Swedish Empire: Map & History
Swedish Empire is mapped in the atlas for 1612 CE – 1814 CE, with a peak mapped extent of about 1,024,796 km².
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Swedish Empire, referred to in Sweden as the Great Power Era, was the period in Swedish history spanning much of the 17th and early 18th centuries during which Sweden was a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic region. During this period, it also held territories on the North Sea including overseas colonies, such as New Sweden. The beginning of the period is usually taken as the reign of Gustavus Adolphus, who ascended the throne in 1611, and its end as the loss of territories in 1721 following the Great Northern War.
Modern Countries Once Part of Swedish Empire
At its mapped extent, Swedish Empire covered territory in 10 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Estonia1612–1712 CE · nearly all
- Guadeloupe1814 CE · nearly all
- Aland1612–1808 CE · nearly all
- Sweden1612–1814 CE · nearly all
- Finland1612–1808 CE · nearly all
- Germany1632–1712 CE · a large part
- Poland1632–1635 CE · a small part
- Latvia1629–1712 CE · a small part
- Norway1659–1661 CE · a small part
- Russia1612–1712 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Swedish Empire's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Swedish Empire in Depth
History
Sweden emerged as a great European power under Axel Oxenstierna and King Gustavus Adolphus. As a result of acquiring territories seized from Russia and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, as well as its involvement in the Thirty Years' War, Sweden found itself transformed into the leader of Protestantism.
Sweden's rise was supported by a rapidly expanding metals economy. By the early seventeenth century, Sweden had become northern Europe's leading exporter of iron and copper; together the two metals accounted for nearly 63% of national exports in 1637 and more than 80% in 1685. Under Gustavus Adolphus, the Crown also exploited the Stora Kopparberg copper mine at Falun, then the largest copper mine in Europe, using its revenues to help finance the king's political and military ambitions.
Military history
A major reason why Sweden could be so successful in wars with such a scarce number of soldiers was its advanced military tactics. Sweden was able to reform its military tactics continuously throughout the period. Prior to Gustavus Adolphus's reforms, both his father, Charles IX, and his uncle Erik XIV had tried to reform the army but had effectively failed to do so. Charles IX, like most other rulers, had tried to implement the Dutch system into the army but with limited success. The lack of a strict organisation in the infantry caused the proportion of pikemen to musketeers to be far lower than the preferred ratio of 1 to 1.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Swedish Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Swedish Empire: Key Facts
| Capital | Stockholm |
|---|---|
| Official language | Swedish |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Currency | Swedish riksdaler |
| Dissolved | 1721 |
Preceded by
- history of Sweden (1523–1611)
Succeeded by
- Age of Liberty
Facts from Wikidata Q215443 (CC0).
Swedish Empire Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Swedish Empire appears, with the other states of the time.
Swedish Empire Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,024,796 km² in 1634 CE.
Swedish Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Swedish Empire exist?
The Swedish Empire is dated to 1612 CE – 1814 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of the Swedish Empire?
The capital of the Swedish Empire was Stockholm.
How large was the Swedish Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 1634 the Swedish Empire covered about 1,024,796 km².
How did the map of the Swedish Empire change over time?
The Swedish Empire appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1700 CE to 1800 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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