Västergötland: Encyclopedia - Västergötland

Västergötland

Västergötland ▶ (help·info) is one of the historical provinces of Sweden (landskap), situated in the southwest of Sweden.

"Västergötland" literally means Western Götaland, where Götaland refers to the land of the Geats (a.k.a Goths). In older English literature one may also encounter the similar Vestergotland or the Latinized version Westrogothia.

The province borders Bohuslän, Dalsland, Värmland, Närke, Östergötland, Småland and Halland. It is also bounded by the two largest Swedish lakes Vänern and Vättern, and in a small strip to the Kattegat ocean, in which the largest city Gothenburg is situated.

Västergötland - Counties

Provinces serve no administrative function in Sweden today. Instead, that function is served by Counties of Sweden. Currently Västergötland is within the Västra Götaland County, which was formed in 1999, through a merge of Skaraborg County, Älvsborg County and Gothenburg and Bohus County. Västra Götaland County also includes the provinces Dalsland and Bohuslän.

The main exceptions are the Municipalities of Habo and Mullsjö, which are part of Jönköping County but still situated with the province Västergötland.

Västergötland - Population

As of 2004 Västergötland had a population of 1,198,806. It was distributed over four counties:

Västergötland - Geography

The southern and eastern part of the province is dominated by hills, belonging to the southern Swedish highlands. The province north and west belong to the central Swedish plains, which in this parts are referred to as the Västgöta-plains or Västgöta-slätten.

Along Kattegat lies the archipelo usually known as the Gothenburg archipelago. The southern part of it, belonging to Gothenburg Municipality, is part of Västergötland.

The north-west border is marked by Sweden's largest lake Vänern, and the north-eastern border is marked by Sweden's second lake Vättern. Shores by lake Vänern within the province amounts to 330 kilometers; along Vättern to 130 kilometers. The larger river is Göta älv which drains Vänern to the east shore and the Kattegat strait; along the river several important cities and towns have been situated for centuries.

The average rainfall is 900 mm by the coast and 600 mm in the plains. The average temperature is -1 °C in January and 15 °C in July.

• Highest mountain: Galtåsen 362 meters
• National parks: Tiveden, Djurö

Västergötland - Cities

• Alingsås (1619)
• Borås (1622)
• Falköping (approximately 1200)
• Gothenburg (1621)
• Hjo (approximately 1400)
• Lidköping (1446)
• Mariestad (1583)
• Mölndal (1922)
• Skara (approximately 988)
• Skövde (approximately 1400)
• Tidaholm (1910)
• Trollhättan (1916)
• Ulricehamn (approximately 1400)
• Vänersborg (1644)

The largest city is Gothenburg, located by the eastern shore with a significant harbour commerce.

Västergötland - History

Västergötland - Prehistory and middle ages

There are many ancient remains in Västergötland, and most prominent are probably the dolmens from the Funnelbeaker culture, in the Falköping area south of lake Vänern.

The population of Västergötland, the Geats appear in the writings of the Greek Ptolemaios (as Goutai). The province of Västergötland represents the heartland of Götaland, and it is believed that it was once an independent petty kingdom with a long line of Geatish kings. These are mainly described in foreign sources (Frankish), and through legends. It is possible that Västergötland had the same king as the rest of Sweden at the time of the monk Ansgar's mission to Sweden in the 9th century, but both date and nature of its inclusion into the Swedish kingdom is a matter of much debate. Some dating it as early as the 6th century, based on the Beowulf epos; others dating it as late as the 12th century.

Around year 1000 King Olof Skötkonung is held to have received baptism in Husaby, near lake Vänern. However, the christianization was met with heavy opposition in the rest of his kingdom, and so Olof had to restrict the Christian activities to Västergötland. The Christian faith was spread, and by the time the provincial law Västgötalagen was written in the 13th century, Västergötland had 517 churches. The seat of the areas diocese seems to originally have been Husaby, but since 1150 the city Skara (just some 20 kilometers south) permanentely overtook that distinction.

From the election of Stenkil in the 11th century, Swedish and Geatish dynasties vied for the control of Sweden during long civil wars. For instance, the Swedish king Ragnvald Knaphövde was elected king by the Swedes, but when he entered Västergötland, he chose not to demand hostage from the powerful Geatish clans and was slain by the Geats near Falköping. Several times, Västergötland was independent from Sweden with kings such as Inge I of Sweden and Magnus the Strong. The area was successively closer tied to the Swedish kingdom.

Being in peace with Sweden did not mean being in peace. Located along the borders of Denmark (the so called Scanian lands) and Norway (with the Bohus County), the area was often involved in armed disputed and invaded by hostile armies.

Some places and dates of early battles were the Battle of Älgarås (1205), the Battle of Lena (1208), the Battle of Hova (1275), the Battle of Gälakvist (1279) and the Battle of Falköping (1389). Thereafter Sweden was involved in the Sweden-Dano wars; some notable years 1452, 1511, 1520, 1566, 1612, 1676.

In 1658 the current borders of Sweden were established when Sweden annected both the Scanian lands and Bohus County. Västergötland became less exposed as it was further from the country borders. Sea side battles at the end of Nordic Seven Years' War in the 1670s were the last of Västergötlands warlike involvations.

Sources:

• Nordisk Familjebok (link below).

Västergötland - 16th century and after

In 1634 the province was modernized with the establishment of two counties: Skaraborg County (with Skara as capital) and Älvsborg County (Capital first in Gothenburg but after 1679 in Vänersborg).

Västergötland - Heraldry

Västergötland was granted its arms at the time of the funeral of Gustav Vasa in 1560. The province is also a duchy and the arms can be represented with the ducal coronet. Blazon: "Per bend sinister Sable and Or, a Lion rampant counterchanged langued and armed Gules between two Mullets Argent in the Sable field."

Västergötland - Dukes of Västergötland

Since 1772, Swedish Kings have created princes as Dukes of various provinces - with purely nominal titles.

• Prince Carl (1861-1951)
• Crown Princess Victoria (since the succession reform of 1980)

Västergötland - Culture

Västergötland - Tongue

In Västergötland the Götaland dialect of Swedish is spoken. The dialect has several varieties like the ones spoken in Gothenburg and Sjuhärad, but the main dialectal variety is the Western Götaland dialect, Västgötska.

The dialect was first delt with as early as 1772, by S. Hofs in his Dialectus vestrogothica, which was a vocabulary with a grammar introduction. [1]

Västergötland - Sights

The Läckö Castle is situated on the island Kållandsö in the Vänern lake. It is generally regarded as one of Sweden's finest Baroquecastles. The island was actually the location of a fortress as early as 1298, but the current building was begun on in 1615 during supervision by first Jacob de la Gardie and then finished by his son Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie.

Karlsborg Fortress is another impressive building in the province.

Västergötland - Hundreds

Hundreds of Sweden were sub-divisions of the Swedish provinces until early 20th century. Several of Västergötland's hundreds were described already in the first Västgötalagen in the 13th century. Västergötlands hundreds were:

• Ale
• Askim
• Barne
• Bjärke
• Bollebygd
• Eastern Hisingen
• Flundre
• Frökind
• Gudhem
• Gäsene
• Kåkind

• Kålland
• Kind
• Kinne
• Kinner Quarter
• Kulling
• Laske
• Mark
• Mo
• Redväg
• Skånings

• Vadsbo
• Valle
• Vartofta
• Veden
• Vilske
• Viste
• Väne
• Vätle
• Ås
• Åse

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