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This is the history of the city of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

Contents

Origin of the name

Prehistory

Origins

Kalmar Union

Vasa Period

1600–1800

1800–1900

20th century

Timeline

Historical population

References

See also

Origin of the name

The first, undisputed mention of the name 'Stockholm' are from two letters written in Latin in 1252; one written in July is a letter where the King Valdemar and Birger Jarl offering their royal patronage to the abbey of Fogdö; and the other, written by Birger Jarl, in August, urging the peasantry in Attundaland to pay their tithes to the Uppsala Cathedral. Both letters were written in Stockholm, but give no further information of the city itself or any explanation on the background of the name.^[1]
While the name itself easily splits into two distinct elements - ''stokker'', or in modern Swedish ''stock'', meaning "log", and ''holme'', meaning "islet" - a matter-of-fact explanation for the name is much harder to produce, and over the years many popular myths have, accordingly, attempted to give a background. One story dated back to the mid 17th century for example, tells how the population of Birka, a historical city on Lake Mälaren, grew too rapidly, and the Gods then consulted urged parts of the population to emigrate to a new site. To determine where to build the new city, it was decided a log bound with gold should point out where to settle by sailing ashore on the site, and, occasionally, it landed on an islet in what is today central Stockholm.¹ According to a 17th century myth, the tower Birger Jarls torn, often and erroneously said to be the oldest building in Stockholm, was built on this location.
The first attempt to an explanation was put forward by the German humanist Jacob Ziegler in his work ''Schondia'' (Scandinavia) printed in 1532. Writing in Latin, he describes the city as the stronghold and trade post of the Swedes, located among ''paludibus'', meaning either marshes or lakes, and - like Venice - resting on poles. Most likely, Ziegler, while in Rome, came in contact with prominent Swedes like Johannes Magnus who supplied him with the description of the city, which still today styles itself "The Venice of the Nordic countries" (''Nordens Venedig'').¹
Other interpretations includes ''stock'' being an allusion to:

★ poles erected either to indicate frontiers or temporary market places,

★ trap logs, used to catch animals,

★ stubs supposed to have been abundant on the central island of the city,

★ ''fiskestock'' - either the local "fish livestock" or a hollowed out log used as an osier basket,

★ the place where the watercourse and/or logs clogs (''stockar sig''),

★ the name ''Stocksund'' for the stream flowing through the city, as mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's ''Ynglinga saga'' and the saga of Saint Olaf, thus supposing the original name of the city was ''Stocksundsholm'',

★ a footbridge stretching over the stream, supposedly built before 1000, and, maybe the most widespread explanation,

★ logs drilled into the strait for either defensive purposes, or to force ships to pay tolls.¹
To add to the enigma, Stockholm have been called ''Eken'' ("The oak") in many contexts. While it is mostly associated to slang, it is supposedly derived from ''Stockhäcken'', the name the city was given by traders from Västergötland (called ''Västgötaknallar'').¹

Prehistory

During the latest 'ice age' (70.000-9.500 B.C.), the area surrounding Stockholm was covered by an ice layer up to two kilometres thick. While the ice effectively have eliminated every trace of pre-ice age life, it is assumed humans probably did inhabit the area before the ice age, notwithstanding no archaeological traces can confirm it. Nevertheless, bones from a mammoth have been found in the boulder ridge Brunkebergsåsen stretching north to south through the area and through central Stockholm.^[2]
As ice lightened its grip of the area about 11.500 A.D., the area was inundated by melt water before the land started to rise and the first islets rose over the water surface (at the time located about 40 metres over the present sea level). After some 1.000 years the first humans settled in the area to start the 'Stone Age' era characterized by a climate similar to that of the present Mediterranean Sea.^[3] Due to land elevation, the archaeological traces of these first coastal settlements are today found far from the coast and the modern metropolitan area. The traces consists of various tools, including quartz and flint arrowheads used by these hunter-gatherers to catch mostly seals.^[4] During the end of the Stone Age (4.200–1.800 B.C.) humans started to use more stationary settlements, solid buildings standing on strong poles drilled into the ground, even if the access to food still made migratory periods necessary. Graves got more elaborate as grinned axes made of carefully selected and often imported rocks accompanied the dead together with ceramics, fancy garments, and other impressive objects.
^[5]

Origins

The area was of strategic importance because of the water ways in and out of lake Mälaren, which was then level with the Baltic Sea, a situation which slowly changed due to the Post-glacial rebound.
^[6]
[7]
The watercourse passing south of the old town of Stockholm, first appears in historical records as the somewhat cryptic phrase: "What split off is called Stockholm" (''Stockholm heter det som sprack av''), found in a version of the ''Saga of the Saint Olaf'' by the Icelandic author Stymer Frode, preserved through a manuscript from the 14th century. Stymer explains, what today are the islands Södermalm and Stadsholmen was at the time united by an isthmus, and Saint Olaf of Norway (995-1030) produced the strait, in the saga called ''Konungssund'' ("King's strait"), by summoning assistance from superior forces. A slightly different version, undoubtedly the most famous, is the account of the Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson (1178-1241). He retells, while King Olav of Norway raided the Lake Mälaren area, the Swedish king Olof Skötkonung (960s-1021/1022) hoped to trapp him by pulling an iron chain over ''Stocksund'' ("Log Strait", e.g. modern Norrström passing north of the old town), a strait in addition guarded by a castellum and an army on either sides. The Norwegian king then dug himself through the southern isthmus and, helped by vivid streams produced by spring flood and favourable winds, managed to have his ships break through the foreshore and shoals, and finally escaped to the Baltic Sea. Sturluson however adds, the Suiones refuted this version as drivel.^[8]
Stockholm derives its mythological origin from a dwelling place called ''Agnefit''. As the second element ''fit'' means 'moist meadow', supposedly located on the western shore of today's Stadsholmen (arguably the only possible location for a meadow at the time). The first element of this name is, explains the historian Snorri Sturluson (1178-1241), derived from King Agne, a presumably mythological king who in a dim and distant past (around 400 A.D. according to some historians) encamped here after having successfully raided Finland. His intentions were to marry ''Skjalf'', the daughter of the defeated Finnish chieftain. The young woman, however, tricked him to arrange a celebration including prominent guests which eventually turned into a boozing party, and, while Agne slept sober, Skjalf had him hung in his gold necklace before escaping.⁸
While the reliability of these stories remains disputed, dendrochronological examinations of piles driven into the seabed in Norrström, square oak logs, and sunken logs
found on Helgeandsholmen just north of Stadsholmen in 1978-1980, concluded these trees were cut down during the period 970-1020, most of them from around 1010, and these logs presumably gave the entire city its present name, ''Stock-holm'', "Log-Islet".⁸
According to the Chronicle of Eric, written in the 1320s, Stockholm was founded by Birger Jarl around 1250 as a lock to the Lake Mälaren region in order to prevent pirates from reaching the seven cities and nineteen parishes around it. Another medieval source (''Visbyannalerna''), however, claims the city was founded in 1187 following a pagan pillaged the city of Sigtuna, and as there was an "Earl" named Birger around at that time too, the disputed origin of the city are likely to remain obscure and some historians choose a diplomatic interpretation saying there was some sort of fortification around by the mouth of lake Mälaren when the city was founded during the second half of the 13th century. The oldest undisputed written mentioning of the city are found in two letters written by Birger Jarl in 1252. These letters are said to be written in Stockholm, and, while they give no information about the appearance of the premises, it can be assumed at least some sort of dwelling in consistence with the station of a Swedish jarl existed. As Sturluson mentions no city in his account but some sort of fortification called a ''kastali'' (in various manuscripts curiously said to be located east and west of ''Stocksund''), it is generally agreed this fortification developed into the castle Tre Kronor located where still is the Royal Palace.^[9]
Under the leadership of Magnus Ladulås Stockholm developed into an important trade city in the following decades, advanced through relations with Lübeck of the Hanseatic league. In 1270 Stockholm appears in historical documents as a city and in 1289 it was described as the most populated city in the Swedish region. The first trustworthy estimate of the size of city comes from the middle of the 15th century, giving Stockholm about one thousand households and five to six thousand residents.

Kalmar Union

The strategic and economic importance of the city made Stockholm an important factor in relations between the Danish Kings of the Kalmar Union and the national independence movement in the 15th century. On October 14, 1471 Sweden under Sten Sture, with the support of the people of Stockholm, achieved a dramatic victory over the Danish king Christian I. His grandson Christian II occupied the city in 1518 in vain, but was able to secure the city in 1520. On November 8, 1520, massive executions of opposition figures, called the Stockholm Bloodbath, took place. This massacre set off further uprisings, which eventually led to the break-up of the Kalmar Union.

Vasa Period

With the accession of Gustav Vasa in 1523 and construction of a royal power, Stockholm developed into a larger city. The city island no longer offered enough space, and in 1529 Södermalm and Norrmalm were incorporated into the city. The city continued to grow and by 1600 reached a population of ten thousand.

1600–1800

The 17th century saw the rise of Sweden into a major European power, which was reflected in the development of the city. From 1610 to 1680 the population multiplied sixfold. ''Ladugårdslandet'', today's Östermalm, and the island Kungsholmen were also incorporated. 1628 the Vasa ship sank in Stockholm. In 1634 Stockholm became the official capital of the Swedish empire. Trading rules were also created that gave Stockholm an essential monopoly over trade between foreign merchants and other Swedish and Scandinavian territories. In this period, great palaces and castles were built, including the House of Knights and later, in the early 18th century, the Royal Palace.
Between 1713–1714, Stockholm suffered from the Black Death. After the end of the Great Northern War and the destruction of several areas of the city in 1721, the city stagnated. Population growth halted, and the rapid economic growth slowed. However, Stockholm maintained its role as the political centre of Sweden and under Gustav III it continued to develop culturally. The royal opera is a good architectural expression of this era.

1800–1900

In the beginning of the 19th century, the economic importance of Stockholm declined further. Norrköping became the greatest manufacturing city of Sweden and Gothenburg developed into the key trading port because of its location on the North Sea. In the second half of the century, Stockholm regained its leading economic role. New industries emerged, and Stockholm transformed into an important trade and service centre, as well as a key gateway point within Sweden.
The population grew dramatically in the second half of the 19th century, especially through immigration. At the end of the century, not even 40% of the residents were born in Stockholm. Settlement began to expand outside of the city limits and also created dense poor districts, but also new districts in the countryside and on the coast.
During this period, Stockholm further developed as a cultural and educational center. In the 19th century, a number of scientific institutes opened in Stockholm, for example the Karolinska Institute. The General Art and Industrial Exposition, a international exhibition of World's Fair status, was held on the island of Djurgården in 1897.

20th century

In the late 20th century, Stockholm became a modern, technologically-advanced and ethnically diverse city. Throughout the century, many industries shifted away from work-intensive activities into more high-technology and service-industry knowledge-based areas.
The city continued to expand and new districts were created, for example Rinkeby, Tensta, and Sollentuna, some with high proportions of immigrants.
In 1923 the Stockholm municipal government moved to a new building, the Stockholm City Hall. The Stockholm International Exhibition was held in 1930. In 1967 the city of Stockholm was integrated into Stockholm County.
The city is home to many multinational corporations and prides itself as the business and cultural capital of Scandinavia, at title which is disputed by many Danes and Norwegians, who think its an offending title, since Scandinavia not is a country, or see Copenhagen as the "capital" of Scandinavia or a poor attempt by Stockholm who in the last few years not have got the same spotlight as the faster booming Copenhagen.

Timeline

★ 1252: The city is first mentioned

★ 1350: The Black Death enters the city

★ 1388: The city is given full city rights, as ratified by king Albert of Mecklenburg

★ 1392: Forces of the Danish Queen Margaret besieged the city

★ 1392: Privateers named Victual Brothers supplied the besieged city with food

★ 1419: Stockholm becomes the capital of Sweden

★ 1471: The Battle of Brunkeberg is won by Sten Sture the elder, and the Danish are ousted.

★ 1520: The Stockholm bloodbath is perpetrated by Christian II of Denmark

★ 1521: Gustav Vasa marches into Stockholm

★ 1622: First preserved map of Stockholm dates from this year

★ 1697: The old castle, Tre Kronor, burns to the ground

★ 1719: The city narrowly escape Russian invasion

Historical population

:1252: 100 inhabitants
:1289: 3,000
:1460: 6,000
:1500: 7,000
:1523: 3,000
:1582: 9,000
:1650: 30,000
:1685: 60,000
:1700: 40,000
:1750: 58,400
:1800: 75,800
:1850: 93,000
:1875: 145,000
:1900: 300,500
:1925: 442,500
:1950: 744,500
:1960: 808,600
:1970: 744,900
:1980: 647,200
:1990: 674,500
:2000: 750,300^[10]

References

1. Stockholms gatunamn, , , , Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning, 1992, ISBN 91-7031-042-4
2. Istid
3. Stenåldern
4. Äldre stenåldern
5. Yngre stenåldern
6.
7.
8. Slussen vid Söderström, Kerstin Söderlund, , , Samfundet S:t Erik, 2004, ISBN 91-85267-21-X
9. Upptaget - Sankt Eriks årsbok 2002, Kerstin Söderlund, , , Samfundet Sankt Erik, Stockholm City Museum, Museum of Medieval Stockholm, 2002, ISBN 91-974091-1-1
10. Utrednings- och Statistikkontoret

See also

★ Gamla Stan

★ History of Sweden