Kalmar Union

Margaret of Denmark, Norway & Sweden (1389) effigy 2010 (2)

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Erik I, 1382-1459, hertig av Pommern konung av Danmark Norge och Sverige - Nationalmuseum - 15058.tif

Christopher of Bavaria crop

Christian I of Denmark, Norway & Sweden 1440s

John II of Sweden sculpture c 1530 (photo 2009)

Kalmar Union was a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden (then including most of Finland's area), and Norway under a single monarch, lasting from 1397 to 1523. The union was a complex and fluctuating political entity that varied greatly in its extent and power over the centuries, but it played a significant role in the history of Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

Background

The formation of the Kalmar Union was primarily motivated by the Scandinavian countries' desire to protect themselves against the expansion of the German Hanseatic League and to maintain the Baltic Sea trade. The union was initiated by the Danish queen Margrethe I, who became the reigning monarch of Denmark and Norway (including its overseas dependencies in the North Atlantic) and managed to bring Sweden under her control through the Treaty of Kalmar.

Formation

The official foundation of the Kalmar Union took place at a meeting in the Swedish city of Kalmar in 1397, where the nobles of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden agreed to elect Erik of Pomerania as king of all three countries. This agreement was supposed to create a single, strong monarchy that could defend itself against foreign aggression and promote mutual interests among the Scandinavian nations.

Structure and Governance

The union was not a unified state in the modern sense but rather a collection of sovereign kingdoms that shared a common monarch and foreign policy. Each country retained its own laws, administration, and institutions, and the union's central authority was often weak. The monarch's power was frequently challenged by the local nobility, leading to internal conflicts and periods of civil war, especially in Sweden.

Decline and Dissolution

The Kalmar Union was marked by internal strife and conflicts, particularly between the Danish crown and the Swedish nobility. The frequent wars with the Hanseatic League, Russia, and the Teutonic Knights, along with the struggle to maintain control over the Baltic Sea trade, weakened the union. The situation was further complicated by the rise of nationalistic sentiments in Sweden, leading to several rebellions against the union.

The union effectively ended in 1523 when Gustav Vasa was elected King of Sweden, marking Sweden's final secession from the union. Denmark and Norway remained united under the same monarch until 1814, when Norway entered into a union with Sweden.

Legacy

The Kalmar Union had a lasting impact on the political landscape of Northern Europe. It demonstrated the challenges of maintaining a union between distinct nations with their own interests and identities. The union's history is a testament to the complex interplay of power, politics, and national identity in medieval Scandinavia.