In the 17th century, Sweden was one of Europe's leading military and political powers. Yet, two centuries later, its power was greatly diminished, its holdings smaller, and its foreign policy mostly neutral. How did this transformation occur? How did Sweden go from a military great power with significant influence in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe to a country that avoided foreign entanglements?
The Rise of Sweden
To understand Sweden's decline, we first need to understand why it rose to prominence. Sweden, a country with a small population often under Danish control, changed in 1523 when Gustav Vasa led Sweden to independence and began to reform the country.
Sweden's rise to power was driven by several factors, including financial strength. Most of Sweden's peasantry were free and paid taxes directly to the crown, bypassing local lords. This made Sweden wealthier than other similarly sized nations and more stable, as the nobles weren't strong enough to rebel.
Additionally, Sweden converted to Protestantism, allowing the crown to seize the lands and wealth of the Catholic Church. With this newfound wealth, Sweden modernized its military, emphasizing mixed arms, better firearms, and logistics. Combined with effective generalship, Sweden was well-prepared for wars.
From 1600 to 1650, Sweden successfully expanded its territory, thanks to its professional military. However, maintaining this professional army was extremely expensive. The Swedish state couldn't afford it, leading to reliance on external funds. Sweden achieved this through two methods: receiving payments from third countries like France or plundering other countries and winning compensation in peace treaties.
This system worked well for about a century. The problem was that it would collapse if there was ever a prolonged peace or a major defeat, which eventually happened.
The Great Northern War
The turning point came during the Great Northern War, which began in 1700. Sweden, under its new king, faced attacks from multiple enemies. Initially, Sweden's enemies performed poorly, but when Russia offered peace, Sweden's King Charles XII refused. He embarked on a long campaign, marching through Poland and Lithuania before entering Russia.
Things took a turn for the worse after a harsh winter, leading to the decisive Battle of Poltava in 1709. Here, the Swedish army was crushed, and King Charles XII fled to the Ottoman Empire. Russia promptly seized Swedish territories, delivering a death blow to Sweden's prospects as a great military power. Sweden lost control of crucial trade routes to Russia, its population and tax base were reduced, and its reputation lay in ruins.
Decline and Neutrality
Broke and weakened, Sweden became reliant on France for protection, which led to French influence over Swedish foreign policy. This involvement resulted in several unsuccessful wars. By the time of the Napoleonic Wars, Sweden was significantly diminished. When Sweden's rulers refused to join Napoleon's Continental System, Russia invaded and conquered Finland. Shortly thereafter, the Swedish king was deposed.
In an unexpected turn, Sweden chose a Frenchman for the throne, hoping Napoleon would help regain Finland. Instead, the new king sided against Napoleon. After the war, Sweden gained Norway, boosting its prestige and finances. However, by this time, Sweden's kings were weary of conflict and adopted a policy of neutrality. This policy kept Sweden safe throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, but it also marked the end of its era as a great military power.
I hope you enjoyed this exploration of how Sweden transitioned from a leading military power to a neutral nation. Special thanks to my patrons: James Bizet, Kelly Moneymaker, Sky Chappelle, Kitka, Anthony Becket, Rod D. Martin, Udan Wang, Marcus Arner, Y and Hockey, Alex Schwin, AF Firefly, Captain Side Dog, Spencer Lightfoot, Gustav Swan, The MCer Shenin, Marvin Cau, Winston Kwood, Spinning Three Plates, Andy McGee, Kimun Yun, Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard, Todd Short, Coppertone, Maggie Patkowski, Words About Books Podcast, Jim Stromberg, Miss Iset, and Charles I First.