Viking Age (793–1066)
While the Norwegian Vikings sailed westward (Iceland, Greenland, North America), the Swedish Vikings — the Varangians (Varjager) — moved eastward. Via the Russian rivers (Dnieper, Volga), they reached Byzantium (Constantinople) and Baghdad, traded in furs, honey, amber, and slaves, and established trading posts that evolved into cities like Novgorod and Kiev. The name "Russia" (Rus) possibly originates from the Varangian Swedes — "Ruotsi" is the Finnish word for Sweden.
The Swedish Vikings were more traders and settlers than raiders — although they did draw their swords when it was worthwhile. The Varangian Guard in Constantinople was the elite unit of the Byzantine emperor — Swedish warriors protected the most powerful ruler of Christendom. Arab travelers like Ibn Fadlan (922) left fascinating accounts of the Varangians on the Volga — their ship burials, their tattoos, and their (in Arab eyes) questionable hygiene.
★★ Birka — The Viking Trading Town (UNESCO)
On the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren (30 km west of Stockholm) lay Birka — one of the most important trading towns in Northern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. From around 750 to 975 AD, Birka was the cosmopolitan center of the Swedish Viking Age: trade relations extended from Dublin to Baghdad, from Haithabu (Schleswig-Holstein) to Constantinople. Archaeological finds reveal Arab silver coins (dirhams), Byzantine jewelry, Frankish weapons, and Chinese silk — evidence of the Vikings' global reach.
Today, Birka can be visited by boat trip from Stockholm (1.5 hours, from 320 SEK / 28 €, May–September). The museum on Björkö displays finds from over 3,000 graves, and in the Viking village, one can relive the life of the Viking Age. Particularly impressive: The grave Bj 581 — a warrior grave identified as female by DNA analysis in 2017, with weapons, horses, and game pieces, which overturned the traditional notion of the "male Viking warrior."
Runestones
Sweden has more runestones than any other country in the world — over 2,500 known stones, with 1,200 in the Uppland region alone (north of Stockholm). The stones were erected in the 9th–11th centuries, mostly in memory of the deceased or to document journeys. The inscriptions are in Old Norse runes and tell of trade voyages eastward (to Greece, Garðaríki/Russia), fallen warriors, and bridge constructions as pious acts.
The most famous runestones:
- Rök Stone (Östergötland): The most famous runestone in the world — with over 760 runes, the longest runic inscription. The text is enigmatic and has been debated for 200 years.
- Ingvar Stones (Mälardalen): 26 stones commemorate the failed expedition of the Viking Ingvar (1036–1041) to the Caspian Sea — none of the participants returned.
- Prästgatan 3, Gamla Stan (Stockholm): A genuine runestone in the wall of a house in the old town — easy to overlook, but a piece of ancient history.
Old Uppsala — The Last Pagan Sanctuary
The Christianization of Sweden began in the 11th century, later than in Norway and Denmark. The Temple of Old Uppsala (Gamla Uppsala, 5 km north of Uppsala) was the last great pagan sanctuary in Scandinavia — here, Odin, Thor, and Freyr were worshipped, and every nine years a sacrificial festival (Blót) took place, during which, according to legend, nine men and nine animals were sacrificed. Today, three large burial mounds from the 5th–6th centuries (probably royal graves) and a small museum stand here. The church of Gamla Uppsala was built directly over the pagan temple — a symbolic takeover.
