Sweden in the 12th century before the incorporation of Finland during the 13th century. Yellow represents the Suiones/Swedes, blue represents the Geats and green the Gotlanders

Suiones, Swedes, Svíar or Svear, were an ancient Germanic tribe in Scandinavia. They are usually only referred to as Swedes in English. According to early sources, they were a powerful tribe whose kings claimed descendance from the god Freyr. During the Viking Age they constituted the basis of the Varangian subset, the Vikings that travelled eastwards (see Rus'). Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1650x1950, 478 KB) Map of Scandinavia in 12th century, showing modern borders in grey. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1650x1950, 478 KB) Map of Scandinavia in 12th century, showing modern borders in grey. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Sweden in the 12th century before the incorporation of Finland during the 13th century. ... The Gotlanders are the population of the island of Gotland. ... The term Germanic tribes applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe. ... This 19th century representation of Freyr shows him with his boar Gullinbursti and his sword. ... The Viking Age is the name of the period between 793 and 1066 AD in Scandinavia and Britain, following the Germanic Iron Age (and the Vendel Age in Sweden). ... The Varangians (Russian: Variags, Варяги) were Scandinavians who travelled eastwards, mainly from Jutland and Sweden. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... Rus’ (Русь, ) was a medieval East Slavic nation, which, according to the most popular but by no means the only theory, took its name from its ruling warrior class with Scandinavian roots. ...

On the name

As the dominions of the Swedish kings grew, the name was applied also to include the Geats during the Middle Ages, but later it returned to referring only the people inhabiting the original tribal lands in Svealand, in opposition to the Geats. Sweden in the 12th century before the incorporation of Finland during the 13th century. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ...

In modern Scandinavian, the adjectival form svensk and its plural svenskar/svensker have replaced the name svear and is, today, used to denote all the citizens of Sweden in opposition to ancient tribal Swedes, the svear. The North Germanic languages (also Scandinavian languages or Nordic languages) is a branch of the Germanic languages spoken in Scandinavia, parts of Finland and on the Faroe Islands and Iceland. ...

In Icelandic such a distinction never appeared and Swedes are still called Svíar, but in English some modern scholarly works have begun to introduce Svear to separate modern Swedes from the ancient Swedes, the Suiones.

Location

Their primary dwellings were in eastern Svealand, i.e. the traditional Folklands of Attundaland, Tiundaland, Fjärdhundraland and Roslagen in the area of the present cities of Uppsala and Stockholm and the modern province of Gästrikland. Their territories also probably included the provinces of Västmanland, Södermanland and Nerike in the basin of Mälaren which constituted a bay with a multitude of islands. The region is still one of the most fertile and densely populated regions of Scandinavia. Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ... The Folklands (Folklanden) are the name for the original Swedish provinces of Tiundaland, Attundaland, Fjärdhundraland, and Roden (Roslagen) which in the 1296 united to form the modern province of Uppland. ... Attundaland or the land of the eight hundreds is since 1296 a part of the province of Uppland. ... Tiundaland is a historic region, Folkland, and since 1296 part of the modern province of Uppland. ... Fjärdhundraland or the land of the four hundreds is since 1296 a part of the province of Uppland. ... Roslagen is the name of the coastal areas of Uplandia in Sweden, which also constitutes the northern part of the Stockholm Archipelago. ... Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a Swedish City in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. ...   (IPA: ; UN/LOCODE: SE STO) is the capital of Sweden, and consequently the site of its Government and Parliament as well as the residence of the Swedish head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf. ... Gästrikland, is a historical Province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden. ... Westmannia, or Västmanland, is a historical Province or landskap in middle Sweden. ... Sudermannia or Södermanland, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. ... Nericia, also Nerike or Närke, is a historical Province or landskap in middle Sweden. ... Location map Mälaren details, with Stockholm urban area pink in the east. ...

The lands of the Svear were called Svealand (the Voyage of Ohthere: Swéoland), Suithiod (Beowulf: Sweoðeod), Svíaveldi or Svea rike (Beowulf: Swéorice), and the unknown moment when they subjugated, or united politically with, the Geats in Götaland between the 6th century and the 11th century is nowadays often regarded as the birth to the Swedish kingdom, even though the Swedish kingdom retains their name, Sverige in Swedish, from Svea rike - i.e. the kingdom of the Suiones. The English name Sweden is derived from an old name for Sweden and the land of the Suiones: Svitjod (the people of the Suiones). Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ... Ottar from Hålogaland was a viking adventurer from Hålogaland. ... Svitjod or SvíÞjóð, is an ancient name for Sweden. ... The first page of Beowulf This article is about the epic poem. ... A Realm is a primary synonym for a world usually other than our own. ... Rike is the Swedish and Norwegian word for realm, of similar meaning as German reich, in Danish spelled rige. ... Geats (Gautar Old Norse or Götar in Swedish) is the Old English spelling of the name of a Scandinavian people living in Götaland, land of the Geats, currently within the borders of modern Sweden. ... Götaland Maps of Swedens historical three lands, and Österland in Finland. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Motto: (Royal)  a For Sweden - With the times Anthem: Thou ancient, thou free Royal anthem: The Kings song Capital (largest city) Stockholm none (Swedish de facto)b Government Representative parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy  - King Carl XVI Gustaf  - Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt Consolidation prehistoric  Accession to EU January...

The Ásatrú Aesir-cult center in Gamla Uppsala, was the religious centre of the Swedes and where the Swedish king served as a priest during the sacrifices (blóts). Uppsala was also the centre of the Uppsala öd, the network of royal estates that financed the Swedish king and his court until the 13th century. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Germanic neopaganism. ... The Aesir (Old Norse Æsir, singular Áss, feminine Ásynja, feminine plural Ásynjur) are the principal pantheon of gods in Norse mythology. ... Gamla Uppsala is an area rich in archaeological remains seen from the grave field whose larger mounds (left part) are close to the royal mounds. ... The Blót was the pagan Germanic sacrifice to Norse gods and Elves. ... Uppsala öd, Old Norse: Uppsala auðr or Uppsala øðr (Uppsala domains or wealth of Uppsala) referred to the network of royal estates that were the property of the Swedish crown. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...

Some dispute whether the original domains of the Suiones really was in Uppsala, the heartland of Uplandia, or if the term was used commonly for all tribes within Svealand, in the same way as old Norway's different provinces were collectively referred to as Nortmanni. Gamla Uppsala is an area rich in archaeological remains seen from the grave field whose larger mounds (left part) are close to the royal mounds. ... Uplandia, or Uppland, is a historical Province or Landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden. ...

Etymology

The form Suiones appears in the Roman author Tacitus's Germania. A closely similar form, Sweon(as), is found in Old English and in the work of Adam of Bremen, about the Hamburg-Bremen archbishops, they are denoted Sueones. Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (c. ... The Germania (Latin title: De Origine et situ Germanorum), written by Gaius Cornelius Tacitus around 98, is an ethnographic work on the diverse set of Germanic tribes outside the Roman Empire. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... Adam of Bremen (also: Adam Bremensis) was one of the most important German medieval chroniclers. ...

According to one theory (Schagerström 1931), the name is derived from Proto-Germanic *saiwi- meaning "lake" or "sea" resulting in *siwíoniz and later *swi-oniz meaning the "sea people". However, this root is not known to have produced any other derived names, and is considered unlikely. Map of the Pre-Roman Iron Age culture(s) associated with Proto-Germanic, ca 500 BC-50 BC. The area south of Scandinavia is the Jastorf culture Proto-Germanic, the proto-language believed by scholars to be the common ancestor of the Germanic languages, includes among its descendants Dutch, Yiddish...

Noréen (1920) proposed that Suiones is a Latin rendering of Proto-Germanic *Swihoniz, meaning "one's own (tribesmen)", derived from the same Proto-Indo-European root as the Latin suus (i.e. not from Latin but from the same reflexive pronominal root, a root also existing in Slavic languages). In modern Scandinavian, the same root appears in words such as svåger (brother-in-law) and svägerska (sister-in-law). The form *Swihoniz would in Wulfila's Gothic become *Swaíhans, which later would result in the form Suehans that Jordanes mentioned as the name of the Swedes in Getica. Consequently, the Proto-Norse form would have been *Swehaniz which following the sound-changes in Old Norse resulted in Old West Norse Svíar and Old East Norse Swear. However, this root has not gained wide acceptance, which leads to the oldest theory of which the proposed root is widely accepted. Map of the Pre-Roman Iron Age culture(s) associated with Proto-Germanic, ca 500 BC-50 BC. The area south of Scandinavia is the Jastorf culture Proto-Germanic, the proto-language believed by scholars to be the common ancestor of the Germanic languages, includes among its descendants Dutch, Yiddish... The Proto-Indo-European language (PIE) is the hypothetical common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, believed to have been spoken around 4000 BC in Central Asia (according to the Kurgan hypothesis) or millennia before that in Anatolia (according to the Anatolian hypothesis). ... Latin is an ancient [[Indo-European languages|Indo-well as the Roman CEuropean language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... In some languages, there is a difference between reflexive and non-reflexive pronouns. ... Representation of Ulfilas surrounded by the Gothic alphabet Ulfilas or Wulfila (perhaps meaning little wolf) (c. ... The Gothic language (*gutiska razda, *𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌹𐍃𐌺𐌰 𐍂𐌰𐌶𐌳𐌰, * ) is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths and specifically by the Visigoths. ... The Origin and Deeds of the Goths (Latin: De origine actibusque Getarum), commonly referred to as Getica, was written by Jordanes, probably in Constantinople, and was published in AD 551. ... Proto-Norse, Proto-Nordic, Ancient Nordic or Proto-North Germanic was an Indo-European language spoken in Scandinavia that is thought to have evolved from Proto-Germanic between the 1st century BC and the 2nd century, and was spoken until ca 800, when it evolved into the Old Norse language. ...

According to a third theory (v. Friesen 1915), it is not derived from the root *swih, but from the root *Swe and being originally an adjective, Proto-Germanic *Sweoniz, meaning "kindred". Then the Gothic form would have been *Swians and the H in Suehans a pleonasm. The Proto-Norse form would then also have been *Sweoniz which also would have resulted in the historically attested forms. Map of the Pre-Roman Iron Age culture(s) associated with Proto-Germanic, ca 500 BC-50 BC. The area south of Scandinavia is the Jastorf culture Proto-Germanic, the proto-language believed by scholars to be the common ancestor of the Germanic languages, includes among its descendants Dutch, Yiddish... Pleonasm is the use of more words (or even word-parts) than necessary to express an idea clearly. ... Proto-Norse, Proto-Nordic, Ancient Nordic or Proto-North Germanic was an Indo-European language spoken in Scandinavia that is thought to have evolved from Proto-Germanic between the 1st century BC and the 2nd century, and was spoken until ca 800, when it evolved into the Old Norse language. ...

Although, scholars differ on the origins of the name, they agree that Suiones is the same name as Old Norse svíar and Old English Sweon(as). Even though the n has disappeared in the plural noun svear/svíar, it is still preserved in the old adjective which has become the noun designating modern Swedes: svensk. Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ...

The name became part of a compound, which in Old West Norse was Svíþjóð, (The Suione People), in Old East Norse Sweþiuð and in Old English Sweoðeod. This compound appears on runestones in the locatives i suiþiuþu (Runestone Sö Fv1948;289, Aspa Löt, Sörmland), a suiþiuþu (Runestone DR 344, Simris, Skåne) and o suoþiauþu (Runestone DR 216, Tirsted, Lolland). The 13th century Danish source Scriptores rerum danicarum mentions a place called litlæ swethiuthæ, which is probably the island Sverige (Sweden) near Stockholm. Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... A rune stone Rune stones are somewhat flat standing stones with runic stone carvings from the Iron Age (Viking Age) and early middle ages found in most parts of Scandinavia. ... Runestone Sö Fv1948;289 is a runestone located among several others at Aspa Löt in Södermanland, Sweden. ... ... Runestone DR 344, or Simris Runestone 1, is a runestone located at the church of the village Simris near Simrishamn. ... The Flag of SkÃ¥ne (also known as Scania in English) is the southernmost historical province (landskap) and County (Län) of Sweden. ... The Runestone DR 216 is a runestone, located in Tirsted on the island of Lolland, Denmark. ... Lolland (formerly spelled Laaland) is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of some 1,243 square kilometers. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...

The only Germanic nation having a similar naming was the Goths, who from the name *Gutans (cf. Suehans) created the form gut-þiuda. Invasion of the Goths: a late 19th century painting by O. Fritsche portrays the Goths as cavalrymen. ...

The name Swethiuth and its different forms gave rise to the different Latin names for Sweden, Suethia, Suetia and Suecia as well as the modern English name for the country.

A second compound was Svíariki, or Sweorice in Anglo-Saxon, which meant "the realm of the Suiones". This is still the formal name for Sweden in Swedish, Svea rike and the origin of its current name Sverige. Note: This page contains phonetic information presented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) using Unicode. ...

History

The history of this tribe is shrouded in the mists of time. Besides Scandinavian mythology and Germanic legend, only a few sources describe them and there is very little information, in spite of the fact that the tribe existed already during the first century A.D. Norse mythology, Viking mythology or Scandinavian mythology refer to the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people. ...

Romans

There are two sources from the 1st century A.D that are quoted as referring to the Suiones. The first one is Pliny the Elder who said that the Romans had rounded the Cimbric peninsula (Jutland) where there was the Codanian Gulf (Kattegat?). In this gulf there were several large islands among which the most famous was Scatinavia (Scandinavia). He said that the size of the island was unknown but in a part of it dwelt a tribe named the Hillevionum gente, in 500 villages, and they considered their country to be a world of its own. The 1st century was that century which lasted from 1 to 100 according the Gregorian calendar. ... Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19c portrait. ... Jutland Peninsula Jutland (Danish: Jylland; German: Jütland; Frisian Jutlân; Low German Jötlann) is a peninsula in northern Europe that forms the only non-insular part of Denmark and also the northernmost part of Germany, dividing the North Sea from the Baltic Sea. ... The Baltic Sea The Kattegat (Danish), or Kattegatt (Swedish), is a bay of the North Sea and a continuation of the Skagerrak, bounded by Denmark and Sweden. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe. ... The Hilleviones were the occupants of Scandinavia in the first few centuries BC, according to Pliny the Elder (Naturalis Historia, Book 4, Chapter 27. ...

What strikes the commentators of this text is that this large tribe is unknown to posterity, unless it was a simple misspelling or misreading of Illa Svionum gente. This would make sense, since a large Scandinavian tribe named the Suiones was known to the Romans.

Tacitus wrote in AD 98 that the Suiones were a powerful tribe (distinguished not merely for their arms and men, but for their powerful fleets) with ships that had a prow in both ends (longships): Events Roman emperor Nerva succeeded by Trajan Tacitus finished his Germania (approximate date) Births Deaths January 27: Nerva, Roman emperor Apollonius of Tyana, Greek/Roman philosopher and mathematician (b. ... Prow, the fore part of a ship, the stem and its surrounding parts, hence used like keel, by metonymy, of the ship itself. ... Longships is the name given to a group of rocks situated 1. ...

Beyond [the Rugii and the Lemovii] are the states (civitates) of the Suiones, but these are in the ocean itself (i.e. on an island and not, like the Rugii and Lemovii, on the South Baltic coast of the mainland). The Suiones are distinguished not merely for their arms and men, but for their powerful fleets, though the style of their ships is unusual in that there is a prow at each end so that the boat can advance head-on in either direction. Moreover, they do not use sails, and the oars are not fixed in rows along the sides, but are detachable, and are removed on certain rivers; they can also be reversed, if occasion demands. These people respect wealth, and one man among them is supreme, there being no limits to his power and no question as to the full obedience due to him. Promiscuous carrying of arms is not allowed here, as it is among the other Germans, but weapons are kept shut up in the charge of a slave who acts as guard. This is because the sea prevents sudden inroads from enemies, and because bands of armed men who have nothing to do often become unruly. It is not found expedient for the king (regia utilitas) to place a nobleman or a freeborn man, or even a freedman, in charge over these arms...[1]

What kings (kuningaz) ruled these Suiones is unknown, but Norse mythology presents a line mythical kings whom Thor Heyerdahl has proposed existed in real life (see Mythological kings of Sweden). Image File history File links Cquote1. ... The Rugians (Latin rugii) were an East Germanic tribe whose ultimate origins have been traced to Rogaland in Norway, whose population probably was the Rugii that Jordanes mentioned as a tribe that still remained in Scandza. ... The Lemovii was a Germanic tribe which was only named by Tacitus. ... Image File history File links Cquote2. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Thor Heyerdahl Thor Heyerdahl (October 6, 1914 in Larvik, Norway–April 18, 2002 in Colla Micheri, Italy) was a Norwegian marine biologist with a great interest in anthropology, who became famous for his Kon-Tiki Expedition in which he sailed by raft 4,300 miles from South America to the... In sources such as Heimskringla and Ynglinga saga there appear early Swedish kings who belong in the domain of mythology, but it is often suggested that they have a historical basis. ...

Jordanes

After this the sources are silent about the Suiones until the 6th century, when Jordanes names two tribes he calls the Suehans and the Suetidi who lived in Scandza. The Suehans are considered to be the Suiones, and they were famous for their fine horses. Snorri Sturluson wrote that the contemporary Swedish king Adils (Eadgils) had the finest horses of his days. The Suehans were the suppliers of black fox skins for the Roman market. Then Jordanes names a tribe named Suetidi a name that is considered to refer to the Suiones as well and to be the Latin form of Sweþiuð. The Suetidi are said to be the tallest of men together with the Dani who were of the same stock. This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... Scandza was the name given to Scandinavia by Jordanes, in his work Getica. ... Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. ... Adils pursuing Hrolf Kraki on the Fýrisvellir Eadgils (Beowulf), Adils the Great, or Athisl (Saxo Grammaticus) (all forms are based an older Aðgils, the Anglo-Saxon form is not etymologically identical but it was the only corresponding name used by the Anglo-Saxons) was a Swedish king of... Dani may refer to: Dani, a Bosnian-Herzegovinian news weekly Dani, a French singer and actress Lani, a modern day tribe from the highlands of West Papua, erroneously called Dani by outsiders. ...

Anglo-Saxon sources

There are three Anglo-Saxon sources that refer to the Suiones. The earliest one is probably the least known, since the mention is found in a long list of names of tribes and clans. It is the poem Widsith from the 6th or the 7th century: Widsith is an Old English poem of 144 lines. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... The 7th century is the period from 601 - 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ...

On line 32, Ongentheow is mentioned and he reappears in the later epic poem Beowulf. The Free State of Thuringia (German Freistaat Thüringen) lies in central Germany and is among the smaller of the countrys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 sq. ... In English heroic legend, Sceaf or Scef (Old English for sheaf) appears as an ancient legendary king who appeared mysteriously as a child, coming out of the sea in an empty boat. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, from which the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Scandinavia that entered the late Roman Empire. ... Ongenþeow, Ongentheow, Ongendþeow, Egil, Egill, Eigil, or Angantyr (- ca 515) was the name of one or two semi-legendary Swedish kings of the house of Scylfings, who appear in Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian sources. ... The first page of Beowulf This article is about the epic poem. ...

Beowulf is the second source and it was composed sometime in 8th, 9th and the 10th centuries. The poem describes wars between the Sweon and the Geatas, during the 6th century. The epic mentions the Swedish kings Ongentheow, Ohthere, Onela and Eadgils who belonged to a royal dynasty called the Scylfings. These kings were probably historical kings as they appear in many Scandinavian sources as well (see Swedish semi-legendary kings). There is a prophesy that the Geats will be subdued by the Swedes and that is what happened. (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... The Swedish-Geatish wars refer to semi-legendary 6th century[1] battles between Swedes and Geats that are described in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... Ongenþeow, Ongentheow, Ongendþeow, Egil, Egill, Eigil, or Angantyr (- ca 515) was the name of one or two semi-legendary Swedish kings of the house of Scylfings, who appear in Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian sources. ... This is about the Swedish king Ohthere. ... Onela was according to Beowulf a Swedish king during the first half the 6th century. ... Eadgils was a 6th century king of Sweden who appears in the Old English epic Beowulf. ... Old English Scylfing and Old Norse Skilfing (Skilfingr) is the name of a legendary genealogical lineage or clan. ... The semi-legendary kings of Sweden are the long line of Swedish kings who preceded Eric the Victorious, according to sources such as the Norse Sagas, Beowulf, Rimbert, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, but who are of disputed historicity, due to the fact that many of them appear in...

The third Anglo-Saxon source is Alfred the Great's translation of Orosius' Histories, where are told the voyages of Ohthere from Hålogaland and Wulfstan of Hedeby, who in the 9th century described the Sweon and Sweoland. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Paulus Orosius (c. ... A map in Norwegian of the voyage of Ohthere. ... Wulfstan of Hedeby (Latin Haithabu) was a late 9th century traveller and trader. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ...

Ohthere's account is limited to the following statement about Swēoland:

Ðonne is toēmnes ðǣm lande sūðeweardum, on ōðre healfe ðæs mōres, Swēoland, oð ðæt land norðeweard; and toēmnes ðǣm lande norðeweardum, Cwēna land.(Excerpt presented by the University of Victoria

Then Sweden is along the land to the south, on the other side of the moors, as far as the land to the north; and (then) Finland (is) along the land to the north.(Translation of the University of Victoria

Wulfstan only mentions a few regions as being subject to the Sweons (in translation):

Then, after the land of the Burgundians, we had on our left the lands that have been called from the earliest times Blekingey, and Meore, and Eowland, and Gotland, all which territory is subject to the Sweons; and Weonodland was all the way on our right, as far as Weissel-mouth.[2]

Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea. ... Blekinge is the name of a geographical region in Sweden which can refer to: Blechingia, or Blekinge - a historical Province of Sweden Blekinge County, or Blekinge län - a current County of Sweden This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...   is a county and province of Sweden and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. ...

Frankish sources

During the 8th century and 9th century Suione traders and raiders settled in the north of eastern Europe, a country of rivers and Baltic, Slavic and Finnish tribes. (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ...

The Annales Bertiniani relate that a group of Vikings, who called themselves Rhos visited Constantinople around the year 838. Fearful of returning home via the steppes, which would leave them vulnerable to attacks by the Magyars, these Rhos travelled through Germany. They were questioned by the Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious somewhere near Mainz. They informed the emperor that their leader was known as chacanus (the Latin for "Khagan") and that they lived in the north of Russia, but that they were Sueones. The Annales Bertiniani or Annals of St. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... Rus’ (Русь, ) was a medieval East Slavic nation, which, according to the most popular but by no means the only theory, took its name from its ruling warrior class with Scandinavian roots. ... Map of Constantinople. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Statue of Charlemagne (also called Karl der Große, Charles the Great) in Frankfurt, Germany. ... The following list of Frankish Kings is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents. ... Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... Latin is an ancient [[Indo-European languages|Indo-well as the Roman CEuropean language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Khagan or Great Khan, alternatively spelled Chagan, Qaqan, Khakhan, Khaghan, Kagan, Khaqan etc. ...

Adam of Bremen

Dealing with Scandinavian affairs, Adam of Bremen relates in the 11th century that the Sueones had many wives and were severe on crime. Hospitality was an important virtue and refusing a wanderer to stay over the night was considered shameful. The visitor was even taken to see the hosts' friends. Adam of Bremen (also: Adam Bremensis) was one of the most important German medieval chroniclers. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ...

It is interesting that even if 1000 years separate Adam of Bremen from Tacitus both describe the Suiones as being comprised of many tribes, probably identical to the traditional provinces of eastern Svealand. Like Tacitus, he also notes that they are powerful warriors at sea, a power that they use to keep their neighbours in order. Their royal family is of an old dynasty (see House of Munsö), but the kings are dependent on the will of the people (the Ting). What has been decided by the people is more important than the will of the king unless the king's opinion seems to be the most reasonable one, whereupon they usually obey. During peacetime, they feel to be the king's equals but during wars they obey him blindly or whoever among them that he considers to be the most skillful. If the fortunes of war are against them they pray to one of their many gods (Aesir) and if they win they are grateful to him. Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ... The House of Munsö is the Scandinavian semi-legendary dynasty which is descended from Björn Ironside, one of the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok. ... A thing or ting (Old Norse and Icelandic: þing; other modern Scandinavian: ting) was the governing assembly in Germanic societies, made up of the free men of the community and presided by lawspeakers. ... The Aesir (Old Norse Æsir, singular Áss, feminine Ásynja, feminine plural Ásynjur) are the principal pantheon of gods in Norse mythology. ...

Norse sagas

The Norse sagas are our foremost source for knowledge and especially Snorri Sturluson who is probably the one who has contributed the most (see for instance the Heimskringla). His descriptions concur to a large extent with those of the previous sources. The Norse sagas or Viking sagas (from Icelandic saga, plural sögur), are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families. ... Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. ... Heimskringla is the Old Norse name of a collection of sagas recorded in Iceland around 1225 by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1242). ...

For a continuation, see Early Swedish History. This article will cover the time following the pre-historic era and partly the Viking Age, and spans from circa 800 AD, when the process of Christianization began, up to 1523, when the king Gustav Vasa was crowned. ...

Ethnicity of the Suiones

There is little doubt that Suiones, Suehans, Svear, Swedes etc. are variations of a basically same ethnonym. However, some historians and archaeologists have raised doubts whether we can assume that a continuous Swedish ethnicity existed in the past^[1]. According to this view, the referent of an ethnonym and the ethnic discourse can have varied considerably during different phases of history. The Suiones described by Tacitus, the Viking Age Svear and the modern Swedes may have few common things between them besides living in Scandinavia, speaking a North Germanic language and having the same name: thus a question arises whether it is meaningful to consider them sharing the same ethnicity. This view is consistent with the contemporary historical school stressing the situational and shifting character of early medieval ethnic identities^[2]. An ethnonym (Gk. ... This article or section should be merged with ethnic group Ethnicity is the cultural characteristics that connect a particular group or groups of people to each other. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe. ... The North Germanic languages (also Scandinavian languages or Nordic languages) is a branch of the Germanic languages spoken in Scandinavia, parts of Finland and on the Faroe Islands and Iceland. ...

References

See also

• Mythological kings of Sweden
• Swedish semi-legendary kings
• Swedes
• Svea
• Mother Svea
• Trial by combat
• Trial by ordeal