Intro to the Middle Ages

In Sweden, the Middle Ages span roughly from AD 1050 to 1520. The period was marked by major social changes, the establishment of Christianity and the rise of royal power. The medieval era laid the foundation for modern Sweden. Explore it in several permanent exhibitions at the Swedish History Museum.

Viking Age
AD 800 – AD 1100
Middle Ages
AD 1050 – AD 1520
Modern Age
AD 1520 – AD 2025

Hand with white glove presses down pages in an open book — Sweden's oldest book, the Vallentuna Calendar, from the Middle Ages is in the collections of The Swedish History Museum. Photo: Andreas Hamrin, The Swedish History Museum/SHM (CC BY 4.0).

At the beginning of the Middle Ages, Sweden was not yet a united kingdom but consisted of various small kingdoms and chiefdoms. Christianity began to take hold during the 11th century, gradually replacing the old Norse pagan faith. Missionaries from Germany and England played an important role in the conversion, but it was only when kings such as Olof Skötkonung were baptised that Christianity truly began to establish itself.

Coin from the time of Olof Skötkonung

On view at Historiska museet in the exhibition Vikingarnas världFind this object in display 91, Vikingarnas värld Monter 91

The Church’s growing power affected both social structure and living conditions. Buildings such as bishops’ residences and monasteries, built of brick, came to dominate the growing towns. The Church became not only a religious authority but also a political and economic force with vast landholdings.

A kingdom takes place

During the 12th and 13th centuries, royal power grew stronger. Birger Jarl, father of King Valdemar, is often seen as one of the founders of the Swedish kingdom. He introduced laws, founded towns and helped make Sweden more centrally governed. At the same time, people began to speak of Sweden as a united kingdom, even though in practice there were still large regional differences.

As towns expanded, trade and crafts became more organised through written laws and regulations. The kingdom’s administration also became more structured. The provincial laws, such as the Uppland Law, show both how society worked and how the legal system developed.

Two medieval wooden sculptures on an alterpiece

Medieval sculptures and paintings in the collections. Photo: Pia Bengtsson Melin and Lennart Karlsson, The Swedish History Museum/SHM (CC BY 4.0).

Towns, trade and farmers

During the Middle Ages, the first Swedish towns emerged. Sigtuna, Visby, Stockholm, Kalmar and Uppsala are some examples. The towns became trading centres and hubs for both domestic and international trade. The Hanseatic League, a German trade network, gained great influence in the Baltic Sea region and thus also in Sweden.

Despite the growth of towns, Sweden was mainly an agricultural society. Most people lived in the countryside and worked as farmers. The majority were freeholding farmers, which set Sweden apart from many other European countries where feudalism was more widespread. At the same time, there were also serfs and tenant farmers who rented land from the Church or the nobility.

Medieval painting of man in different stages of life around a wooden wheel — The wheel of life. Detail of a painted ceiling of Albertus Pictor in Härkeberga church, Sweden. Photo: Lennart Karlsson, The Swedish History Museum/SHM (CC BY 4.0).

The black death

One of the greatest changes of the Middle Ages did not come through organisation but because of a disaster. The black death, or plague, reached Europe in 1347. The first known outbreaks were in China between 1331 and 1334. The plague then spread quickly along the trade routes that linked east and west. It reached Genoa and Venice from Crimea in 1347.

About one third of Europe’s population died from the plague during the Middle Ages, causing large parts of society to stop functioning. Towns were hit hard, and the shortage of labour in the countryside led to famine.

Medival painting of a man talking to a skeleton — Person playing chess with a skeleton. Detail of painting by Albertus Pictor in Täby church, Sweden. Photo: Lennart Karlsson, The Swedish History Museum/SHM (CC BY 4.0).

The end of the Middle Ages – the Kalmar Union and the Reformation

At the end of the Middle Ages, in 1397, the Kalmar Union was formed. It was a political union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden under a single monarch. However, the union was unstable, and many in Sweden disliked Danish influence. This discontent led to several uprisings, the most famous being the Engelbrekt Rebellion in the 1430s.

The boundary between the Middle Ages and the early modern period in Sweden is usually marked by Gustav Vasa becoming king, around the time of the Stockholm bloodbath in 1520 and his coronation in 1523.

Portrait of Gustav Vasa — Detail of a portrait of Gustav Vasa. Unknown artist. Photo: Nationalmuseum (Public Domain).

A historical period

The Middle Ages are the first period that can truly be described as a historical era. This means there are written sources from Sweden that describe it. The earlier periods — the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age — are called prehistoric because we know them only or mainly through archaeological evidence. From the Middle Ages, we have both written and archaeological sources. This is useful because they complement each other. Often, written material from the Middle Ages tells a completely or partly different story from the archaeological remains. In the archaeological sources, the lives of ordinary people can also be seen in a very different way.

Person in medieval clothes — Reconstruction of medieval clothing. Photo: Katarina Nimmervoll, The Swedish History Museum/SHM.

Learn more about the Middle Ages

At the Swedish History Museum, you can explore the medieval times in several permanent exhibitions: Medieval Art, Medieval Life, The History of Sweden and The Gold Room. Read on to see what traces and objects the people of the past left behind for us.

Summary

The Middle Ages in Sweden lasted roughly from AD 1050 to 1520 and were shaped by the introduction of Christianity, the growth of royal power and a more organised society. The Church gained great influence, and towns such as Stockholm, Visby and Kalmar became important trade centres. Most people lived as farmers. A major disaster was the black death, or plague, in the 14th century, when a large part of Europe’s population died. The period ended with the conflicts of the Kalmar Union and Gustav Vasa’s rise to power in the 1520s.

Selected articles on the Middle Ages

The Skeleton Tells of a Brutal Fate

A young woman who lived in the Middle Ages had a remarkable life story. She starved as a child, limped as an adult, and towards the end of her life suffered from shin splints caused by chronic inflammation. In the end, she met her death by decapitation.

Medieval saint: Henry

The feast day for Henry in Sweden comes from a medieval bishop called Henry. He was an English bishop who spread Christianity in Finland during the 12th century. He was killed by a farmer and canonised shortly afterwards. He is remembered as the Apostle of Finland, or its missionary envoy.

3D: Drinking horn with mythical creatures

Drinking horns have been used for several thousand years during celebrations and festivals. In the Middle Ages, horns were used by royalty, wealthy individuals, and priests. They were often decorated with animal motifs, patterns, and various inscriptions.

Objects from Swedish churches

In the Middle Ages, churches had special objects used during religious services. These were called liturgical vessels and could include items such as water jugs, bowls, incense burners, or containers for communion bread. You can see many of these fascinating and beautifully decorated objects in the exhibition Medieval Life.

Who was Saint Lucy?

The Swedish celebration of Lucia (Saint Lucy's Day) has its roots in a saint, Lucy. She was a holy virgin who lived in Syracuse, Sicily, in the third century. The Lucia celebration as we know it today became common in the 1950s, but depictions of Lucia already existed in the Middle Ages. A religious garment in the collections of the Swedish History Museum is unique in Sweden, showing her martyrdom.

Sweden’s oldest book

In the Middle Ages, travelling was far more difficult and dangerous than today. Yet people set out on pilgrimages, trade journeys, or to give court testimonies. It is rare that we know anything about the routes taken by individual travellers. But one trace we can follow is preserved in the Vallentuna calendar, Sweden’s oldest book.

3D: A three-legged ceramic pot

This three-legged medieval pot is made of ceramic about 400 years ago and was used for cooking or preparing food. This pot was found outside Kalmar Castle.

Saint Bridget – Sweden’s most famous woman

Birgitta Birgersdotter, or Saint Bridget, is one of the most famous people of the Middle Ages. She grew up in a wealthy and powerful family and learned to read and write, which was unusual for girls at the time. Even as a child, she experienced religious visions. As an adult, she was canonized by the Pope in Rome. There are many depictions of Saint Bridget in the collections of the Swedish History Museum.

Knights in the Middle Ages

Explore a helmet worn by a medieval knight. Made of iron, the Aranäs helmet is one of the few well-preserved helmets from the 13th century in Europe.

Kettil – Sweden’s most powerful medieval man

Bishop Kettil Karlsson was a vigorous figure who launched wars and toppled kings, all while carrying out his religious duties. Being a bishop in the 15th century meant something rather different from what it does today.

How is the age of an object determined?

In archaeology, there are several methods for both relative and absolute dating.

The world’s oldest organ

At the Swedish History Museum you can see two of the world’s oldest musical organs. They are no longer playable but still preserve their original painted decoration.

Staffan the Stable Boy

Ballads about Staffan, one of Sweden’s oldest traditional songs, have been sung since the Middle Ages. But he often confused with the saint and martyr Stephen. But who was this Stephen the stable boy? The legends about his life are colourful and imaginative, yet entirely without historical basis.

Catherine Sunesdotter – a medieval queen

Catherine Sunesdotter was one of Sweden’s rulers. When she was declared of age upon her husband’s death, she gained the right to make her own decisions and to dispose of her great wealth. Much of her property she gave to a convent. Today, you can see her tomb monument at the Swedish History Museum.

Medieval professions and the feudal system

Medieval society is often described as a society of estates, or a feudal society. The main groups consisted of peasants, burghers, clergy, and the nobility or aristocracy. People were born into these groups, and very few moved between social classes.

Iron and copper mining in the Middle Ages

Iron was Sweden’s most important export during the Middle Ages. It is not entirely known how the knowledge of extracting iron ore and smelting it in blast furnaces, known as “hyttor”, first reached Sweden. Copper also began to be mined during this period, for example in Falun.

The grave of Ulf Gudmarsson

When the antiquarian Leonard Rääf cleared the overgrown ruins of Alvastra Abbey in 1827, he discovered a gravestone broken in two pieces. The stone was the grave of Saint Bridget’s husband, Ulf Gudmarsson. Today it can be seen at the Swedish History Museum.

Medieval saints: John

John was the youngest of Jesus’ disciples and is often called John the Evangelist. According to legend, he survived two attempts on his life. Several depictions of John can be found in the collections of the Swedish History Museum.

Exhibition

Medieval Art

Painted wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary

Exhibition

Medieval Life

Exhibition

History of Sweden

Influential people and events, from the 11th century to today.

Exhibition

The Gold Room

See unique gold and silver jewels and sparkling treasures.

How we work with knowledge at the Swedish History Museum

The Swedish History Museum is part of the government agency National Historical Museums. The agency employs experts in various fields, such as history, archaeology, conservation, and more. The texts on the website are produced in collaboration between different experts, educators, and other staff. The texts have been fact-checked and are based on established research. In some cases, written sources are lacking and the physical remains are limited and ambiguous, especially far back in time. In such cases, the material is interpreted by the experts. However, the interpretations are always based on research.

Text summaries and translations have been created with the help of AI and have been fact-checked.

If you have questions about the factual background of our texts, please contact webb@historiska.se.

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