First Swedish Crusade
Encyclopedia
First Swedish Crusade is a legendary military expedition presumably in the 1150s that has traditionally been seen as the conquest of Finland
by Sweden
, with pagan Finns converting to Christianity
. According to the legend, the crusade was conducted by King Eric IX of Sweden
. Bishop Henry
of Uppsala accompanied him and remained in Finland later to become a martyr there.
The actuality of the crusade is debated amongst academics. No archaeological data give any support for it, and no surviving written source describes Finland under Swedish rule before the end of 1240s. Furthermore, the diocese and bishop of Finland are not listed among their Swedish counterparts before the 1250s.
At the time, leading the leiðangr was the responsibility of the jarl
. This has resulted in a theory that Eric conducted the expedition before he became the king, or at least a pretender for the throne. Legends give no year for the expedition, and attempts to date it to an exact year in the 1150s are all much later speculations. All that is known about king Eric and bishop Henry is that they most probably held important positions in Sweden sometime in the mid-12th century.
Worth noting is also the fact that the Swedish bishop normally involved in the eastern campaigns was the Bishop of Linköping
, not the Bishop of Uppsala.
The mid-12th century was nevertheless very violent time in the northern Baltic sea, with Finns and Swedes in frequent conflicts with Novgorod. As a part of that, a Swedish military expedition may have taken place also against Finland. Noteworthy is especially the short story in the First Novgorod Chronicle that in 1142 a Swedish "prince" and bishop accompanied by a fleet of 60 ships plundered just three Novgorodian merchant vessels somewhere "on the other side of the sea", obviously being after something more important.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
by Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, with pagan Finns converting to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. According to the legend, the crusade was conducted by King Eric IX of Sweden
Eric IX of Sweden
Eric "IX" of Sweden, , also called Eric the Lawgiver, Erik the Saint, Eric the Holy and in Sweden Sankt Erik meaning Saint Eric was a Swedish king c.1155 – 1160...
. Bishop Henry
Bishop Henry
Saint Henry was a medieval English clergyman...
of Uppsala accompanied him and remained in Finland later to become a martyr there.
The actuality of the crusade is debated amongst academics. No archaeological data give any support for it, and no surviving written source describes Finland under Swedish rule before the end of 1240s. Furthermore, the diocese and bishop of Finland are not listed among their Swedish counterparts before the 1250s.
At the time, leading the leiðangr was the responsibility of the jarl
Jarl in Sweden
In Sweden, members of medieval royal families, such as the House of Stenkil and House of Bjelbo, held the title of jarl before their accession to the throne. Since the early 12th century, there usually was only one holder of the title at a time, second only to the King of Sweden.For special...
. This has resulted in a theory that Eric conducted the expedition before he became the king, or at least a pretender for the throne. Legends give no year for the expedition, and attempts to date it to an exact year in the 1150s are all much later speculations. All that is known about king Eric and bishop Henry is that they most probably held important positions in Sweden sometime in the mid-12th century.
Worth noting is also the fact that the Swedish bishop normally involved in the eastern campaigns was the Bishop of Linköping
Bishop of Linköping
-Before the reformation:* Herbert?* Rikard?* 1139-1160s Gisle* 1170-1171 Stenar* 1187-1195/96 Kol* Johannes* 1216-1220 Karl Magnusson* 1220-1236 Bengt Magnusson* 1236-1258 Lars* 1258-1283 Henrik* 1258-1286 Bo...
, not the Bishop of Uppsala.
The mid-12th century was nevertheless very violent time in the northern Baltic sea, with Finns and Swedes in frequent conflicts with Novgorod. As a part of that, a Swedish military expedition may have taken place also against Finland. Noteworthy is especially the short story in the First Novgorod Chronicle that in 1142 a Swedish "prince" and bishop accompanied by a fleet of 60 ships plundered just three Novgorodian merchant vessels somewhere "on the other side of the sea", obviously being after something more important.
See also
- Second Swedish CrusadeSecond Swedish CrusadeThe Second Swedish Crusade was a Swedish military expedition to areas in present-day Finland by Birger jarl in the 13th century. As a result of the crusade, Finland became permanently part of Sweden for the next 550 years.-Year of the crusade:...
- Third Swedish CrusadeThird Swedish CrusadeThe Third Swedish Crusade was a Swedish military expedition to Karelia in 1293, an area controlled by Novgorod. As the result of the attack, Viborg Castle was established and western Karelia remained under Swedish rule for over 400 years....
- Northern CrusadesNorthern CrusadesThe Northern Crusades or Baltic Crusades were crusades undertaken by the Christian kings of Denmark and Sweden, the German Livonian and Teutonic military orders, and their allies against the pagan peoples of Northern Europe around the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea...
- Bishop Fulco