New Sweden: Map & History
New Sweden was a colony of the Swedish Empire between 1638 and 1655 along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
New Sweden was a colony of the Swedish Empire between 1638 and 1655 along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Established during the Thirty Years' War when Sweden was a great power, New Sweden was part of the Swedish efforts to colonize the Americas.
New Sweden in Depth
History
By the middle of the 17th century, Sweden had reached its greatest territorial extent, encompassing Finland and Estonia, as well as parts of present-day Russia, Poland, Germany, Norway and Latvia. It was one of the great powers of Europe during the stormaktstiden ("Age of Greatness" or "Great Power Period"). At the same time, other European nations were establishing colonies in the New World and building successful trading empires. Sweden sought to expand its own influence by creating a tobacco plantation and fur-trading colony, aiming to bypass French, English and Dutch merchants.
Significance and legacy
Historian H. Arnold Barton has suggested that the greatest significance of New Sweden was the strong and lasting interest in America that the colony generated in Sweden, although major Swedish immigration did not occur until the late 19th century. From 1870 to 1910, more than one million Swedes arrived in America, settling particularly in Minnesota and other states of the Upper Midwest.
Traces of New Sweden persist in the lower Delaware valley, including Holy Trinity Church in Wilmington, Delaware, Gloria Dei Church and St. James Kingsessing Church in Philadelphia, Trinity Episcopal Church in Swedesboro, New Jersey, and Christ Church in Swedesburg, Pennsylvania. All of those churches are commonly known as "Old Swedes' Church".
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: New Sweden (CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Sweden: Key Facts
| Capital | Fort Christina |
|---|---|
| Official language | Swedish |
| Form of government | colonialism |
| Currency | Swedish riksdaler |
| Founded | 1638 |
| Dissolved | 1655 |
Succeeded by
- New Amstel
Facts from Wikidata Q322187 (CC0).
New Sweden Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 2,841 km² in 1656 CE.
New Sweden: Frequently Asked Questions
When did New Sweden exist?
New Sweden is dated to 1640 CE – 1658 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of New Sweden?
The capital of New Sweden was Fort Christina.
How large was New Sweden at its peak?
At its peak in 1656 New Sweden covered about 2,841 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Industrial Era • Capital: London
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi