Scandinavian History Podcast

02/08/2024

A new episode has dropped!

After the death of Gustavus Adolphus, his trusted advisor and chancellor Axel Oxenstierna was left to pick up the pieces. In the years that followed, he worked tirelessly to avoid a total collapse of the Swedish positions on the continent. It was not an easy job.

A chronological journey through the history of Scandinavia from the last ice age to the dawn of the space age. Geographically, we cover the five modern Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Finland—as well as a few other bits and pieces here and there where it‘s relevant. Visi...

29/07/2024

Happy National Day, to all my Faroese followers!

25/07/2024

A few tips if you're going to Denmark this summer.

24/07/2024

Continuing the theme of 19th century paintings of 17th century events, here's one depicting the death of Gustavus Adolphus at the battle of Lützen in episode 89 (or in the year 1632, if you prefer that way of counting).

It was painted in 1855 by Carl Wahlbom. You can admire the original at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm.

23/07/2024

22/07/2024

The results from the poll about episode 88 ("Breitenfeld") are in! This is how you, honored listeners and aimless social media scrollers, voted:

Question: What do you think Gustavus Adolphus should do after Breitenfeld?

Make peace and go home (45.8%)
Try capturing Vienna (29.2%)
Pillage and plunder! (25%)

The fact that a quarter of you would have made excellent 17th century generals scares me ever so slightly.

19/07/2024

It's every other Friday, and as usual that means it's time for another episode!

This time we continue to follow the exploits (and exploitations) of the victorious Swedish army in the Holy Roman Empire in 1632. In the fall that year, they were back where they had started a year earlier, on a muddy field outside Leipzig, ready to fight a new Imperial army.

Link in the first comment.

17/07/2024

Not sure how I feel about this ''compliment''. 😃

08/07/2024

I bet you're dying to know the result from the Spotify poll for Episode 87 ("Pray, Child, Pray!").

The torment is over, because the results are in!

The question was: "After listening to Episode 87, which event do you think most helped the Swedes?"

You answered:
Wallenstein's dismissal (28.6%)
The fall of Magdeburg (33.3%)
French financial support (38.1%)

I can't believe so many of you took Wallenstein getting the boot so lightly.

A new poll for Episode 88 is now live. Go listen to the episode and then vote!

06/07/2024

Jackson Crawford is visiting the birthplace of Leif Eriksson in Iceland, and so should you!

hurstwic.com/fire

05/07/2024

OK, so it's in the middle of summer and you're probably enjoying the sun on some beach, trying to ignore the loud music the people next to you are playing and wondering how so much sand got into your swimming trunks.

But if it's raining where you are, here's something to pass the time: a brand new episode of the Scandinavian History Podcast!

In September 1631, the Swedish and the Imperial armies finally stood face to face. The battle took place just north of Leipzig in Saxony, close to the village of Breitenfeld. It turned out to be the ultimate test for the new Swedish military tactics.

Link in the first comment.

03/07/2024

Meanwhile, in Oslo, the construction work on the new Viking Age museum is progressing.

Can you see where the Viking ships will be exhibited? The construction of the new Museum of the Viking Age is proceeding. This photo was taken earlier this week and we really enjoy following the progress! 👷
Kan du se hvor vikingskipene skal stilles ut? Byggingen av det nye vikingtidsmuseet pågår for fullt. Dette bildet ble tatt tidligere denne uken, og vi elsker å se hvordan museet vokser frem! 👷

📷 Statsbygg

02/07/2024

This is pretty cool. For context, we covered the Danish invasion of Gotland and the battle at Visby back in episode 48, ''A New Dawn''.

Resurrecting the Face of a Medieval Legend: Researchers Recreate 14th-Century Warrior from 1361 😲😲😲

The pages of history are filled with fascinating stories, yet accurately portraying events from centuries past often poses a challenge. However, thanks to remarkable technological advancements, scientists have been able to meticulously reconstruct the facial features of a man who perished in the pivotal Battle of Visby in Sweden during 1361, a clash considered one of the most brutal in European history.

As the facial features were meticulously restored, a window into the past was unveiled, allowing us to gaze upon the visage of a man who lived and fought during a tumultuous era of history. The reconstructed face stands as a powerful reminder of the human stories that often fade with the passage of time, enabling us to better grasp the profound impact of historical events on the lives of ordinary individuals caught in the midst of turbulent times.

See more in the comments.👇👇

25/06/2024

When the latest episode dropped on Friday, the Spotify poll for episode 86 closed. And the results are in!

The question was: Did Gustavus Adolphus really go to war to protect German Protestants?

And the results:

1) Yes definitely! (24%)
2) No he was after money (44%)
3) No he just liked fighting (32%)

I guess that settles that age-old debate among historians of early modern Europe. Thank you for your help, to all those who voted.

A new poll for episode 87 is live on Spotify right now. Vote!

25/06/2024

Remember the incident when Gustavus Adolphus slipped and fell, so he decided to prentend he had meant to pray? At the Royal Armory in Stockholm they've obviously chosen to commemorate the event by recreating it.

Dagens datum. 25 juni. Som vanligt återskapar vi Gustav II Adolfs landstigning i Pommern.

21/06/2024

Episode 87 has dropped! Hear all the latest news about the Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years' War!

Most German Protestants weren’t particularly happy about the Swedes showing up, but Gustavus Adolphus didn’t care. He had come to save them–whether they wanted to or not.

Link to the episode in the first comment.

17/06/2024

Vet du hva som skjedde 17. juni 1397?

17/06/2024

Happy Independence Day, Iceland!

14/06/2024

Are you looking for a stylish coffee mug to spread some Viking cheer at the office? Look no further! In the Scandinavian History Podcast webshop you can find this and many other excellent options. Link in the first comment.

07/06/2024

Some AI-generated images to illustrate this week's episode. What do you think? Stupid or stylish?

07/06/2024

Not only is the weekend just around the corner: the latest episode of the show has dropped!

After the wars in Russia and Poland finally started to wind down, the thrill-junkie on the Swedish throne decided he also wanted to try his luck playing the role of Savior of German Protestants.

Link to the episode in the first comment.

27/05/2024

Summer etiquette dictates that men can only wear shorts in town ''under certain conditions''. In this PSA, the Royal Armory in Stockholm helpfully illustrates these conditions.

Sant.

24/05/2024

It's Friday, so obviously the good people at the Royal Armory in Stockholm reinact the Sture murders.

24/05/2024

A new episode has dropped!

This time, we follow Christian IV of Denmark when he (encouraged by the success in the Kalmar War) intervenes in the Thirty Years' War.

Encouraged by his success in the war against Sweden, Christian IV decided to get involved in the developing conflict in the Holy Roman Empire. He was convinced that a military genius like him would be able to save his Protestant coreligionists from the Catholic threat.

13/05/2024

Planning a trip to Scandinavia this summer, but you don't trust Google Maps? Then the Swedish Royal Library has you covered. Here, for instance, is a map of the Baltic Sea in the shape of Charon, the ferryman of the dead, from Greek mythology.

Dags att planera semestern? Här kommer förslag på destinationer i en lite ovanlig karta – Östersjön i form av färjkarlen Charon från grekisk mytologi.

🧔 Skåne
💪 Danzig
🦵 Helsingfors
🦶 Torneå

Bilden ingår i en resebok från 1701 av Olof Rudbeck den yngre. Se fler fantasifulla kartor på KB:s webbplats: kb.se/fantasikartor

10/05/2024

King Frederik X of Denmark recently finished an official visit to Sweden. Everywhere he went, he was greeted by cheering Swedes. Not all visits by Danish kings have been so popular.

Like the one in 1610 for instance.

Hear all about it in the latest episode: the Kalmar War.

Christian IV of Denmark wanted to prove that he was a proper king. So he started a war against Sweden to win glory and, hopefully, reestablish the Kalmar Union.