The story of Sweden's Christianization begins in Birka, a prosperous trading town a few miles west of Stockholm. And if you wonder why the story begins here, almost 200 years before Sweden became Christian, it's because it was here that the Frankish missionary Ansgar first landed during the 800s. He did create a church that was active for a few years, but ultimately it was abandoned, and it would be another 200 years until Sweden began its Christianization process.
00:00:00.000The story of Sweden's christianization begins here in Birka, a few miles west of Stockholm.
00:00:26.860Birka was a prosperous trading town during the 700s up till the late 900s.
00:00:32.860From here came wares from all over Europe, including Russia, and even from destinations further away.
00:00:38.860As I mentioned in the previous video, silk from Sogdiana in China has been found in Uppsala,
00:00:44.860and Birka was indeed well situated geographically speaking to bring wares to Uppsala.
00:00:50.860Birka was the principal trading town in Svealand, whereas Uppsala was the religious and civic center.
00:00:56.860The most important exports from Birka, and thus Svealand, Sweden in general, were iron and furs.
00:01:03.860From the countries across the Baltic Sea came fine goods such as honey, beeswax, and linens.
00:01:09.860And the import of linen garments from the Baltic is a fine tradition that I endeavor to reignite.
00:01:15.860And a large and important part of the imports that came into Birka came from the powerful Frankish Empire to the south.
00:01:21.860Understanding Europe during the 800s is to a large part understanding the Frankish Empire.
00:01:26.860As I mentioned in the last video, the Great Germanic Migration Era had created numerous new kingdoms all over Europe.
00:01:33.860The most powerful kingdom, or rather empire, would become the Frankish one.
00:01:38.860The Frankish Empire, at the height of its power, encompassed large parts of France and Germany,
00:01:44.860and even more lands, as can be seen by this map.
00:01:47.860The reason for discussing the Frankish Empire when talking about Sweden's Christianization
00:01:52.860is because the influence of Christianity came from two major sources.
00:01:57.860The British one and the Frankish one.0.95
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.1.00
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.0.78
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.0.98
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.0.97
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,