Kalmar Union

The Kalmar Union joined Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under a single monarch from 1397 until Sweden’s departure in 1523. Its kingdoms retained separate laws and institutions despite sharing a ruler.

Treaty of Kalmar: The 1397 agreement associated with the coronation of Erik of Pomerania as monarch of the Kalmar Union. It articulated the union’s dynastic framework, though its surviving text and legal force are disputed.
Margaret I of Denmark: The Danish queen who brought Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under her influence before the union’s formal founding. Her rule over the Scandinavian crowns laid the groundwork for a shared monarchy.
Christian II of Denmark: A Danish king who ruled the Kalmar Union and sought to strengthen royal authority in Scandinavia. His failed attempt to subdue Sweden intensified opposition to the union.
Engelbrekt Rebellion: A Swedish uprising against King Erik of Pomerania’s rule, led by Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson in the 1430s. It exposed the weakness of royal authority and the strength of local opposition.
Union of Denmark and Norway: A political union in which Denmark and Norway shared a monarch from 1537 to 1814. After Sweden’s departure, Denmark and Norway continued under a shared monarchy.
Erik of Pomerania: The monarch who ruled Denmark, Norway, and Sweden during the early decades of the Kalmar Union. His reign shows how one ruler governed kingdoms with competing political interests.
Battle of Åsle: A 1389 battle in which forces supporting Margaret I defeated Sweden’s King Albert of Mecklenburg. The victory helped secure Margaret’s control of Sweden before the union was formalized.
Gustav Vasa: A Swedish nobleman who led the revolt against Christian II and became king of Sweden in 1523. His victory ended Sweden’s participation in the union.
Battle of Brunkeberg: A 1471 battle near Stockholm in which Swedish forces defeated an army supporting the Danish king. The victory preserved Swedish self-government against renewed unionist pressure.
Swedish Empire: A period when Sweden became a major European power, chiefly during the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Independent Sweden later pursued ambitions far beyond the union’s regional framework.

Linked from 30 pages