Södermanland
Encyclopedia
, sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province
or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden
. It borders Östergötland
, Närke
, Västmanland
and Uppland
. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren
and the Baltic sea
.
In Swedish, the province name is frequently shortened to Sörmland.
Södermanland means "Southern man land". It was used as a directional reference to lake Mälaren, compared to Uppland (north) and Västmanland (west).
serve no administrative or political purposes, but are historical and cultural entities. There is a corresponding administrative Södermanland County
. However, the bulk of the population is within Stockholm County
to the south and east. In the south, the border to Östergötland is comprised by the Kolmården
forest.
The terrain is flat, with its highest altitude being Skogsbyås at 124 meters elevation. The terrain largely consists of water filled hollows covered with woods on the heights.
There are three major water regions. One in the west, where lake Hjälmaren
drains into Mälaren. There is a second water region on Södertörn
, which is rather small in size and has no larger lakes: Bornsjön 6.5 km², Orlången 2.5 km², Magelungen 2.9 km². The third is to the south towards Kolmården.
Stockholm: It’s notable that both the city of Stockholm (capital of Sweden) and Stockholm County is divided in the middle between Södermanland (southern part) and Uppland (northern part).
Södermanland is with its 146 inhabitants/km² the most densely populated of the provinces; a great part of Stockholm urban area
being situated within its limits.
, from which time the earliest remains date. There are a total of 96,000 known ancient remains such as grave fields, coins, knives, etc. There are prominent finds especially from the Younger Stone Age, but also a substantial amount from the Nordic Bronze Age
. From the older Iron Age, before 0 AD, the finds are however more sparse. Then from the 5th and 6th century the finds are again plenty, now of gold. In 1774, a treasure of 12 kilograms of gold from that time was found on a farm in Tureholm.
From the Viking Age
300 runestones remain, second only to Uppland in quantity. The oldest, which is dated from the late 6th century, is the Skåäng Runestone
.
The earliest recorded history is generally of the legendary kind. Before the 7th century it is deemed to have been governed by petty kingdom
s. This period ended when Ingjald
the Ill-Ruler allegedly had a number of local rulers arson
ed around 640.
The oldest city with the historical city status
in Södermanland was Södertälje
, a privilege granted around 1000. Nyköping
received the privilege in 1187. In the 13th century, Stockholm was granted the privilege; in the 14th century followed by Strängnäs
, Torshälla
and Trosa
.
Around 1100, Strängnäs became the episcopal
seat with a bishop
and cathedral
. It was for a long time the only diocese
of the province. In 1942 the Diocese of Stockholm was established, claiming parts of the Strängnäs territory.
The first affirmative records date from the 13th century. King Magnus Ladulås was given the province in 1266, and settled himself on the manor at Nyköping. Nyköping became one of the most important cities in Sweden. In 1317, Nyköping become the location of the infamous Nyköping Banquet where King Birger had both his brothers murdered to take possession of the crown and avenge earlier wrong-deeds.
In 1523 the King Gustav Vasa, referred to as the Sweden's father of the nation
, was crowned in Strängnäs. The date, June 6, eventually is commemorated as the national holiday
. Karl IX, a son of Gustav Vasa, favoured the province, fortifying castles and establishing early industries.
Of buildings, the arguably most impressive is the castle of Gripsholm. Nearby is the Gripsholm Runestone, a typical Viking Runestone, commemorating an earlier Viking expedition.
The cemetery
Skogskyrkogården
in southern Stockholm is a UNESCO
World Heritage site
.
Provinces of Sweden
The provinces of Sweden, landskap, are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces and they have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification....
or landskap on the south eastern coast of 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....
. It borders Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
, Närke
Närke
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Svealand in south central Sweden. It is bordered by Västmanland to the north, Södermanland to the east, Östergötland to the southeast, Västergötland to the southwest, and Värmland to the northwest...
, Västmanland
Västmanland
' is a historical Swedish province, or landskap, in middle Sweden. It borders Södermanland, Närke, Värmland, Dalarna and Uppland.The name comes from "West men", referring to the people west of Uppland, the core province of early Sweden.- Administration :...
and Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
and the Baltic sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.
In Swedish, the province name is frequently shortened to Sörmland.
Södermanland means "Southern man land". It was used as a directional reference to lake Mälaren, compared to Uppland (north) and Västmanland (west).
Administration
The traditional provinces of SwedenProvinces of Sweden
The provinces of Sweden, landskap, are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces and they have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification....
serve no administrative or political purposes, but are historical and cultural entities. There is a corresponding administrative Södermanland County
Södermanland County
Södermanland County is a county or län on the south east coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Östergötland, Örebro, Västmanland, Uppsala, Stockholm and to the Baltic sea....
. However, the bulk of the population is within Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
Heraldry
The coat of arms was granted in 1560. The arms is represented with a ducal coronet. Blazon: "Or, a Griffin rampant Sable beaked, langued, membered and armed Gules." The same CoA was granted for the county in 1940.Geography
Södermanland is situated between lake Mälaren to the north and the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
to the south and east. In the south, the border to Östergötland is comprised by the Kolmården
Kolmården
Kolmården is a large forest that separates the Swedish provinces of Södermanland and Östergötland, two of the country's main agricultural areas, from each other.-History:...
forest.
The terrain is flat, with its highest altitude being Skogsbyås at 124 meters elevation. The terrain largely consists of water filled hollows covered with woods on the heights.
There are three major water regions. One in the west, where lake Hjälmaren
Hjälmaren
Lake Hjälmaren is Sweden's fourth largest lake. It is situated adjacent to Lake Mälaren through which it drains into the Baltic Sea, west of Stockholm...
drains into Mälaren. There is a second water region on Södertörn
Södertörn
Södertörn is a roughly triangular peninsula in eastern Södermanland, Sweden, which is bordered by:*Lake Mälaren and the inlet of Saltsjön to the north,*Himmerfjärden and Hallsfjärden to the west and...
, which is rather small in size and has no larger lakes: Bornsjön 6.5 km², Orlången 2.5 km², Magelungen 2.9 km². The third is to the south towards Kolmården.
Stockholm: It’s notable that both the city of Stockholm (capital of Sweden) and Stockholm County is divided in the middle between Södermanland (southern part) and Uppland (northern part).
- National parks: TyrestaTyresta National ParkTyresta National Park is a national park with a surrounding nature reserve in Sweden, located in Haninge and Tyresö municipalities in Stockholm County....
Population
The population of Södermanland is 1,193,583 as of December 31, 2009. It distributes over three counties as follows:| County | Population |
|---|---|
| part of Stockholm County Stockholm County Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland... |
917,944 |
| part of Södermanland County Södermanland County Södermanland County is a county or län on the south east coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Östergötland, Örebro, Västmanland, Uppsala, Stockholm and to the Baltic sea.... |
268,987 |
| part of Västmanland County Västmanland County Västmanland County is a county or län in central Sweden. It borders to the counties of Södermanland, Örebro, Gävleborg, Dalarna and Uppsala... |
6,652 |
Södermanland is with its 146 inhabitants/km² the most densely populated of the provinces; a great part of Stockholm urban area
Stockholm urban area
The Stockholm urban area is the largest and most populous of the statistical localities or urban areas in Sweden. It has no administrative function of its own, but constitutes a continuous multimunicipal built-up area, which extends into 11 municipalities in Stockholm County. It contains the...
being situated within its limits.
History
Södermanland is one of the ancient Swedish provinces. People probably settled there in the early Stone AgeStone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
, from which time the earliest remains date. There are a total of 96,000 known ancient remains such as grave fields, coins, knives, etc. There are prominent finds especially from the Younger Stone Age, but also a substantial amount from the Nordic Bronze Age
Nordic Bronze Age
The Nordic Bronze Age is the name given by Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age culture in Scandinavian pre-history, c. 1700-500 BC, with sites that reached as far east as Estonia. Succeeding the Late Neolithic culture, its ethnic and linguistic affinities are unknown in the absence of...
. From the older Iron Age, before 0 AD, the finds are however more sparse. Then from the 5th and 6th century the finds are again plenty, now of gold. In 1774, a treasure of 12 kilograms of gold from that time was found on a farm in Tureholm.
From the Viking Age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
300 runestones remain, second only to Uppland in quantity. The oldest, which is dated from the late 6th century, is the Skåäng Runestone
Skåäng Runestone
The Skåäng Runestone, designated as Sö 32 under Rundata, is an Iron Age runestone located in Skåäng, Södermanland, Sweden, which is inscribed in Proto-Norse with the elder futhark...
.
The earliest recorded history is generally of the legendary kind. Before the 7th century it is deemed to have been governed by petty kingdom
Petty kingdom
A petty kingdom is one of a number of small kingdoms, described as minor or "petty" by contrast to an empire or unified kingdom that either preceded or succeeded it...
s. This period ended when Ingjald
Ingjald
Ingjald illråde or Ingjaldr hinn illráði was a legendary Swedish king of the House of Ynglings. Ingjald may have ruled in the 7th century, and he was the son of the former king Anund....
the Ill-Ruler allegedly had a number of local rulers arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
ed around 640.
The oldest city with the historical city status
City status in Sweden
Stad is a Swedish term which nominally means town but can also encompass the English word "city". Since 1971 stad has had no administrative or legal significance in Sweden and there exists no commonly accepted definition of the term.-History :...
in Södermanland was Södertälje
Södertälje
Södertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
, a privilege granted around 1000. Nyköping
Nyköping
Nyköping is a locality and the seat of Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 32,427 inhabitants in 2005. The city is also the capital of Södermanland County.- History :...
received the privilege in 1187. In the 13th century, Stockholm was granted the privilege; in the 14th century followed by Strängnäs
Strängnäs
Strängnäs is a locality and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 12,296 inhabitants in 2005. It is located by Lake Mälaren and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs, a former Roman Catholic and present Lutheran Diocese, with the Strängnäs Cathedral, built...
, Torshälla
Torshälla
Torshälla is a locality situated in Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 7,614 inhabitants in 2005.Torshälla is for historical reasons normally referred to as a stad even though it does not have a population of 10,000 which is the limit defined by Statistics Sweden.Before the...
and Trosa
Trosa
Trosa is a locality and the seat of Trosa Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 4,633 inhabitants in 2005 and 11,417 in 2010 ....
.
Around 1100, Strängnäs became the episcopal
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
seat with a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. It was for a long time the only diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the province. In 1942 the Diocese of Stockholm was established, claiming parts of the Strängnäs territory.
The first affirmative records date from the 13th century. King Magnus Ladulås was given the province in 1266, and settled himself on the manor at Nyköping. Nyköping became one of the most important cities in Sweden. In 1317, Nyköping become the location of the infamous Nyköping Banquet where King Birger had both his brothers murdered to take possession of the crown and avenge earlier wrong-deeds.
In 1523 the King Gustav Vasa, referred to as the Sweden's father of the nation
Father of the Nation
Father of the Nation is an honorific title given to a man considered the driving force behind the establishment of their country, state or nation...
, was crowned in Strängnäs. The date, June 6, eventually is commemorated as the national holiday
National Day
The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler . Often the day is not called "National Day"...
. Karl IX, a son of Gustav Vasa, favoured the province, fortifying castles and establishing early industries.
Dukes and Duchesses of Södermanland
- Prince MagnusMagnus III of SwedenMagnus III Ladulås of Sweden, Swedish: Magnus Birgersson or Magnus Ladulås was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290....
(as of 1252; King from 1275) - Prince EricEric, Duke of SödermanlandEric Magnusson was a Swedish prince, Duke of Svealand, Södermanland, Dalsland, Västergötland, Värmland and North Halland and heir to the throne of Sweden. He was the father of King Magnus who became king of both Norway and Sweden.-Background:...
(1302-1310 – also Dalsland, North Halland, Värmland and West Gothland) - Prince CarlCharles IX of SwedenCharles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
(as of 1560; King from1604 – also Närke and Värmland)- Princess Maria, his first wife (1579-1589 – also Närke and Värmland)
- Princess ChristinaChristina of Holstein-GottorpChristina of Holstein-Gottorp was a Queen Consort of Sweden as consort of king Charles IX of Sweden, mother of king Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and a Regent of Sweden.-Biography:...
, his second wife and widow (as of 1592; Queen from 1604 – also Närke and Värmland)
- Crown Prince Gustav AdolphGustavus Adolphus of SwedenGustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
(1604-1607 – also Västmanland) - Prince Carl PhilipCharles Philip, Duke of SödermanlandPrince Charles Philip of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland, was a Swedish prince, Duke of Södermanland, Närke and Värmland...
(1607-1618 – also Närke and Värmland) - Prince CarlCharles XIII of SwedenCharles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
(as of 1772; King from 1809)- Princess CharlotteHedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-GottorpHedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp was the queen consort of Charles XIII of Sweden, and also a famed diarist, memoirist and wit. She is generally known in Sweden by her full pen name , though her official name as queen was Charlotte....
, his wife and widow (as of 1774; Queen from 1809)
- Princess Charlotte
- Crown Prince OscarOscar I of SwedenOscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
(as of 1811; King from 1844)- Crown Princess Josephine, his wife and widow (as of 1823; Queen from 1844)
- Prince Carl OscarPrince Carl Oscar, Duke of SödermanlandPrince Carl Oscar Vilhelm Frederik of Sweden, was a prince of Sweden and Norway.-Biography:...
(1852–1854) - Prince WilhelmPrince Wilhelm, Duke of SödermanlandPrince Wilhelm of Sweden and Norway, Carl Wilhelm Ludvig , Duke of Södermanland, was the second son of King Gustav V of Sweden and his Queen consort Victoria of Baden.-Biography:...
(1884–1965)- Princess Maria, his wife (1909 until divorce 1914)
Culture
The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and medieval churches, runestones and gravefields are plenty around the countryside.Of buildings, the arguably most impressive is the castle of Gripsholm. Nearby is the Gripsholm Runestone, a typical Viking Runestone, commemorating an earlier Viking expedition.
The cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
Skogskyrkogården
Skogskyrkogården
Skogskyrkogården is a cemetery located in the Enskededalen district south of central Stockholm, Sweden...
in southern Stockholm is a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Sub-divisions
Södermanland was historically divided into chartered cities and into hundreds.Cities (year city rights were granted)
- EskilstunaEskilstunaEskilstuna is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 60,185 inhabitants in 2005. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population....
(1659) - FlenFlenFlen is a locality and the seat of Flen Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 6,114 inhabitants in 2005.Flen is most known for being the one place on earth where hot dogs are free....
(1949) - KatrineholmKatrineholmKatrineholm is a locality and the seat of Katrineholm Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 21,386 inhabitants in 2005.-Early history:The name Katrineholm comes from a ducal residence with this name, after Catherina Gyllenhorn who lived there...
(1917) - MariefredMariefredMariefred is a locality situated in Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 3,813 inhabitants in 2005.The name is derived from that of the former Carthusian monastery here, Mariefred Charterhouse, and means "Peace of Mary"...
(1605) - NackaNackaNacka is the municipal seat of Nacka Municipality and part of Stockholm urban area in Sweden. The municipality's name harks back to an 16th century industrial operation established by the Crown at Nacka farmstead where conditions for water mills are good...
(1949) - NyköpingNyköpingNyköping is a locality and the seat of Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 32,427 inhabitants in 2005. The city is also the capital of Södermanland County.- History :...
(1187) - NynäshamnNynäshamn- References :...
(1946) - OxelösundOxelösundOxelösund is a locality and the seat of Oxelösund Municipality in Södermanland County, Sweden with 10,843 inhabitants in 2005.- History :The harbour at Oxelösund has been used for at least 500 years. In the 19th century, an increased extraction from the Mining district of Central Sweden , made...
(1950) - StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(1250) - SträngnäsSträngnäsSträngnäs is a locality and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 12,296 inhabitants in 2005. It is located by Lake Mälaren and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs, a former Roman Catholic and present Lutheran Diocese, with the Strängnäs Cathedral, built...
(1336) - SödertäljeSödertäljeSödertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
(approximately 1000) - TorshällaTorshällaTorshälla is a locality situated in Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 7,614 inhabitants in 2005.Torshälla is for historical reasons normally referred to as a stad even though it does not have a population of 10,000 which is the limit defined by Statistics Sweden.Before the...
(1317) - TrosaTrosaTrosa is a locality and the seat of Trosa Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 4,633 inhabitants in 2005 and 11,417 in 2010 ....
(approximately 1300)
Hundreds
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