What did the Swedish Empire Collapse

 Here in the 12th century the kingdom of Sweden was still struggling with its dynastic problems

Plans fought for power and in the final part of this period Guilbeau dynasty was founded

This was an important step and will be the base of what will happen with Sweden in the future

This dynasty consolidated a pre Kalmar Union

To a strong state king Magnus the fourth also ruled over Norway in Scania

Following the Black Death this union was severely weakened and Scania was lost to Denmark during the early Middle Ages

The Swedish state also expanded to control Norland and Finland this expansion created awareness and tensions in the Russian States

Starting an era of rivalry which will continue through the next centuries after the black death and internal power

struggles Queen Margaret the first of Denmark United the Nordic countries in the Union of Kalmar at the end of the 14th century in

1397 with the approval of the Swedish nobility

this was a personal union and existed here from

1397 to

1523 this union joined under a single monarch and the three northern kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden and Norway

Having also territories in today's Finland and overseas dependencies like Iceland Greenland or the furrow and northern islands

however

as in other cases of unions due to continual tension and issues about power and

Disagreements within the countries and within the union gradually led to open

Conflict between the Swedes and the Danes in the 15th century

It was clear that this structure can not exist anymore and it disintegrated in the early 16th century

This was the beginning of a long lived

Rivalry between Denmark and Sweden in the 16th century a guy named Gustav Vasa fought for Sweden independence

Because the Catholic Bishops had supported the Danish King Christian

The second Gustavus used the Protestant Reformation movement to curb the power of the church and become King Gustavus the first in 1523

After he overthrown the Danish king

Here in the north lived few people compared to the rest of Europe mainly due to harsher conditions

It's believed that in the 17th century despite having around 1 million inhabitants

Sweden emerged to have greater foreign influence in the region and it became stronger and stronger after winning wars against Denmark Norway the Holy

Roman Empire Russia and the Commonwealth of Poland Lithuania its contributions during the 30 Years War

Gustavus Adolphus helped determine the political and the religious balance of power in Europe in this time the swedish kingdom emerged as a

European great power before the emergence of the swedish empire sweden was a poor and scarcely populated

Country on the fringe of european civilization with no significant power or reputation

Sweden rose to prominence on a continental scale during the tenure of King Gustavus Adolphus

Seizing territories from Russia and Poland Lithuania in multiple conflicts including the 30 Years War

The expansion was visible and at that time it was the greatest power of the north, but they expanded elsewhere, too

Not many know that Sweden had their colonies outside Europe as many countries at that time

They tried to create trade posts and finally establish a colony in North America at the lower reaches of the Delaware River

During the 30 Years War another colony was founded in 1650 on the Gulf of Guinea

This was their attempt but the colonies will be lost

Mainly seized and taken by the Dutch Shore Denmark at the end of the 30 Years War

Sweden was at its biggest extent during this time under the rule of Charles Gustav at this time the Swedish Empire had the largest

Influenced in the Baltic Sea. This was their peak

The extravagance of gustavus adolphus is too immediate successors

Cristina and Charles Gustav caused great difficulties for the new Empire

bad in

administration

Cristina's financial extravagance brought the state almost to bankruptcy the financial difficulties caused public unrest and revolts and this led to our

Abdication the success in previous Wars came at a cost a financial one

The Swedish people looked to a new king to address the problem of too much power vested in the nobility

Even if there wasn't like in previous years if we speak about leadership

The Empire will have great success in the next years still having a professional army in

1655 in the second northern war Charles Gustav of Sweden invaded and occupied Western Poland, Lithuania

the eastern half of which was already occupied by Russia

This was a huge victory for Sweden once more showing that despite their problems

They can still be a major actor, but this wasn't for long

Sweden didn't focus on wars afterwards but more to internal problems on making reforms and modernize even if small

Conflicts existed by the end of the century no major land losses existed

The following period of peace allowed Charles the 11th of Sweden to reform and stabilize the realm he consolidated the

Finances of the crown by the great reduction of 1680 further changes were made in finance commerce church government

education and other areas

Because in the past Sweden managed to win wars against its neighbours despite their successes those neighbours became enemies

After Charles xi death, the throne was inherited by his underage son Charles the 12th after a brief Regency

He was declared to be of age to rule three years later in

1700 Denmark Poland and Russia the countries that had lost most territory to Sweden jointly declared war

This will be known as the great northern war

1700 to 1721 because Sweden was in a weak position a coalition led by the Sarda move Russia

successfully contested the

supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central and Eastern Europe the initial leaders of the anti Swedish alliance were Peter the first of

Russia Frederick the fourth of Denmark Norway and Augustus the second the strong of Saxony Poland, Lithuania

the war began when an alliance sensing an opportunity as Sweden was ruled by the young Charles the twelfth

Declared war on the Swedish Empire and launched a three-fold attack on Swedish Holstein goat or Swedish Lavanya and Swedish. Ingria

Sweden parried the Danish and Russian attacks at Trevon Dahl

August 17 hundred and Narva November 1700 respectively and in a counter-offensive

Pushed Augustus, the seconds forces through the polish-lithuanian

Commonwealth to Saxony again despite their difficulties

Frederick the sixth and Augustus the second were defeated by Sweden under Charles the twelfth and forced out of the Alliance in 1700 and

1706 respectively

But rejoined it in 1709 after the defeat of Charles the 12th at the Battle of Poltava

After Poltava the anti Swedish coalition revived and subsequently Hanover and Prussia joined it

The remaining Swedish forces and plague stricken areas south and east of the Baltic Sea were evicted with the last city

Sweden proper was invaded from the west by Denmark

Norway and from the east by Russia which sought to have access to the Gulf of Finland despite these setbacks

Charles twice tried to invade Norway to force Denmark Norway out of the war again on November 30th

1718 King Charles the 12th was mortally wounded during a siege with his death

Swedish war efforts mostly came to a halt and peace was signed in 1721

Sweden would remain a regional power of varying success until the 19th century

But the great northern war put an end to Sweden's time as a great power

Finland was lost to Russia in 1809

After a war and this was followed by a union with Norway that will last for almost a hundred years

But this is a topic for another video

Sweden managed to conquer important territories and to rule the northern regions of the continent and with reforms no major revolts and

instabilities happened but their collapse was mainly due to external conflicts a low man power compared to other states a

Large Russia looking to expand more and other neighbors seeking revenge combined with a moment of weakness created the scenario of their collapse

If in those periods to protect yourself

You would have needed guns manpower strong tactics and smart diplomacy and a Europe full of challenges and dangers