swedish Ö letter in some of the logos, because we like it!

117. A Costly Scottish Bar Tab

We're shifting our focus across the Baltic Sea to Estonia, Finland and Russia, to see what happens when war once against inevitably breaks out between Sweden and Russia. This time, it's personal! Tsar Ivan the Terrible and king Johan of Sweden really don't get along and their differences spill over into a drawn-out conflict. One particularly dramatic event involves a dispute between Johan's German and Scottish mercenaries! 

118. Father and Son

We're nearing the end of King Johan's reign, but there's still time for him to try and sort out the issues surrounding his son Sigismund, and the Polish succession. After years of strife and arguing over religious reform, added to the trials of war abroad, Johan isn't sitting on a large pile of political capital, and so has to struggle with the Swedish nobility. Plus, someone has the bright idea to actually count how much money is left in the treasury!

119. Sigismund Arrives in Sweden

For the first time since his father Johan III died, Sigismund is back in Sweden and looking forward to his coronation as ruler of Sweden. But before that happens, he needs to agree on some rules with the Swedish regency council and deal with the fallout of a big religious meeting in Uppsala. Will Sigismund become a slave to the Swedish nobility and why is his child being held hostage by the Polish council? We also take the time to finish off "The Long Wrath" or even the "Nordiska tjugofemårskriget" in Swedish! 

120. Karl's Your Uncle

The end of the 1500s is fast approaching, but there's still time for some classic Swedish history events! This time we see a peasant revolt, religious turmoil as the Archbishop goes on a tour of the country and of course some more family feuding in the top dynasty of the country. We also visit a place that will become much more famous in the 20th century! 

 

121. Battle of the Bridges

After much back and forth, it is time for King Sigismund to face his uncle Duke Karl in battle for the throne of the Sweden. Karl is using every trick and tactic in the book, but Sigismund has a load of cannons and even a dragon! But how will it end and who will end up in charge of the Swedish kingdom? 

122. Three Centuries of Uppsala Cathedral

Uppsala Cathedral is a place that has appeared multiple times in the podcast; hosting rebellions, funerals and coronations. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the history of the cathedral and its construction, including the lengthy building process and even the original French contractors! 

 

Some images to help you along:

The final floor plan

A timeline floorplan:Dark red: 1270s, Red: 1287-1331, Blue: 1360s-1380s, Light Blue: c.1400, Light Green: 1430s, Dark Green: 1440s or later

S12a. Alfred Nobel: The Man

The first in a two-part special about famous Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. We look at the life of the man who opened more factories than anyone could count! This biography looks into his exploits, inventions and explosions, from his childhood to last days spent in Italy. Next time we'll dive deep into the history of the famous prizes created by him by his will.