Stockholm

Stockholm

Defined as the “city between the waters,” the “city between the bridges” or the “city on the islands,” Stockholm is an extraordinarily “livable” city, situated amidst the green woods and the blue waters of the canals that divided it among the fourteen islands it has grown to encompass over the centuries. According to traditio... Read on

Stockholm

Defined as the “city between the waters,” the “city between the bridges” or the “city on the islands,” Stockholm is an extraordinarily “livable” city, situated amidst the green woods and the blue waters of the canals that divided it among the fourteen islands it has grown to encompass over the centuries. According to tradition, it was founded in the middle of the thirteenth century by Birger Jarl, regent for his son Valdemar, king of Sweden. It was he who built a mighty fortress on the island of Stadsholmen as a defensive outpost to protect the cities of Medieval Sweden. Known throughout history as the Fortress of the Three Crowns, it was the nucleus around which the new city gradually rose, starting from what is quite logically known as Gamla Stan, the Old City. However, it is quite legitimate to believe that an area strategically located at the outlet of Lake Mälaren on the Baltic Sea and, where the main trading routes, so vital to the Viking cities of central-southern Sweden, converged had already been the site of earlier settlements. What is certain, however, is that starting in 1252 its official “date of birth,” Stockholm enjoyed ceaseless economic and urban growth, and indissolubly linked its destiny to that of Sweden. So, in 1397 following the severe economic crisis that had afflicted Scandinavia throughout the XIV century, the long struggles for predominace were won by Margaret, queen of Denmark and Norway who thus acquired the crown of Sweden (which included Finland!), Stockholm was the leader in expressing the population’s discontent, exasperated by increased taxes that would heavily penalize trade as well. Led by Engelbrekt, the miners of Dalarna rebelled in the XV century, and the regency was assumed by the Sture family. When, however, in 1520 King Christian II of Denmark, known as Christian the Cruel, invaded Sweden, occupied Stockholm, killed the regent Sten Sture in battle and had himself crowned in the cathedral, the winds of rebellion began to blow with renewed and unusual force. Once again, the miners of Dalarna lit the fuse with a rebellion which, in less than one year, drove the hated sovereign and the Danes from Sweden and brought the leader of the rebellion, Gustav Vasa, to the throne as King Gustav I.

He quickly proved to be a wise and clear-sighted ruler who concentrated all his efforts on the economic recovery of Sweden and of his capital, Stockholm. It was thanks to him that the Swedish state recovered a definite and strong national identity and the hereditary monarchy once again became a solid form of government. It was also he who promoted Sweden’s conversion to Protestantism, and ordered the confiscation of Church property to replenish the state’s empty coffers. Such a decisive reorganization of the country and such a determined boost to the economy could not but have positive results. Stockholm flourished again, in business and as a city, slowly but steadily developing to reach its peak under the reigns of Gustav II Adolf (who was firmly convinced of the need to expand Sweden’s territory and radically rebuild the capital) and Queen Christina. Before converting to Roman Catholicism and definitively leaving Sweden in 1654, this educated and intelligent queen transformed Stockholm into one of the most admired courts of Europe and the favorite destination of the era’s most important intellectuals, artists and men of letters.

However, Stockholm was forced to abdicate its role as cultural capital and not only of Sweden when warlike monarchs ascended the throne. These men, like Karl XII, were capable of passing their lives fighting on the battlefields of most of Europe. All this, along with severe defeats (such as Poltava in 1709 which led to the loss of its domination of the Baltic, the defeat by Russia in 1741 and the loss of Finland) certainly did not help the country or its economy. In fact, aside from a period of peace and a moderate recovery during the first half of the XVIII century, the country would have to wait for the coup d’état that brought Gustav III to the throne in 1772 before it could truly breathe again. This enlightened sovereign was particularly concerned about his country’s destiny and image. He was convinced that Sweden’s economy could, indeed, flourish again and that Stockholm could regain the position as cultural capital of Europe that it had so gloriously held in the past. Since then Stockholm’s fate would not change, its urban expansion would go unhindered, its interest in cultural programs would never cease, not even under new reigning dynasty of the Bernadottes who came to the throne when the Vasa line died out in 1818. A clever alliance with Russia and Prussia against Napoleon brought about the union with Norway that was to last until 1905. This opened a period of peace for both this extraordinary nation and its capital. Progress would be constant without compromising the livability of the environment, respect for life and humanity.

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