Skåneland: Encyclopedia II - Skåneland - History

Skåneland - History

Skåneland - Early history

The Latin name terra Scaniæ was used in the Middle Ages as a denomination for the easternmost parts of Denmark. At that time, dense forests and boggy ground blocked the northern provinces of Sweden from Skåneland, in comparison to the relative ease of travel by sea. It was therefore natural to draw the national borders on land. This is documented by Adam of Bremen in the 11th century when he visited Scania and Scandinavia and called it the richest and most important part of Denmark. Even in later periods as the roads gradually improved, some parts were still difficult to travel through, even through the 19th century. From 1104 the Danish archbishop had his residence in Lund; and it was also here the first Danish university was founded, the Lund Academy (1425-1536).

Skåneland - From the Kalmar Union to Denmark's Loss of Skåne Blekinge and Halland

By the end of the fourteenth century, the Finnish coast was under Swedish control, but Denmark was the most powerful of Scandinavian states. As a result, when the Kalmar Union was formed in 1397, the union was administered from Copenhagen. By 1471 Sweden had tired of Danish domination and rebelled under Sture family leadership. In 1503, when Sten Sture the Elder died, eastern Sweden’s independence from Denmark had been established.

In 1600 Denmark controlled virtually all land bordering on the Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the restricted Sound (Øresund). The current Swedish provinces of Skåne, Blekinge and Halland were still Danish and the province of Båhuslen was still Norwegian. Skåneland became the site of bitter battles, especially in the 16th and 17th century, as Denmark and Sweden confronted each other for control of the Baltic and of Swedish access to western trade. Danish historians often represent this as a period of unending Swedish aggression during which Sweden was continuously at war, while Swedish historians often represent this as "Sweden's Age of Greatness".

During the breakup of the Kalmar Union and 1814, Denmark and Sweden fought 11 times in Skåneland and other border provinces: 1563-70, 1611-1613, 1644-1645, 1657-1658; 1659-1661, 1674-1678, 1700, 1710-1721, 1788, 1808-1809, and 1814. The most notable periods of combat for Skåneland were the Northern Seven Years' War (1563–1570), the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and the Northern War(1655–1658).

• During the Northern Seven Years' War, attacks were launched on Sweden from Danish Halland in 1563, and Swedish counterattacks were launched against Danish provinces of Halland and Skåne in 1565 and 1569. In 1570 peace was finally agreed when the Swedish king withdrew the claims to Danish Skåne, Halland, Blekinge and Gotland, while the Danes withdrew their claims to Sweden as a whole.
• During the Thirty Years' War extensive combat took place in the Danish provinces of Skåne, Halland, and Blekinge. By the Peace of Brömsebro (1645) Denmark ceded the Norwegian provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen and agreed Sweden was to occupy the Danish province of Halland for 30 years as a guarantee of the treaty provisions.
• During what has been described as the Northern War (1655–1658), Danish attempts to recover control of Halland ended in a serious defeat administered by Sweden. As a result, in the Treaty of Roskilde (1658) Denmark ceded the provinces of Skåne, Blekinge and Halland (i.e., Skåneland).

Moberg, in his history of the Swedish people, provides a thoughtful discussion of the atrocities which were committed by both sides in the struggle over the border provinces, and identified them as the source of propaganda to inflame the peoples’ passions to continue the struggle. This lopsided representation was incorporated into history text books on the respective sides. As an example, Moberg compares the history texts he grew up with in Sweden which represented the Swedish soldier as ever pure and honorable to a letter written by Gustavus Adolphus celebrating the 24 Skånian parishes he’d helped level by fire, with the troops encouraged to rape and murder the population at will. One must infer that this Swedish behavior was mirrored equally on the Danish side. Skåneland was a rather unpleasant place to dwell for an extended period.

Skåneland - Assimilation with Sweden

Following the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, the Swedish government forcefully demanded Skåneland adopt Swedish customs and laws. Swedish became the only permitted language in the Church liturgy and in schools, books in Danish were not allowed to be printed, and all appointed politicians and priests were required to be Swedish. To promote education in Swedish the University of Lund was inaugurated in 1667, and the inhabitants of Scania were not allowed to enroll in Copenhagen University until the 19th century.

The population was initially opposed to the Swedish reforms, as can be ascertained from church records and court transcripts. The Swedes did encounter severe civil revolts in some areas, perhaps most notably in the Göinge district, in dense forest regions, and in northern Scania. The last civil revolts in Skåneland were peasant revolts early in the 19th century, but during that period the region was so integrated that, at the end of the century, Skåneland was declared to have been "fully incorporated with Swedish habits, customs and history".

The transformation of age-old customs, commerce and administration to the Swedish model could not be effected quickly or easily. In the first fifty years of the transition, the treatment of the population was rather ruthless, but thereafter it softened. Denmark, on the other hand, made several attempts to recapture Skåneland -- the last attempt in 1710, during which they almost recaptured the entire Skåneland until they were beaten back by Swedish armies and forced to withdraw.

Skåneland - Recent history

The complete history of Skåneland was not taught for a long time in schools in Skåneland, especially during periods with the immediate threat of revolt. Instead a Swedish-centric history was taught, and the Scanian history before 1658, for instance concerning the list of monarchs, was disregarded as a component of Danish history. In reaction, a movement began in the late 19th century to revive awareness of the history and culture of Skåneland. The renewed focus resulted in the publication of several books about Scanian history.

It is still disputed whether children of the Scanian Provinces should learn the local Danish-era history or the Swedish history for the period before 1658.

Skåneland - Swedish Governors-General

• Gustaf Otto Stenbock (1658 - 1664)
• Fabian von Fersen (1675 - 1677)
• Rutger von Ascheberg (1680 - 1693)
• Otto Vellingk (1693 - 1698)
• Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld (July 4, 1698- December 27, 1705)
• Magnus Stenbock (December 27, 1705-1711)
• Jacob von Burenskiöld (1711-1716)
• Carl Gustaf Skytte (1716-1719)
• Carl Gustaf Hård (1717-1719)

(See also: Governors-General of Sweden)

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki