Stockholm: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Swedish political power had been centred around Mälaren for centuries, but it was forced to move to the lake's outlet when the rising land made navigation for large boats between the sea and lake impractical. Sweden's most important chieftain in the mid-13th century, Birger Jarl, ordered the construction of a fort on one of the strategically placed islets where the fresh water entered the sea, and traffic on the waterways was controlled using timber stocks arranged as a fence, or boom. Stockholm, meaning 'tree-trunk islet', may well be named after this boom.

The oldest record of the city consists of two letters dating from 1252. Within a hundred years, Stockholm was the largest city in Sweden, dominated by an impregnable castle (which was never taken by force) and surrounded by a defensive wall. During the period of the Kalmar Union, the king's governor directed affairs from the castle. The city was periodically ravaged by fire until timber buildings with turf roofs were replaced with brick structures. By the late 15th century, the population was around 6000, and Stockholm had become a significant commercial centre. Shipping copper and iron to continental Europe was a lucrative trade that was dominated by German merchants.

In 1471, the Danish King Christian I besieged Stockholm while attempting to quell the rebellious Sten Sture, but his 5000-strong army was routed by the Swedes just outside the city walls at the Battle of Brunkeberg (the fighting took place between what is now Vasagatan, Kungsgatan and Sergels Torg). Even after the Danish retreat to Copenhagen, trouble between unionists and separatists continued. Things escalated in 1520 when city burghers, bishops and nobility agreed to meet the Danish King Christian II in Stockholm, and the king arrested them all at a banquet. After a quick trial, the Swedes were found guilty of burning down the archbishop's castle near Sigtuna, and 82 men were beheaded the following day at Stortorget (the main square by the castle). This ghastly event became known as the 'Stockholm Blood Bath': heavy rain caused rivers of blood from the bodies to pour down steep alleys descending from the square.

A major rebellion followed and Gustav Vasa finally entered the city in 1523 after a two-year siege. The new king then ruled the city with a heavy hand - though the role of commerce dwindled and the church was extinguished entirely, royal power grew and the city revolved around the court. Gustav's son Erik XIV (and later kings) racked up taxation on the burghers to fund wars. However, some did well from arms manufacture, and the city's importance as a military headquarters increased. At the end of the 16th century, Stockholm's population was 9000, but this expanded in the following century to 60,000 as the Swedish empire reached its greatest extent.

In the 17th century, town planners laid out a street grid beyond the medieval city centre and Stockholm was proclaimed capital of Sweden in 1634. Famine wiped out 100,000 people across Sweden during the harsh winter of 1696-7, and starving hordes descended on the capital. The old royal castle (Tre Kronor) burned down, also in 1697. In 1711, plague arrived and the death rate soared to 1200 per day. After the death of King Karl XII, the country (and the capital) went into stagnation.

In the 18th century, Swedish science and arts blossomed, allowing the creation of institutions and fine buildings. Another period of stagnation followed the assassination of King Gustav III; promised 19th-century reforms never arrived, and bloody street riots were common. Further town planning starting in the 1860s created many of the wide avenues and apartment blocks still to be seen today.

Modern History

The city rapidly industrialised and expanded, and by 1915 it was home to 364,000 people. The 1912 summer Olympics were held in Stockholm. The next major transformation of the city started in the 1960s, when large 'new towns' sprung up around the outskirts and extensive areas of 'slums' were flattened to make way for concrete office blocks, motorways and other unsightly developments. The financial and construction boom of the 1980s helped make the city a very expensive place. Once that bubble burst during the 1990s recession, the devalued krona actually helped Stockholm - Swedish tourism grew, and foreign tourists arrived in ever-increasing numbers.

Recent History

Since the country's entry into the European Union, Stockholm's progress towards becoming an affordable, vivacious tourist destination has continued apace. The easing of licensing restrictions on bars and restaurants, such as hours during which alcohol could be sold, type of alcohol sold and age of clientele, caused a huge increase in the number of licensed premises, helping create the vibrant Stockholm you see today.

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