00:02:00.860And if you wonder why the story begins here in Birka, almost 200 years before Sweden became Christian,
00:02:06.860it's because it was here the Frankish missionary Ansgar first landed during the 800s.
00:02:12.860He did create a church that was active for a few years, but ultimately it was abandoned,
00:02:18.860and it would be another 200 years until Sweden began its Christianization process.
00:02:23.860Although Sweden didn't become Christian overnight, it was a gradual process over the entire Middle Ages.
00:02:28.860And many pagan beliefs, just as in most of Europe, clinged on and took the shape of Catholic holidays, for example.
00:02:35.860So, even though Ansgar failed to bring Christianity to Sweden, Sweden became Christian eventually.
00:02:45.860And the question is, how did Sweden become Christian? Why did Sweden become Christian?
00:02:51.860And it's actually a matter more of politics rather than spirituality.
00:02:57.860As the Viking Age draw to its conclusion, if you will, the Vikings or the Scandinavians got tighter connections to England and Germany and great empires of the continent.
00:03:11.860The Vikings also realized that the Christian kingdoms were quite powerful indeed.
00:03:17.860So, one could argue that it's actually the powerful aspect of Christianity that was appealing to the Vikings here in Sweden, for example.
00:03:27.860And a difference between how the various Nordic countries become Christian differs a bit.
00:03:32.860So, in Norway you had a quite brutal king, Olav, who took the sword to anyone who didn't want to become Christian, basically.
00:03:40.860And if we're talking about Christianity as a state religion, it is a better option for a ruler, for a centralized king than paganism is.
00:03:51.860Just based upon the teachings of Christianity versus paganism.
00:03:56.860Where paganism is a bit more suited to someone who is wild, people that is wild, a bit more chaotic.
00:04:03.860Whereas if you want to cement a kingdom, if you want to create a kingdom where everything is a bit more centralized, you have a king who is chosen by God himself.
00:04:13.860It's easier to rule a bit more calm people, so to speak.
00:04:19.860So, in Norway it was a bloody and dramatic affair.
00:04:23.860In Sweden it was more or less to do with trade and connections to the continent.
00:04:30.860So, Birka, for example, where we are, a central hub of trade.
00:04:35.860Both east, primarily, to the Viking colonies in Russia, for example, but also to all of the Baltic.
00:04:44.860So, Christianity was a good choice for Swedes to adapt, to get closer to the continent culturally and spiritually.
00:04:52.860So, it was a good deal. It was a good deal to get on the winning team, so to speak.
00:04:57.860So, the pagan world was a bit outdated.
00:05:00.860The new, modern, powerful was on the continent and the continent was Christian.
00:05:06.860So, it might have been the case that they looked towards England with its advanced statescraft.
00:05:11.860They looked towards France or the Frankish kingdom or to Germany.
00:05:16.860So, the majestic cathedrals, churches and heavy knights.
00:05:21.860And so, that is the way to go. This white Christ is a powerful entity.
00:05:28.860And also, if we're talking about polytheism, if you have many gods, it's easier to adapt yet another god,
00:05:36.860who is quite similar to Balder, as I mentioned in the last episode.
00:05:40.860So, if you have this white Christ, it might be a good idea to have him on your side.
00:05:44.860And if you already have eight or so gods or three main deities and then you want to add in another god,
00:05:50.860whose disciples and whose kingdoms are so powerful, why take the chance to not go with that god as well?
00:05:57.860So, that could be another aspect seen from a religious point of view, why the Swedes, Swedish Vikings adapted Christianity.
00:06:06.860But my analysis, and I'm hardly the first one to present this, is that it was probably mostly to do with a way to get closer in terms of trade,
00:06:16.860in terms of cultural exchange, in terms of getting to the same power level as the other kingdoms on the continent and Denmark, for example.
00:06:27.860So, 200 years earlier, when Ansgar was here, the kingdoms of the continent in England,
00:06:33.860they weren't as prepared to face off against the Viking raiders.
00:06:36.860But 200 years later, as we draw up to the 11th century, they were a bit more used to it.
00:06:44.860They had better military capacity to fight off Viking invaders.
00:06:49.860So, Sweden, for example, had to adapt to it.
00:06:53.860So, that could be said to be the reason for Sweden becoming Christian.
00:06:58.860Then I'm sure there are plenty of different explanations as to why this happened.
00:07:04.860But for a king who's out for power, it made perfect sense.
00:07:14.860The different nations in Europe dealt with the Vikings in different manners.
00:07:19.860A notable example is how the Frankish king dealt with the Vikings.
00:07:24.860He invited the Normans, or the people who would become the Normans,