The Origins of the Scandinavian Kingdoms

This chapter focuses on the origins of the Scandinavian kingdoms, beginning with a discussion of early Scandinavian society. The history of Scandinavia goes back to the first settlements which date to the end of the last glacial age around 10,000 BC. Already during the last centuries BC, a largely homogenous agricultural zone had developed in Denmark, southern Sweden, the coastal regions of Norway, and southern and western Finland. The rest of Scandinavia was dominated by low-intensive agriculture, hunting and gathering, or pastoral nomadism. After citing examples that point to some continuity in the nature of Scandinavian society before and after the rise of the kingdoms and the introduction of Christianity, the chapter considers Scandinavia's greater involvement in Christian Europe through the Viking expeditions. It also examines the division of Scandinavia into three kingdoms, along with their foreign policy until around 1300.