History of Sweden

The history of Sweden goes back to when the Northern Polar Ice Caps melted. Humans have lived there since about 12000 BC. During the Stone Age, from 8000 BC to 6000 BC, early people made tools and weapons from stone for hunting, gathering, and fishing. Before AD 1000, not many written records about Sweden exist, and those were mostly from foreigners. It is generally agreed that Swedish recorded history begins in the late 10th century when sources are common and can be compared.

The modern Swedish state took a long time to unite and strengthen. Historians have different opinions on when it was fully formed. Some basic laws appeared in the late 13th century. At that time, Sweden included most of what is now the southern region (excluding Scania, Blekinge, Halland, and Bohuslän) and parts of today's Finland. In the centuries that followed, Swedish control grew to the North and East.

In the late 14th century, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway were joined together in the Kalmar Union. Over the next century, a number of revolts weakened Sweden's connection to the union, sometimes resulting in the election of a separate king for Sweden. The conflict peaked after the Stockholm Bloodbath in 1520, where Christian II of Denmark ordered the mass execution of accused heretics. Gustav Vasa, one of the few nobles not present, managed to start a new revolt and was crowned King in 1523. His rule lasted and ended Sweden's involvement in the Kalmar Union. Gustav Vasa also supported Protestant leaders, broke away from the Catholic Church, and founded the Lutheran Church in Sweden, taking over the property and wealth of the Catholic Church.

In the 17th century, after defeating Denmark–Norway, Russia, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden became a major power by controlling the Baltic Sea. Sweden's involvement in the Thirty Years' War shaped the political and religious balance in Europe. The Swedish Empire grew significantly into modern Estonia and Latvia, northern Germany, and areas still part of Sweden today.

Before the end of the 17th century, Denmark-Norway, Poland-Lithuania, and Russia formed a secret alliance against Sweden. This group took action at the beginning of the 18th century when Denmark-Norway and Poland surprised Sweden with attacks. In 1721, Russia and its allies won the war against Sweden. As a result, Russia took over Swedish lands like Estonia, Livonia, Ingria, and Karelia. This marked the end of the Swedish Empire and weakened its power over the Baltic Sea. Sweden became part of the Enlightenment movement, focusing on arts, architecture, science, and education. From 1570 to 1800, Sweden saw two times of city growth. Finland was lost to Russia in a war from 1808 to 1809.

In the early 1800s, Finland and other areas outside of Scandinavia were lost. Sweden's last war was the Swedish–Norwegian War (1814). Sweden won this war, causing the Danish king to give up Norway to Sweden. Norway then entered a personal union with Sweden that lasted until 1905. Since 1814, Sweden has been peaceful, following a non-aligned foreign policy and being neutral in wars. During World War I, Sweden stayed neutral but allowed Germans to travel through the country. The prosperity after the war helped build the social welfare policies of modern Sweden. In World War II, Sweden again stayed neutral, avoiding the occupation that Norway faced.

The country tried to avoid alliances and stay neutral throughout the Cold War, and refused to join NATO. The Social Democratic Party ran the government for 44 years (1932–1976). The 1976 elections led to a liberal/right-wing coalition taking over. During the Cold War, Sweden stayed neutral. The neutrality policy ended in 2022 due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Sweden officially joined NATO in March 2024.