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111-616: Christian II (1 July 1481 – 25 January 1559) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union who reigned as King of Denmark and Norway , from 1513 until 1523, and Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was concurrently Duke of Schleswig and Holstein in joint rule with his uncle Frederick . As king, Christian tried to maintain the Kalmar Union between the Scandinavian countries which brought him to war with Sweden, lasting between 1518 and 1523. Though he captured

222-584: A loanword from the North Germanic languages ; " Skaði " is the jötunn stepmother of Freyr and Freyja in Norse mythology . It has been suggested that Skaði to some extent is modelled on a Sámi woman. The name for Skaði's father Þjazi is known in Sámi as Čáhci , "the waterman"; and her son with Odin, Sæmingr , can be interpreted as a descendant of Saam , the Sámi population. Older joik texts give evidence of

333-648: A brief but disastrous war between Denmark and Prussia (supported by Austria). Schleswig-Holstein was conquered by Prussia and after Prussia's success in the Franco-Prussian War a Prussian-led German Empire was created and a new power -balance in the Baltic region was established. The Scandinavian Monetary Union , established in 1873, lasted until World War I . The term Scandinavia (sometimes specified in English as Continental Scandinavia or mainland Scandinavia )

444-545: A common jury at Solbjerg outside Copenhagen. He was found guilty and executed in November 1517. This act precipitated the division between the king and aristocracy that ultimately led to Christian's deposition. Christian's chief counsellor was Dyveke's mother, Sigbrit Willoms . Christian appointed her controller of the Sound Dues of Øresund , and took her advice on all financial matters. A bourgeoise herself, she acted to extend

555-515: A few days after Christian III. The new king, Frederick II , ordered that a royal funeral be held in his memory. He is buried in Odense next to his wife, parents, and son John , who died in the summer of 1532. Christian II is one of the most discussed of all Danish kings. He has been regarded as both a hypocritical tyrant and a progressive despot, who wanted to create an absolute monarchy based upon "free citizens". His psychological weaknesses have caught

666-483: A modern and more inclusive demonym . In the ethnic or cultural sense the term Scandinavian traditionally refers to speakers of Scandinavian languages , who are mainly descendants of the peoples historically known as Norsemen , but also to some extent of immigrants and others who have been assimilated into that culture and language. In this sense the term refers primarily to native Danes , Norwegians and Swedes as well as descendants of Scandinavian settlers such as

777-532: A promise of safe conduct from Fredrick I, in 1532. Frederick did not keep his promise, and Christian was kept prisoner for the next 27 years, first in Sønderborg Castle until 1549, and afterwards at the castle of Kalundborg . Stories of solitary confinement in small dark chambers are inaccurate; King Christian was treated like a nobleman, particularly in his old age, and he was allowed to host parties, go hunting, and wander freely as long as he did not go beyond

888-726: A violent tempest, that dispersed the Danish convoy along the shores of Jutland . The vessel carrying the Queen narrowly averted shipwreck, and upon safely reaching Helsingør in the start of August, she penned a poignant letter to the Margaret: " Madame, if I could choose for myself, I should be with you now; for to be parted from you is the most grievous thing in the world to me ". Isabella and Christian had their initial encounter at Hvidøre , Christian II's summer residence, where he greeted her with an elaborate entourage of over 1000 individuals. The marriage

999-569: A visit to Sweden, Andersen became a supporter of early political Scandinavism. In a letter describing the poem to a friend, he wrote: "All at once I understood how related the Swedes, the Danes and the Norwegians are, and with this feeling I wrote the poem immediately after my return: 'We are one people, we are called Scandinavians! ' ". The influence of Scandinavism as a Scandinavist political movement peaked in

1110-734: Is 38.0 °C in Målilla (Sweden). The coldest temperature ever recorded is −52.6 °C in Vuoggatjålme , Arjeplog (Sweden). The coldest month was February 1985 in Vittangi (Sweden) with a mean of −27.2 °C. Southwesterly winds further warmed by foehn wind can give warm temperatures in narrow Norwegian fjords in winter. Tafjord has recorded 17.9 °C in January and Sunndal 18.9 °C in February. The words Scandinavia and Scania ( Skåne ,

1221-567: Is Finnish (usually from the 3rd grade), while for Finnish-speakers it is Swedish (usually from the 3rd, 5th or 7th grade). Finnish speakers constitute a language minority in Sweden and Norway. Meänkieli and Kven are Finnish dialects spoken in Swedish Lapland and Norwegian Lapland . The Sámi languages are indigenous minority languages in Scandinavia. They belong to their own branch of

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1332-514: Is a phonotactic structure of alien origin. Although the term Scandinavia used by Pliny the Elder probably originated in the ancient Germanic languages, the modern form Scandinavia does not descend directly from the ancient Germanic term. Rather the word was brought into use in Europe by scholars borrowing the term from ancient sources like Pliny, and was used vaguely for Scania and the southern region of

1443-407: Is also due to the fact that that Swedish was the dominant language when Finland was part of Sweden. Finnish-speakers had to learn Swedish in order to advance to higher positions. Swedish spoken in today's Finland includes a lot of words that are borrowed from Finnish, whereas the written language remains closer to that of Sweden. Finland is officially bilingual, with Finnish and Swedish having mostly

1554-524: Is based on the degree of mutual comprehensibility between the languages in the two branches. The populations of the Scandinavian countries, with common Scandinavian roots in language, can—at least with some training—understand each other's standard languages as they appear in print and are heard on radio and television. The reason Danish, Swedish and the two official written versions of Norwegian ( Nynorsk and Bokmål ) are traditionally viewed as different languages, rather than dialects of one common language,

1665-547: Is because they have two official written standards, in addition to the habit of strongly holding on to local dialects. The people of Stockholm , Sweden and Copenhagen , Denmark have the greatest difficulty in understanding other Scandinavian languages. In the Faroe Islands and Iceland, learning Danish is mandatory. This causes Faroese people as well as Icelandic people to become bilingual in two very distinct North Germanic languages, making it relatively easy for them to understand

1776-555: Is different from usage in the Scandinavian languages themselves (which use Scandinavia in the narrow meaning), and by the fact that the question of whether a country belongs to Scandinavia is politicised. People from the Nordic world beyond Norway, Denmark and Sweden may be offended at being either included in or excluded from the category of "Scandinavia". Nordic countries is used unambiguously for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, including their associated territories Greenland,

1887-466: Is ordinarily used locally for Denmark, Norway and Sweden as a subset of the Nordic countries (known in Norwegian, Danish , and Swedish as Norden ; Finnish : Pohjoismaat , Icelandic : Norðurlöndin , Faroese : Norðurlond ). However, in English usage, the term Scandinavia is sometimes used as a synonym or near-synonym for what are known locally as Nordic countries . Usage in English

1998-649: Is still a hotly debated issue, both in scholarly discussions and in the nationalistic discourse of various European countries. The form Scadinavia as the original home of the Langobards appears in Paul the Deacon ' Historia Langobardorum , but in other versions of Historia Langobardorum appear the forms Scadan , Scandanan , Scadanan and Scatenauge . Frankish sources used Sconaowe and Aethelweard , an Anglo-Saxon historian, used Scani . In Beowulf ,

2109-659: Is that each is a well-established standard language in its respective country. Danish, Swedish and Norwegian have since medieval times been influenced to varying degrees by Middle Low German and standard German. That influence was due not only to proximity, but also to the rule of Denmark—and later Denmark-Norway—over the German-speaking region of Holstein, and to Sweden's close trade with the Hanseatic League . Norwegians are accustomed to variation and may perceive Danish and Swedish only as slightly more distant dialects. This

2220-446: The Baltic for merchants from Bruges and Amsterdam . The envoyship reached the imperial court in Linz in early April, engaging in month-long negotiations culminating in the signing of a marriage contract on 29 April 1514. The substantial dowry amounted to 250,000 Rhenish gulden , approximately equal to 800 million DKK today (about 118 million USD ), with contributions from Spain and

2331-671: The Brussels Palace . She remained in the Netherlands, but is said to have fallen in love with her spouse at the sight of his painting, and asked to be taken to Denmark. A year after the wedding, the Archbishop of Nidaros , Erik Valkendorf  [ da ] , was sent to escort her to Copenhagen . The Danish fleet arrived in Veere , Zeeland on 1 July 1515, and later than month, a tearful Isabella departed on 16 July 1515. The fleet encountered

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2442-466: The Burgundian territories . Princess Isabella was also assured an annual income of 25,000 Rhenish gulden . On 11 July 1514, one week short of her 13th birthday, Isabella was married by proxy to King Christian II of Denmark with Emperor Maximilian I, her grandfather, standing in for the king. The Bishop of Cambrai , Jacob van Croÿ  [ nl ] , presided over the wedding which was conducted at

2553-650: The Count's Feud in 1536. Christian died at Kalundborg in 1559. Christian married Isabella of Austria , granddaughter of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor , in 1515. Isabella died in 1526, after which her family took Christian's three children from him. His relationship with his mistress, Dyveke Sigbritsdatter , pre-dated his marriage and continued until her death in 1517. Christian's persecution of her supposed murderer contributed to his political isolation and downfall. Dyveke's mother, Sigbrit Willoms , became an influential councillor and followed Christian into exile. Christian

2664-589: The Dano-Swedish War (1501–1512) . He was appointed viceroy of Norway in 1506, and succeeded in maintaining control of the country. During his administration in Norway, he attempted to deprive the Norwegian nobility of its traditional influence exercised through the Rigsraadet privy council, leading to controversy with the latter. In 1513, he succeeded his father as king of Denmark and Norway. Christian's succession to

2775-510: The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . A key ancient description of Scandinavia was provided by Pliny the Elder , though his mentions of Scatinavia and surrounding areas are not always easy to decipher. Writing in the capacity of a Roman admiral, he introduces the northern region by declaring to his Roman readers that there are 23 islands "Romanis armis cognitae" ("known to Roman arms") in this area. According to Pliny,

2886-561: The Habsburg Netherlands , while the two other siblings, Ferdinand and Catherine, remained in Castile . Eleanor, Isabella, and Mary were educated together at their aunt's court in Mechelen . Margaret, a wise, staunch Catholic, and politically experienced woman, played a significant role in shaping Isabella's upbringing. Under her aunt's care, Isabella received a comprehensive education from

2997-624: The Icelanders and the Faroese . The term is also used in this ethnic sense, to refer to the modern descendants of the Norse, in studies of linguistics and culture. Additionally the term Scandinavian is used demonymically to refer to all modern inhabitants or citizens of Scandinavian countries. Within Scandinavia the demonymic term primarily refers to inhabitants or citizens of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In English usage inhabitants or citizens of Iceland,

3108-606: The Imperial Diet in Nürnberg , where she campaigned on behalf of King Christian II, seeking support for his restoration to the Danish throne . Her travels through Germany, England, and the Netherlands contributed to her evolving religious sympathies for the Protestant movement. Isabella's death in 1526 prompted widespread mourning. She received both Protestant and Catholic communion, but

3219-614: The Low Countries but also in her husband's realms. Nationwide funeral services were held, and expressions of grief were widespread for the Princess known as "the mother of her people." Testimonies to her worth were abundant, including a letter from Henry VIII of England, who regarded her as a sister. Martin Luther also paid tribute to her in his treatise on Holy Women. Her fifteenth generation great-granddaughter, Princess Isabella of Denmark ,

3330-535: The Low Countries with the duchess in 1498. Margaret heavily participated in the marriage negotiations of her nieces, including Isabella's. In 1509, Isabella's grandfather Emperor Maximilian proposed Henry of Navarre , son of John III , as a possible spouse, but the proposition was presumably dismissed by Margaret. By 1510, there were discussions about Isabel’s possible marriage to Charles II, Duke of Guelders , son of Adolf, Duke of Guelders . However, both Margaret and Maximilian harbored reservations about sending

3441-695: The Low Countries . But Isabella replied in Latin " ubi rex meus, ibi regnum meum " ("where my king is, there is my kingdom"). Isabella left Denmark with her husband and their children after her husband was deposed in 1523 and travelled to the Netherlands. Isabella and Christian travelled around Germany in an attempt to gain help for Christian's restoration to the throne. Isabella made her own negotiations with her relatives, and also accompanied her husband on his travels. The Danish royal family then journeyed to England. While in England, they had an audience with Henry VIII at

Christian II of Denmark - Misplaced Pages Continue

3552-771: The New Testament into Danish. Isabella died in January 1526, and Christian's children were taken by her family so as not to be raised as heretics. Popular agitation against Fredrick I in Denmark centered on Søren Norby , who gathered an army of peasants in Scania , but was defeated in 1525. By 1531, Christian had reverted to Catholicism and reconciled with the Emperor. He took a fleet to Norway, and landed in Oslo to popular acclaim in November 1531. Christian failed to subdue Akershus Castle , and accepted

3663-765: The Protestant cause in its divergence from the authority of the papal church . In her education, Isabella received instruction from Vives, covering Greek and Latin studies. The curriculum included a focus on the Gospels , St. Paul's Epistles , and select portions of the Old Testament . Margaret acted as a maternal figure to her brother's children, and in October 1507, she informed her father, Emperor Maximilian I , who closely followed and actively participated in matters concerning his grandchildren, of Isabella and Maria contracting measles , with Eleonora showing symptoms. Due to

3774-567: The Royal Palace in Greenwich and were later accommodated at Hampton Court Palace . They visited Saxony in 1523 and Berlin in 1523–1524. In Berlin, Isabella became interested in the teachings of Luther , and felt sympathy for Protestantism, however she never converted officially. When she visited Nürnberg in 1524, she received communion in the Protestant way, which so enraged her birth family,

3885-613: The Scandinavian Peninsula (which excludes Denmark but includes a part of northern Finland ). In English usage, Scandinavia is sometimes used as a synonym for Nordic countries . Iceland and the Faroe Islands are sometimes included in Scandinavia for their ethnolinguistic relations with Sweden, Norway and Denmark. While Finland differs from other Nordic countries in this respect, some authors call it Scandinavian due to its economic and cultural similarities. The geography of

3996-574: The Scandinavian Peninsula since prehistory—the North Germanic languages (Scandinavian languages) and the Uralic languages , Sámi and Finnish . Most people in Scandinavia today speak Scandinavian languages that evolved from Old Norse , originally spoken by ancient Germanic tribes in southern Scandinavia. The Continental Scandinavian languages— Danish , Norwegian and Swedish —form a dialect continuum and are considered mutually intelligible. The Insular Scandinavian languages— Faroese and Icelandic —on

4107-693: The Sámi people in northern Scandinavia. The North Germanic languages of Scandinavia are traditionally divided into an East Scandinavian branch (Danish and Swedish) and a West Scandinavian branch (Norwegian, Icelandic and Faroese), but because of changes appearing in the languages since 1600 the East Scandinavian and West Scandinavian branches are now usually reconfigured into Insular Scandinavian ( ö-nordisk / øy-nordisk ) featuring Icelandic and Faroese and Continental Scandinavian ( Skandinavisk ), comprising Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. The modern division

4218-431: The Uralic language family and are unrelated to the North Germanic languages other than by limited grammatical (particularly lexical) characteristics resulting from prolonged contact. Sámi is divided into several languages or dialects. Consonant gradation is a feature in both Finnish and northern Sámi dialects, but it is not present in southern Sámi, which is considered to have a different language history. According to

4329-495: The contagious nature of the disease and winter conditions, Margaret and Archduke Charles opted to stay in Brussels rather than returning to Mechelen as initially intended. The household of the imperial children was headed by First Chamberlain , Charles de Croy-Chimay and Grand Mistress (stewardess) Anna de Beaumont , a Spanish-Navarrese noblewoman of French origin, who had been Juana’s former lady-in-waiting , arriving in

4440-460: The "clarissima" ("most famous") of the region's islands is Scatinavia , of unknown size. There live the Hilleviones . The belief that Scandinavia was an island became widespread among classical authors during the 1st century and dominated descriptions of Scandinavia in classical texts during the centuries that followed. Pliny begins his description of the route to Scatinavia by referring to

4551-457: The Beautiful 's daughters. This alliance promised strategic advantages, creating kinship with the emperor and making King Christian the brother-in-law of Archduke Charles , a powerful figure in key Dutch cities. Furthermore, Habsburg-Austrian princesses were known for substantial dowries . King Christian enlisted the help of his uncle, Frederick III, Elector of Saxony , who, well-connected with

Christian II of Denmark - Misplaced Pages Continue

4662-492: The Danish monarch starved the women and children, who only survived by the mercy shown to them by the queen of Denmark, Isabella of Austria. When King Christian was deposed in 1523 by disloyal noblemen supporting his uncle, Duke Frederick , the new king wanted to be on good terms with Isabella's family. He wrote her a personal letter in her native German , offering her a dowager queen's pension and permitting her to stay in Denmark under his protection while King Christian fled to

4773-617: The Emperor, inquired about suitable matches at the Imperial Court . In late October and early November, a national assembly in Viborg revisited the matrimonial issue, resolving to send an embassy to Emperor Maximilian for the formal proposal of Archduchess Isabella's hand. Bishop Gottschalk von Ahlefeldt , alongside Councilors Mogens Gjø and Albert Jepsen Ravensberg , was chosen to lead this envoy. The king of Denmark had first intended to marry Isabella's eldest sister Eleanor of Austria , but

4884-470: The Faroe Islands and Finland are sometimes included as well. English general dictionaries often define the noun Scandinavian demonymically as meaning any inhabitant of Scandinavia (which might be narrowly conceived or broadly conceived). There is a certain ambiguity and political contestation as to which peoples should be referred to as Scandinavian in this broader sense. Sámi people who live in Norway and Sweden are generally included as Scandinavians in

4995-674: The Faroe Islands and the Åland Islands. The geological term Fennoscandia (sometimes Fennoscandinavia ) refers to the Fennoscandian Shield (or Baltic Shield ), which includes the Scandinavian Peninsula, Finland and Karelia , and excludes Denmark and other parts of the wider Nordic world. The terms Fennoscandia and Fennoscandinavia are sometimes used in a political sense to refer to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The term Scandinavian may be used with two principal meanings, in an ethnic or cultural sense and as

5106-519: The Finnish population. The coastal province of Ostrobothnia has a Swedish-speaking majority, whereas plenty of areas on this coastline are nearly unilingually Finnish, like the region of Satakunta . Åland, an autonomous province of Finland situated in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden, are entirely Swedish-speaking. Children are taught the other official language at school: for Swedish-speakers this

5217-465: The Habsburgs considered Eleanor too valuable for the throne of Denmark, because as the eldest sister, there was a likelihood that her progeny may succeed. Therefore, Isabella was selected for the Danish king. The Emperor expressed approval for the potential alliance with Denmark, a sentiment that found favor in the Low Countries . This alliance was viewed as a strategic opportunity to enhance trade access to

5328-472: The Habsburgs declared that she had died a convinced Catholic. Her religious sympathies, and whether she was a Protestant or a Catholic after 1524, have been debated. At her deathbed, she gave the cause of her husband's restoration to her aunt, the regent of the Netherlands, Margaret of Austria . She was buried on 4 February 1526 at the Saint Peter's Abbey, Ghent . Isabella's early death was mourned not only in

5439-565: The Habsburgs declared that she had died a fervent Catholic. Isabella was born on 18 July 1501 in Brussels as the third child of Philip the Handsome , ruler of the Habsburg Netherlands and Joanna the Mad , heiress to the Spanish kingdoms of Castile and Aragon . Her father was the son of the reigning Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and his deceased consort Mary, Duchess of Burgundy , while her mother

5550-438: The Habsburgs, that Christian decided that she should hide her Protestant views in the future, for political reasons. In the spring of 1525, Isabella caught some kind of serious illness, which worsened after she travelled through a storm later that year, and lasted all summer. The former queen died at the castle of Zwijnaarde near Ghent aged twenty-four, on 19 January 1526. She received both Protestant and Catholic communion, but

5661-680: The Kalundborg town boundaries. Fredrick I died in April 1533, and the Danish Council of State was at first unable to choose a successor. The mayor of Lübeck , Jürgen Wullenwever , took advantage of the resulting interregnum to conspire for the restoration of Christian II to the throne of Denmark. He formed an alliance with two prominent nobles, Ambrosius Bogbinder and Jørgen Kock , mayor of Malmö. With Christopher, Count of Oldenburg as his military commander he succeeded in seizing Scania and Zeeland in

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5772-556: The Russian Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809 and Norway ( de jure in union with Denmark since 1387, although de facto treated as a province) becoming independent in 1814, but thereafter swiftly forced to accept a personal union with Sweden. The dependent territories Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, historically part of Norway, remained with Denmark in accordance with the Treaty of Kiel . Sweden and Norway were thus united under

5883-497: The Swedish king Gustav I led Sweden to independence. It also saw numerous wars between the nations, which shaped the modern borders. The most recent union was the union between Sweden and Norway , which ended in 1905. In modern times the region has prospered, with the economies of the countries being amongst the strongest in Europe. Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Finland all maintain welfare systems considered to be generous, with

5994-541: The Swedish monarch, but Finland's inclusion in the Russian Empire excluded any possibility for a political union between Finland and any of the other Nordic countries. The end of the Scandinavian political movement came when Denmark was denied the military support promised from Sweden and Norway to annex the (Danish) Duchy of Schleswig , which together with the (German) Duchy of Holstein had been in personal union with Denmark. The Second war of Schleswig followed in 1864,

6105-510: The Swedish representatives to turn it and the regency of Sweden over to Isabella if he himself should die when his children were minors. She was to be the last Queen of Sweden who was also Queen of Denmark during the Kalmar union , but she in fact never visited Sweden; pregnant at the time of her spouse's accession to the throne of Sweden, she did not follow him there. Isabella served as the regent of Denmark during Christian's stay in Sweden. Her husband

6216-402: The Swedish throne, led in short order to Sweden's secession from the Kalmar Union. Didrik Slagheck , whom Christian appointed to the bishopric of Skara and as one of the three regents of Sweden, proved brutal and inept. The remaining Swedish nobility, appalled by the bloodbath, rose against Christian and the Swedish Diet elected Gustav Vasa regent and subsequently King of Sweden. On account of

6327-533: The Sámi Information Centre of the Sámi Parliament of Sweden , southern Sámi may have originated in an earlier migration from the south into the Scandinavian Peninsula. German is a recognized minority language in Denmark. Recent migrations has added even more languages. Apart from the Sámi languages and the languages of minority groups speaking a variant of the majority language of a neighboring state, Yiddish , Romani Chib/Romanes, Scandoromani and Karelian are amongst those protected in parts of Scandinavia under

6438-415: The Town Law and the Land Law – which governed respectively trade and the behaviour of the clergy. The Town Law strengthened the rights of tradesmen and peasants at the expense of the nobility. Trade was reorganised and was to be conducted solely through market towns, which were to be governed by officials appointed by the king. Trading in peasants was forbidden, and peasants were given the right to negotiate

6549-413: The country in 1520, the subsequent slaughter of leading Swedish nobility, churchmen, and others, known as the Stockholm Bloodbath , caused the Swedes to rise against his rule. He was deposed in a rebellion led by the nobleman and later king of Sweden Gustav Vasa . He attempted to bring in a radical reform of the Danish state in 1521–22, which would have strengthened the rights of commoners at the expense of

6660-408: The demonymic sense; the Sámi of Finland may be included in English usage, but usually not in local usage; the Sámi of Russia are not included. However, the use of the term "Scandinavian" with reference to the Sámi is complicated by the historical attempts by Scandinavian majority peoples and governments in Norway and Sweden to assimilate the Sámi people into the Scandinavian culture and languages, making

6771-568: The deposed King, and the two of them share various adventures. Christian II had six children by his wife, Isabella of Austria (1501–1526), only three of whom survived infancy and two reached adulthood. They were: Scandinavia Nordic territories that are not part of Scandinavia: Chronological history Scandinavia is a subregion of Northern Europe , with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. Scandinavia most commonly refers to Denmark , Norway , and Sweden . It can sometimes also refer to

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6882-500: The economic and social policies of the countries being dubbed the " Nordic model ". The geography of Scandinavia is extremely varied. Notable are the Norwegian fjords , the Scandinavian Mountains covering much of Norway and parts of Sweden, the flat, low areas in Denmark and the archipelagos of Finland, Norway and Sweden. Finland and Sweden have many lakes and moraines , legacies of the ice age , which ended about ten millennia ago. The southern regions of Scandinavia, which are also

6993-420: The first Europeans to reach North America. These exploits saw the establishment of the North Sea Empire which comprised large parts of Scandinavia and Great Britain, though it was relatively short-lived. Scandinavia was eventually Christianized , and the coming centuries saw various unions of Scandinavian nations, most notably the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which lasted for over 100 years until

7104-400: The forms Scedenige and Scedeland are used while the Alfredian translation of Orosius and Wulfstan 's travel accounts used the Old English Sconeg . The earliest Sámi joik texts written down refer to the world as Skadesi-suolu in Northern Sámi and Skađsuâl in Skolt Sámi , meaning " Skaði 's island". Svennung considers the Sámi name to have been introduced as

7215-401: The goddess Skaði may have once been a personification of the geographical region of Scandinavia or associated with the underworld. Another possibility is that all or part of the segments of the name came from the pre-Germanic Mesolithic people inhabiting the region. In modernity, Scandinavia is a peninsula, but between approximately 10,300 and 9,500 years ago the southern part of Scandinavia

7326-477: The guidance of notable humanists like Juan Luis Vives and Adrian of Utrecht . In 1514, she entered into a strategic marriage with Christian II of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. However, the marriage encountered early challenges with diplomatic tensions arising from Christian II's existing relationship with Dyveke Sigbritsdatter , his Dutch mistress . Following Dyveke's death in 1517 the relations between Isabella and her husband significantly improved, and Isabella

7437-407: The inclusion of the Sámi as "Scandinavians" controversial among many Sámi. Modern Sámi politicians and organizations often stress the status of the Sámi as a people separate from and equal to the Scandinavians, with their own language and culture, and are apprehensive about being included as "Scandinavians" in light of earlier Scandinavian assimilation policies. Two language groups have coexisted on

7548-487: The influence of the middle classes, and formed an inner council, which competed with the Rigsraadet for power. Her influence was resented by the aristocracy, who blamed her for the king's favouring the working classes. Christian was meanwhile preparing for the inevitable war with Sweden. The anti-Danish faction, headed by the regent Sten Sture the Younger , was opposed by the pro-Danish party led by Archbishop Gustav Trolle . In 1517 Christian dispatched ships and soldiers to

7659-427: The interest of historians, especially his frequently mentioned irresolution, which as years passed seemed to dominate his acts. Christian clearly made too many enemies. Furthermore, the Danish middle class was still not strong enough to support royal power. However some of his ambitions were fulfilled by the victory of absolutism in 1660. Christian den Anden (Christian II) is a 1889 play by Jenny Blicher-Clausen which

7770-428: The language of the church and law courts remained Icelandic. The Scandinavian languages are (as a language family) unrelated to Finnish and the Sámi languages , which as Uralic languages are distantly related each other. Owing to the close proximity, there is still a great deal of borrowing from the Swedish and Norwegian languages in Finnish and the Sámi. The long history of linguistic influence of Swedish on Finnish

7881-530: The learned renaissance humanists of the time. Her upbringing at the opulent court in Mechelen afforded Isabella the finest education of her time, and among her notable tutors were Juan Luis Vives and the later Pope Adrian VI , who was associated with the pre-Reformation movement known as the " Brethren of the Common Life ." The Brethren were viewed favourably by Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon for their emphasis on Christian devotion and self-sacrifice . Many members of this movement later aligned with

7992-752: The massacre Christian is remembered in Sweden as Christian the Tyrant ( Kristian Tyrann ). In June 1521, the Danish king paid a visit to Charles V in the Netherlands , where he remained for some months. He visited most of the large cities, made the personal acquaintance of Quentin Matsys and Albrecht Dürer , and met Erasmus , with whom he discussed the Protestant Reformation . Directly upon his return to Denmark in September 1521 Christian issued two bodies of laws –

8103-438: The matter was resolved when Dyveke died in 1517, and Isabella's relationship with her husband improved vastly over the next few years; her relationship with Sigbrit Willoms improved as well, and both women acted as political advisors to the king. From 1516, Anne Meinstrup was head lady-in-waiting of her court. In 1520, Christian took the throne of Sweden, thereby making Isabella Queen of Sweden. After taking Stockholm, he asked

8214-652: The middle of the 19th century, between the First Schleswig War (1848–1850) and the Second Schleswig War (1864). The Swedish king also proposed a unification of Denmark, Norway and Sweden into a single united kingdom. The background for the proposal was the tumultuous events during the Napoleonic Wars in the beginning of the century. This war resulted in Finland (formerly the eastern third of Sweden) becoming

8325-507: The most populous regions, have a temperate climate . Scandinavia extends north of the Arctic Circle , but has relatively mild weather for its latitude due to the Gulf Stream . Many of the Scandinavian mountains have an alpine tundra climate. The climate varies from north to south and from west to east: a marine west coast climate ( Cfb ) typical of western Europe dominates in Denmark,

8436-487: The most powerful men in Europe as Holy Roman Emperors. Her sisters became queens in Portugal and France , Bohemia and Hungary , and Portugal, respectively. Following the early death of Isabella's father in September 1506, her mother's mental health began to deteriorate. Isabella, along with her brother, Charles, and her sisters, Eleanor and Mary, was put into the care of her paternal aunt, Archduchess Margaret , governor of

8547-588: The mountain of Saevo ( mons Saevo ibi ), the Codanus Bay ("Codanus sinus") and the Cimbrian promontory. The geographical features have been identified in various ways. By some scholars, Saevo is thought to be the mountainous Norwegian coast at the entrance to Skagerrak and the Cimbrian peninsula is thought to be Skagen , the north tip of Jutland , Denmark. As described, Saevo and Scatinavia can also be

8658-519: The name of Christian II in a conflict known as the Count's Feud . However, Fredrick's eldest son, also named Christian, raised an army in Holstein which, led by Johann Rantzau , took in turn Holstein, Jutland and Zeeland in a series of brilliant military manoeuvers. He formed an alliance with Gustav Vasa, who subdued Scania, and took the throne as Christian III of Denmark . Christian II remained in prison in Kalundborg. Christian II died in January 1559,

8769-452: The nobles and clergy. The nobility rose against him in 1523, and he was exiled to the Netherlands, ceding the Danish throne to his uncle Frederick . After attempting to reclaim the thrones in 1531, he was arrested and held in captivity for the rest of his life, first in Sønderborg Castle and later at Kalundborg Castle . Supporters tried to restore him to power both during his exile and his imprisonment but they were defeated decisively during

8880-585: The northwestern coast. A small area along the northern coast east of the North Cape has tundra climate (Et) as a result of a lack of summer warmth. The Scandinavian Mountains block the mild and moist air coming from the southwest, thus northern Sweden and the Finnmarksvidda plateau in Norway receive little precipitation and have cold winters. Large areas in the Scandinavian mountains have alpine tundra climate. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Scandinavia

8991-415: The old Sámi belief about living on an island and state that the wolf is known as suolu gievra , meaning "the strong one on the island". The Sámi place name Sulliidčielbma means "the island's threshold" and Suoločielgi means "the island's back". In recent substrate studies, Sámi linguists have examined the initial cluster sk - in words used in the Sámi languages and concluded that sk -

9102-490: The other are only partially intelligible to speakers of the continental Scandinavian languages. The Uralic languages are linguistically unrelated to the Scandinavian languages. Finnish is the majority language in Finland, and a recognized minority language in Sweden. Meänkieli and Kven , sometimes considered as dialects of Finnish, are recognized minority languages in Sweden and Norway, respectively. The Sámi languages are indigenous minority languages in Scandinavia, spoken by

9213-519: The other two Mainland Scandinavian languages. Although Iceland was under the political control of Denmark until a much later date (1918), very little influence and borrowing from Danish has occurred in the Icelandic language. Icelandic remained the preferred language among the ruling classes in Iceland. Danish was not used for official communications, most of the royal officials were of Icelandic descent and

9324-658: The past and guarantee that Sweden should be ruled according to Swedish laws and custom. Three days after the coronation, Archbishop Trolle accused the followers of Sture of heresy for their part in the rising against him. Gyllenstierna used the fact that the Swedish Diet had made a 'swearing in common' (sammansvärjning) in 1517, which had bound the nobles to Sture's cause, in defence of her husband's followers. However, Christian seized on this as an opportunity to cement his control over Sweden by removing his opponents. He convened an ecclesiastical court which condemned all parties to

9435-428: The peninsula. The term was popularised by the linguistic and cultural Scandinavist movement , which asserted the common heritage and cultural unity of the Scandinavian countries and rose to prominence in the 1830s. The popular usage of the term in Sweden, Denmark and Norway as a unifying concept became established in the 19th century through poems such as Hans Christian Andersen 's "I am a Scandinavian" of 1839. After

9546-568: The region can also be found in Pytheas , Pomponius Mela , Tacitus , Ptolemy , Procopius and Jordanes , usually in the form of Scandza . It is believed that the name used by Pliny may be of West Germanic origin, originally denoting Scania. According to some scholars, the Germanic stem can be reconstructed as * skaðan- , meaning "danger" or "damage". The second segment of the name has been reconstructed as * awjō , meaning "land on

9657-642: The region is varied, from the Norwegian fjords in the west and Scandinavian mountains covering parts of Norway and Sweden, to the low and flat areas of Denmark in the south, as well as archipelagos and lakes in the east. Most of the population in the region live in the more temperate southern regions, with the northern parts having long, cold winters. The region became notable during the Viking Age , when Scandinavian peoples participated in large-scale raiding, conquest, colonization and trading mostly throughout Europe. They also used their longships for exploration, becoming

9768-454: The relief of the archbishop's fortress of Stäket , but was defeated by Sture and his peasant levies at Vedila . A second attempt the following year was also frustrated by Sture's victory at the Battle of Brännkyrka . A third attempt made in 1520 with a large army of French, German and Scottish mercenaries proved successful. Sture was mortally wounded at the Battle of Bogesund on 19 January, and

9879-542: The remaining rebel forces were suppressed in April at the bloody Battle of Uppsala . Christian’s army and navy then moved to Stockholm and besiege the city . Sweden was now under the leadership of Sture's widow Christina Gyllenstierna . Stockholm held out until September 1520, when Christina surrendered. Christian was crowned king of Sweden by Trolle in November, with the agreement of the Swedish Privy Council ( Riksråd ), who had, however, extracted an indemnity for

9990-487: The same place. Pliny mentions Scandinavia one more time: in Book VIII he says that the animal called achlis (given in the accusative, achlin , which is not Latin) was born on the island of Scandinavia. The animal grazes, has a big upper lip and some mythical attributes. Isabella of Austria Her upbringing, overseen by her aunt Archduchess Margaret , was marked by a comprehensive education in Mechelen under

10101-563: The same status at national level. Finland's majority population are Finns , whose mother tongue is either Finnish (approximately 95%), Swedish or both. The Swedish-speakers live mainly on the coastline starting from approximately the city of Porvoo (Sw: Borgå) (in the Gulf of Finland) up to the city of Kokkola (Sw: Karleby) (in the Bay of Bothnia). The Swedish-speaking population is spread out in pockets in this coastal stretch and constitutes approximately 5% of

10212-525: The sound tolls, which affected trade between Sweden and the Hanseatic towns. As a consequence, Lübeck and Danzig joined the newly independent Sweden in war against Denmark. Domestic rebellion against Christian started in Jutland . On 20 January 1523, the herredag at Viborg offered the Danish crown to Christian's uncle, Duke Frederick of Holstein . Frederick's army gained control over most of Denmark during

10323-406: The southernmost part of Sweden and along the west coast of Norway reaching north to 65°N, with orographic lift giving more mm/year precipitation (<5000 mm) in some areas in western Norway. The central part – from Oslo to Stockholm – has a humid continental climate (Dfb), which gradually gives way to subarctic climate (Dfc) further north and cool marine west coast climate (Cfc) along

10434-629: The southernmost province of Sweden) are both thought to go back to the Proto-Germanic compound * Skaðin-awjō (the ð represented in Latin by t or d ), which appears later in Old English as Scedenig and in Old Norse as Skáney . The earliest identified source for the name Scandinavia is Pliny the Elder 's Natural History , dated to the 1st century AD. Various references to

10545-498: The spring, and in April 1523 Christian left Denmark to seek help abroad. On 1 May, he landed at Veere in Zeeland . In exile Christian led a humble life in the city of Lier in the Netherlands (now in Belgium), waiting for military help from his brother-in-law Charles V. Christian corresponded with Martin Luther and he became a Lutheran for some time; he even commissioned a translation of

10656-440: The summer of 1514. Whilst visiting Bergen in 1507 or 1509, Christian fell in love with a Norwegian girl of Dutch heritage, named Dyveke Sigbritsdatter . She became his mistress and remained with him until Dyveke's death. Their relationship was not interrupted by Christian's marriage to Isabella of Austria , the granddaughter of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I . They married by proxy on 11 June 1514 in Brussels . Isabella

10767-576: The swearing in common. On 8 and 9 November eighty-two Swedish noblemen were executed at Stockholm castle, including the bishops of Skara and Strängnäs . As well as Sture's supporters, who had formed Trolle's original list, Christian's suspicious nature led him to even execute supporters of the Kalmar Union. The bodies of Sten Sture and his child were dug up and burnt. Gyllenstierna and other noble Swedish ladies were sent as prisoners to Denmark. The bloodbath, rather than cementing Christian's control of

10878-403: The tangled history of Christian II reign and downfall as seen by the (fictional) Mikkel Thøgersen, a loyal follower of king. The Corridors of Time by Danish-American science fiction writer Poul Anderson includes a section where a modern American travels in time to 16th Century Denmark, arriving there shortly after Christian II's downfall – where he meets and befriends a diehard follower of

10989-428: The terms of their tenure with the nobility. The Land Law permitted clergy to marry, and gave some control of the church over to the state. The new laws were radical, progressive, and perceived by the nobility and bishops as an existential threat. By 1522, Christian was running out of allies. In an attempt to set up a Danish-centered trading company in direct competition with the Hanseatic League , Christian had raised

11100-568: The thrones of Norway and Denmark was confirmed at the Herredag assembly of notables from the three northern kingdoms, which met at Copenhagen in 1513. The Swedish delegates said, "We have the choice between peace at home and strife here, or peace here and civil war at home, and we prefer the former." A decision as to the Swedish succession was therefore postponed. Christian's coronations as king of Denmark in Copenhagen and of Norway in Oslo took place in

11211-575: The water" or "island". The name Scandinavia would then mean "dangerous island", which is considered to refer to the treacherous sandbanks surrounding Scania. Skanör in Scania, with its long Falsterbo reef, has the same stem ( skan ) combined with - ör , which means "sandbanks". Alternatively, Sca(n)dinavia and Skáney , along with the Old Norse goddess name Skaði , may be related to Proto-Germanic * skaðwa- (meaning "shadow"). John McKinnell comments that this etymology suggests that

11322-462: The young princess to Guelders , questioning the match's prestige. The Lord of Guelders held a lower rank as a duke, and their family's objective was to wed their daughters into royal houses. Isabella's fortune, her succession rights, and her connections made her a valuable pawn in the royal marriage market. In 1513, Copenhagen hosted negotiations for the topic of the new King Christian II 's marriage, leading to an agreement to pursue one of Philip

11433-607: Was an island separated from the northern peninsula, with water exiting the Baltic Sea through the area where Stockholm is now located. The Latin names in Pliny's text gave rise to different forms in medieval Germanic texts. In Jordanes' history of the Goths (AD 551), the form Scandza is the name used for their original home, separated by sea from the land of Europe (chapter 1, 4). Where Jordanes meant to locate this quasi-legendary island

11544-534: Was born at Nyborg Castle in 1481 as the son of John, King of Denmark and his wife, Christina of Saxony . Christian descended, through Valdemar I of Sweden , from the House of Eric , and from Catherine, daughter of Inge I of Sweden , as well as from Ingrid Ylva, granddaughter of Sverker I of Sweden . His rival Gustav I of Sweden descended only from Sverker II of Sweden and the House of Sverker . Christian took part in his father's conquest of Sweden in 1497 and in

11655-450: Was brought to Copenhagen a year later, and the marriage was ratified on 12 August 1515 at Copenhagen Castle , in a ceremony conducted by Birger Gunnersen, Archbishop of Lund . Dyveke died in 1517, and Christian was led to believe that the magnate Torben Oxe had poisoned her. Oxe's status meant that he should have been tried by the Council of State , but instead he was brought to trial by

11766-422: Was deposed as king of Sweden the following year. King Christian imprisoned many Swedish noblewomen, related to rebellious Swedish nobles, at the infamous Blåtårn ("Blue Tower") of Copenhagen Castle, including Christina Gyllenstierna , Cecilia Månsdotter and Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa . Gustav I of Sweden used their purported harsh treatment in captivity in his propaganda against Christian II and claimed that

11877-441: Was entrusted with the position of regent in 1520 and political advisor to the king. In 1523, her husband, King Christian II, was deposed. The political upheaval prompted the Danish royal family, including Isabella and her children, to seek refuge in various European states, such as England , Saxony and the Habsburg Netherlands . During this exile, Isabella strongly advocated for her husband's cause. In 1524, she participated in

11988-465: Was performed at Copenhagen's Dagmar Theatre. Jean Sibelius composed in 1898 incidental music King Christian II to a play about the king, and derived from it a suite. The Fall of the King ( Danish : Kongens Fald ), a novel by the Danish author and Nobel Prize Laureate Johannes V. Jensen , published in three parts from 1900 to 1901, is considered a major work of modern Danish literature. It relates

12099-408: Was quite cool during the first years of the marriage. The King's Dutch mistress, Dyveke Sigbritsdatter , had been with him since 1507, and he was not about to give her up for a teenager. Dyveke's mother, Sigbrit Willoms , was also influential at court, and Isabella was given less influence than both of them. This angered the Emperor, and caused some diplomatic strife between him and King Christian, but

12210-403: Was ratified on 12 August 1515, when she was 14 years old. Isabella was crowned Queen of Denmark and Norway, the same day of her matrimonial ratification, on 12 August 1515 at Copenhagen Castle by the Archbishop of Lund , Birger Gunnersen  [ sv ; da ; no ] . She began using another version of her name, Elisabeth, but the relationship between her and her new family and Christian

12321-595: Was the daughter of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile , after whom she is named. She was baptized in Brussels by the Bishop of Cambrai , Henri de Berghes . She had two older siblings, Eleanor and Charles , as well as three younger siblings Ferdinand , Mary and Catherine . Isabella and her siblings were considered the "noblest children" of her time. Her brothers became

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