Infopanel 30

Political developments

The profound changes that took place during the Viking Age affected not only social classes, but also the Scandinavian empires themselves. The many petty kings who competed with each other in mainland Scandinavia had witnessed the cultural flourishing that the unification of an empire under Charlemagne had brought about. Not least for this reason, at the beginning of the 9th century, a whole series of Danish pretenders to the throne attempted to obtain military and political support for their own claims to the throne through personal audiences at the palaces of the Carolingian kings. But all they got was baptism, a few missionaries to accompany them – and apparently even more appetite for an empire like the one they saw there, with its magnificent palaces, powerful abbeys, and monumental cathedrals.

The first unified Scandinavian empire

It was therefore incumbent upon them to fight for sole rule over their empires through military force. 

In Denmark, this was not initially successful, but around the year 870, Harald Fairhair, King of the Norwegian East, finally managed to subjugate the whole of Norway after ten years of war. It is said that his ambition was also motivated by Princess Gyda, who was by no means satisfied with one of the co-rulers. She pointed out to him that he could repeat his courtship as sole ruler. Harald thus founded the dynasty of Norwegian kings that lasted until Harald Hardrada, who fell in England in 1066. Norway was thus the first unified Scandinavian empire.

The Danish and Swedish Empire

In Denmark, Harald Bluetooth, King of Jutland (died 986/6), and his son Sven Forkbeard succeeded in bringing all of Denmark under their rule, extending well into modern times and including the region of Skåne, which is now in southern Sweden. After Sven also became King of England in 1013 following a series of successful conquests, he laid the foundation for a Danish empire, from which Denmark's claims to great power status in the following centuries were derived and which continue to this day with the rule over the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Apart from the Yngling dynasty in Uppland (around Uppsala), the sub-kingdoms of Sweden played only a minor role, as Sweden only consolidated as a great empire during the 11th and 12th centuries. Economically, however, Sweden – together with Gotland – occupied a not insignificant position, as the silver acquired in the east through the slave trade found its way back to Scandinavia and Western Europe mainly via Gotland and Uppland.