The Great Historical, Geographical, Genealogical and Poetical Dictionary

Sweden

SWEDEN, Suecia, one of the Northern Kingdoms of Europe, is called by the Inhabitants Swerie, Swedenrick and Sweriesryke. It is a great and populous Kingdom, and contains the greatet part of that which of old was called Scandinavia, and was for some time united to the Crown of Denmark, and has been a distinct Kingdom only since the Year 1525. It is bounded on the North by Lapland, Norway and the Frozen Sea on the East by Muscovy or Great Russia; on the South by the Baltick Sea, and on the West by Denmark and Norway. It is commonly divided into six Parts, viz. 1. Gothland, 2. Sweden, properly so called, 3. Swedish Lapland, 4. Finland, 5. Ingria, 6. Livonia; which are divided into 34 Provinces, viz. Angermania, Bleking, Western Bothnia, Caiania, Carelia, Delecarlia, Dalia, Northern and Southern Finland, Gestricia, Halland, Helsing, Jempterland, Ingria, Kekholme, Lapland, Livonia, Medelpede, Niland, Ostrogothland, Savolax, Schonen, Switland, Sudermanland, Tavasthus, Vermland, Upland, Westrogothland and Westmania, and these again subdivided into Haeradlis, like our Hundreds, and contains seventeen Cities, the Capital whereof is Stockholm; the others are, Calmor, Carlostadt, Christianople, Lincoping, Gothemburg, Upsal, Norkoping, Toorn, Riga, &c. Sweden abounds with Rivers, Lakes, Rocks and Mountains. The Air is cold, but clear and wholsome (except those Places that lie near to the Seas, Lakes and Marshes) so that frequently People have been found to live here 130 or 140 Years. It is in Length, from Stockholm to the Borders of Lapland, 1000 Italian Miles, in Breadth twenty Days Journey on Horse-back; so that, with all its Appendages, it is thought 900 Miles greater than France and Italy put together. The Soil is more fertil than any other of the Northern Kingdoms; it abounds with all Necessaries of Life: They transport great Quantities of Malt and Barley, also Brass, Lead, Steel, Copper, Skins of Goats, Bucks, Hides of Oxen, rich Furrs, Deals and Oak for Building. They have some Silver in their Mines, and in the Woods Tarr and Honey, and vast Quantities of Sea and Freshwater Fish. The People are strong, healthy, and well proportion’d, hospitable and civil, and so industrious, that a Begger is not to be seen amongst them; and are very good Soldiers. This was the Country of the Goths, who in the Fourth Century broke the Force of the Roman Empire in the West, and let in the other barbarous Nations, who still possess it. The Kingdom of Sweden was formerly Elective till the Year 1523 or 1525, when Gustavus II. was chosen King, who expell’d the Danes. The Swedes were converted to the Christian Faith by Ansgarus, Bishop of Bremen, about the Year 816. Lotharius the Emperor procured the Settlement of Bishops in these Northern Countries. They embrac’d Lutheranism under Gustavus the First in the Year 1525. They have also planted a New Sweden in America, not far from Virginia.

In the Great Affairs of the Nation the King convenes the States, which consist of the Nobility, the Clergy, Merchants and Country men. The Nobility send the eldest of their Families, the Clergy depute two Priests out of each Community or Corporation, every City fends two Merchants, and each Territory or District sends two Country-men. All other Concerns are referred to (even Councils, which are the Council of Justice, of War, of the Admiralty, of the Chancery, of the Revenues or the Echequer, and of Commerce and Mines. The five chief Officers of the Crown are called the five great Lords, and are the King’s Tutors, and govern the Kingdom during his Minority. The Government of their Church is by Bishops, Priests and Deacons, as with us here in England; but their Bishops have not such large Revenues, nor such Power over the Clergy. The Parochial Priests are obliged to Hospitality, and to give Entertainment to all Passengers and Travellers that stand in need of a Loging; so that their Houses are as so many Inns. I must not forget a very singular way they have in some Parts of this Kingdom to sow their Corn; They burn down whole Forests, and when they are consumed they sow in the remaining Ashes Seed-Corn and some Earth mix’d together; for which, without any further Trouble, they reap two Years together very good Grain. Their Authors say, that they have been under Kingly Government since the Year of the World 2014, three hundred after the Deluge1, their first King being nam’d Eric, but own that from A. M. 3336 to 3916 they miss the Names of their Monarchs; and betwixt the Year of Christ 455 to 800 there were fourteen of their Kings controverted. Their present King makes the hundreth in their Catalogue; but Hoffman says, they reckon from Magog (Noa’s Grandson to Japhet) to Charles XI. 150. Olaus II. was the first who call’d himself King of Sweden, his Predecessors having call’d themselves Kings of Upsal, their Metropolis. About 1387 Margeret of Denmark, call’d the Semiramis of the North, united the Kingdoms of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, telling her Nephew Eric, that Sweden would feed him, Norway cloath him, and Denmark defend him. The Genealogy of the present King of Sweden is thus; The Nobility, weary of the Tyranny of Christern, King of Denmark, chose Gustavus, Son to Ericus of Wasa, in 1522. He was successful in his Wars against the Danes, with whom he at last made Peace. He had also War with the Muscovites and City of Lubeck, and died in 1560. His Son Ericus XIV. succeeded in 1561, had War with the Danes and Poles, imprison’d his Brother John, married his own Concubine, a mean Woman, and caused her to be Crown’d in 1568; whereupon his Brother imprifon’d them both, and the Government came to John III. his Brother by another Marriage, who made Peace with the Danes in 1570, as also with the Cities of Stetin and Lubeck, but carried on the War against the Muscovites. His Son Sigismond, by Catherine, Daughter to Sigismond, King of Poland, being chosen King of that Country, succeeded him also as King of Sweden in 1594, but his Subjects made an Insurrection against him, deposed him, and excluded his Son Vladislaus from the Succession, and gave the Crown in 1604 to Charles IX. third Son of Gustavus, who had a cruel War with the Poles and Danes. The Kingdom of Sweden was confirm’d to him and his Children of both Sexes, exclusive of Sigismond and his Posterity for ever. He died in 1611. His first Wife was Daughter to the Elector Palatine, by whom he had Catherine, married to Casimer, Duke of Duex Ponts. His second Wife was Christiana, Daughter to the Duke of Holstein, by whom he had Mary Elizabeth, married to the Duke of Finland, and Gustavus Adolphus, born in 1594, crown’d in 1617. He made Peace with the Danes in 1613, with the Muscovites in 1617, made War with the Poles in 1625, subdued all Livonia, and made Royal Prussia the Seat of the War. He undertook his Expedition into Germany in 1630 to assist the Protestants against the Emperor, was kill’d in the Battle of Lutzen in 1632, leaving Mary of Brandenburg: Christina who under Tutelage of her Mother and Conduct of her Cousin Charles Gustavus, Duke of Deux Ponts, carried on the German War. She made Peace with the Danes and Imperialists in 1645, and turning Roman Catholick in 1658, resign’d the Crown, and was succeeded by the forementioned Charles Gustavus, Son of her Aunt Catherine, who was crown’d in 1654, and, by the Assistance of the Elector of Brandenburg, became Master of most of Poland, Prussia and Denmark, died in 1660, leaving by his Wife, Daughter to the Duke of Sleswick, King Charles XI. born in 1655; and by Procurement of the French King made Peace with the Emperor, Poles, and Elector of Brandenburg; but afterwards Leaguing with France, declar’d War against the Danes, Elector of Brandenburg, &c. until the Peace of Nimeguen. He married a Daughter of Frederick III. of Denmark, by whom he had Charles, born in 1688. Schowart. Cluverius Ortelius, Mercator, Sanfon & Du Val. Geograph. Saxo Grammat. Hist. Dan. Olaus Magn. Hist. Gent. Septent. Joan. Magnus Hist. Reg. Suec. Albert Crantz Chron. Dan. Suec. & Nortveg. Ezpold. Lindemborg. Script. Rer. German. Discourse de l'Etat & Couronne de Suede. Paun. Voyage de Suede. Baudrand. Jovin. Voyage d‘Europe, &c. Puffendorfs Introduction to History, &c. Vertat. History of the Revolution, where the Reader may see more upon this Subject.