Second Swedish Crusade
Encyclopedia
The 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.
in 1250 and Birger jarl
getting elevated to the position of jarl
in 1248. The so-called "Detmar Chronicle" of Lübeck
from around 1340 confirms the expedition with a short note that Birger jarl submitted Finland under Swedish rule. From other sources, Birger jarl is known to have been absent from Sweden in winter 1249-50. Later on, the conquest of Finland was redated
to 1150s by the official Swedish legends, crediting the national saint King Eric
for it.
The point of time when the attack took place has been somewhat disputed. Attempts have been made to date the attack either to 1239 or to 1256. Neither date has received wide acceptance.
Sweden's sudden determination to take over Finland has not been explained, but for one reason or another Finland was high on Birger Jarl's agenda. Finland became an integrated part of Sweden since there was a lot of exchange between the regions, especially via the Åland archipelago. During those days, it was easier to travel by sea than by land. Birger Jarl seems to have headed for Finland just after having both crushed the Folkung
uprising of 1247-1248 and finalized the Treaty of Lödöse
with Norway earlier in the summer of 1249.
Sweden's previous attempts to gain a foothold in Estonia in 1220
may have urged Sweden to settle with what was still available. Eric's Chronicle also points out the threat from Russians, mentioning that the "Russian king" had now lost the conquered land.
(taffwesta) as the Swedish opponents. Based on this, it is usually assumed that the target of the crusade was also Tavastia
, even though that is not explicitly said in the chronicle. Tavastians are known to have rebelled against the church in the 1230s, which had resulted in a papal demand for a crusade against them in a letter in 1237.
According to the chronicle, the expedition was prepared in Sweden and then conducted over sea to a land on the coast, where the enemy was waiting. Since Tavastia was inland, this contradiction was later explained so that there was a Tavastian port somewhere on the coast that was the primary target of the attack.
Chronicle also mentions that a castle called "taffwesta borg" was established after the war. There have been lot of attempts to identify the castle with either Häme Castle
or Hakoinen Castle
in central Tavastia, but neither has been indisputably dated to such an early period. The first Swedish garrisons in Finland seem to have been in a hill fort later called as "Old Castle of Lieto
", not far from Turku
and Koroinen
, the fortified church-residence of the early bishops, along the Oxen Way to central Tavastia.
took Finland under his special protection in August, 1249, however without mentioning Sweden in any way. Finland's bishop Thomas, probably a Dominican
monk, had resigned already in 1245 and died three years later in a Dominican convent in Gotland
. The seat being vacant, the diocese had probably been under the direct command of the papal legate
William of Modena
whose last orders to Finnish priests were given in June, 1248.
Swedish Bero was eventually appointed as the new bishop in 1248/9, presumably soon after William's visit to Sweden for an important church meeting at Skänninge
that ended on March 1, 1248. The so-called "Palmsköld booklet" from 1448 noted that it was Bero who gave Finns' tax to the Swedish king. Bero came directly from the Swedish court like his two successors. It seems that Swedish bishops also held all secular power in Finland until 1280s when the position of the Duke of Finland
was established.
In 1249, the situation was also seen clear enough to have the first Dominican convent
established in Finland. There had been no monasteries in Finland before that. The convent was situated next to the bishop's fortification in Koroinen until the end of the century.
as the new king instead of the powerful jarl himself.
From 1249 onwards, sources generally regard Finland as a part of Sweden. Diocese of Finland is first listed among the Swedish dioceses in 1253. In Russian chronicles, the first reliable mention of Finns being a part of Swedish forces is from 1256. However, very little is known about the situation in Finland during the following decades. Reason for this is partly the fact that Finland was now ruled from Turku
and most of the documentation remained there. As the Novgorod forces burned the city in 1318 during the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars
, very little remained about what had happened in the previous century.
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....
military expedition to areas in present-day Finland
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 Birger jarl
Birger jarl
, or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have...
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
According to Eric's Chronicle from the 1320s, the crusade took place between the death of King Eric XI of SwedenEric XI of Sweden
Eric "XI" of Sweden, or Eric the Lisp and Lame Swedish: Erik Eriksson läspe och halte; Old Norse: Eiríkr Eiríksson was king of Sweden in 1222–1229 and 1234–1250.-Background:...
in 1250 and Birger jarl
Birger jarl
, or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have...
getting elevated to the position of 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...
in 1248. The so-called "Detmar Chronicle" of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
from around 1340 confirms the expedition with a short note that Birger jarl submitted Finland under Swedish rule. From other sources, Birger jarl is known to have been absent from Sweden in winter 1249-50. Later on, the conquest of Finland was redated
First Swedish Crusade
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...
to 1150s by the official Swedish legends, crediting the national saint King Eric
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...
for it.
The point of time when the attack took place has been somewhat disputed. Attempts have been made to date the attack either to 1239 or to 1256. Neither date has received wide acceptance.
Background
Folkung
In modern Swedish, Folkung has two meanings, which appear to be opposites:# The medieval "House of Bjelbo" in Sweden, which produced several Swedish statesmen and kings....
uprising of 1247-1248 and finalized the Treaty of Lödöse
Treaty of Lödöse
The Treaty of Lödöse was a peace treaty between the Swedish king Eric XI and the Norwegian king Haakon IV. The treaty was negotiated between King Haakon and the Jarl of Sweden, Birger Magnusson, in the town of Lödöse, during the summer of 1249. The main purpose of the treaty was to prevent mutual...
with Norway earlier in the summer of 1249.
Sweden's previous attempts to gain a foothold in Estonia in 1220
Battle of Lihula
Battle of Lihula was fought between invading Swedes and Estonians for the control of a castle in Lihula, Estonia in 1220. The exact date remains uncertain, though some historians suggest that the battle took place on August 8...
may have urged Sweden to settle with what was still available. Eric's Chronicle also points out the threat from Russians, mentioning that the "Russian king" had now lost the conquered land.
Target of the crusade
All details of the crusade are from Eric's Chronicle, which is largely propagandist in nature, written amidst internal unrest and war against Novgorod. The chronicle has caused a long controversy on the actual target of the expedition, since it presents TavastiansTavastians
Tavastians are a historic people and a modern subgroup of the Finnish people. They live in areas of the historical province of Tavastia and speak Tavastian dialects....
(taffwesta) as the Swedish opponents. Based on this, it is usually assumed that the target of the crusade was also Tavastia
Tavastia (historical province)
Tavastia, Tavastland or Häme, Russian Emi or Yemi, is a historical province in the south of Finland. It borders Finland Proper, Satakunta, Ostrobothnia, Savonia and Uusimaa.- Administration :...
, even though that is not explicitly said in the chronicle. Tavastians are known to have rebelled against the church in the 1230s, which had resulted in a papal demand for a crusade against them in a letter in 1237.
According to the chronicle, the expedition was prepared in Sweden and then conducted over sea to a land on the coast, where the enemy was waiting. Since Tavastia was inland, this contradiction was later explained so that there was a Tavastian port somewhere on the coast that was the primary target of the attack.
Chronicle also mentions that a castle called "taffwesta borg" was established after the war. There have been lot of attempts to identify the castle with either Häme Castle
Häme castle
Häme Castle is a medieval castle in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The castle is located on the coast of lake Vanajavesi in the city center. The castle was originally located on an island....
or Hakoinen Castle
Hakoinen Castle
Hakoinen Castle are the ruins of a fortification on a hill in Janakkala, Finland. Dated medieval, the fortification was situated on a very steep rock by lake Kernaala reminiscent of a hill fort tradition. The top of the rock is 63 metres above the water level in the lake. Today very little...
in central Tavastia, but neither has been indisputably dated to such an early period. The first Swedish garrisons in Finland seem to have been in a hill fort later called as "Old Castle of Lieto
Old Castle of Lieto
Old Castle of Lieto is a formerly fortified hill in Lieto, Finland. The original name of the castle is not known. According to excavations, the castle has been in use in the Late Bronze Age , in Middle Iron Age and in the Middle Ages up to the end of the 14th century, when it was replaced by the...
", not far from Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
and Koroinen
Koroinen
Koroinen is a district in the Koroinen ward of the city of Turku, in Finland. It is located to the north of the city centre, across the river Aura from the Turku Student Village....
, the fortified church-residence of the early bishops, along the Oxen Way to central Tavastia.
Church reaction and reorganization
Probably related to preventing other parties from getting involved in the conflict, Pope Innocent IVPope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
took Finland under his special protection in August, 1249, however without mentioning Sweden in any way. Finland's bishop Thomas, probably a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
monk, had resigned already in 1245 and died three years later in a Dominican convent in Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
. The seat being vacant, the diocese had probably been under the direct command of the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
William of Modena
William of Modena
William of Modena , also known as William of Sabina, Guglielmo de Chartreaux, Guglielmo de Savoy, Guillelmus, was an Italian clergyman and papal diplomat. He was frequently appointed a legate, or papal ambassador by the popes Honorius III and Gregory IX, especially in Livonia in the 1220s and in...
whose last orders to Finnish priests were given in June, 1248.
Swedish Bero was eventually appointed as the new bishop in 1248/9, presumably soon after William's visit to Sweden for an important church meeting at Skänninge
Skänninge
Skänninge is a locality situated in Mjölby Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 3,242 inhabitants in 2005. It lies about 10 km north of the municipal seat Mjölby....
that ended on March 1, 1248. The so-called "Palmsköld booklet" from 1448 noted that it was Bero who gave Finns' tax to the Swedish king. Bero came directly from the Swedish court like his two successors. It seems that Swedish bishops also held all secular power in Finland until 1280s when the position of the Duke of Finland
Duke of Finland
Duke of Finland was an occasional medieval title granted as a tertiogeniture to the relatives of the King of Sweden between the 13th and 16th centuries. It included a duchy along with the feudal customs, and often meant a veritably independent principality...
was established.
In 1249, the situation was also seen clear enough to have the first Dominican convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
established in Finland. There had been no monasteries in Finland before that. The convent was situated next to the bishop's fortification in Koroinen until the end of the century.
Aftermath
As an unexpected side effect, the expedition seems to have cost Birger the Swedish crown. As King Eric died in 1250 and Birger was still absent from Sweden, the rebellious Swedish lords selected Birger's under-aged son ValdemarValdemar I of Sweden
Valdemar, English also Waldemar; , was King of Sweden 1250–1275.-Biography:Valdemar was the son of princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden and Birger jarl, from the House of Bjelbo. During the first sixteen years of his reign, it was Birger Jarl who was the real ruler...
as the new king instead of the powerful jarl himself.
From 1249 onwards, sources generally regard Finland as a part of Sweden. Diocese of Finland is first listed among the Swedish dioceses in 1253. In Russian chronicles, the first reliable mention of Finns being a part of Swedish forces is from 1256. However, very little is known about the situation in Finland during the following decades. Reason for this is partly the fact that Finland was now ruled from Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
and most of the documentation remained there. As the Novgorod forces burned the city in 1318 during the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars
Swedish-Novgorodian Wars
Swedish–Novgorodian Wars were a series of conflicts in the 12th and 13th centuries between the Republic of Novgorod and medieval Sweden over control of the Gulf of Finland, an area vital to the Hanseatic League and part of the Varangian-Byzantine trade route...
, very little remained about what had happened in the previous century.
See also
- Early Finnish warsEarly Finnish warsScattered descriptions on wars against Finland or by Finns to neighboring countries prior to the Swedish conquest has survived in Icelandic sagas, German, Norwegian, Danish and Russian chronicles and Swedish legends...
- First Swedish CrusadeFirst Swedish CrusadeFirst 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...
- 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...
- Battle of LihulaBattle of LihulaBattle of Lihula was fought between invading Swedes and Estonians for the control of a castle in Lihula, Estonia in 1220. The exact date remains uncertain, though some historians suggest that the battle took place on August 8...
- Battle of the NevaBattle of the NevaThe Battle of the Neva was fought between the Novgorod Republic and Swedish armies on the Neva River, near the settlement of Ust-Izhora, on July 15, 1240...