Knights in the Scandinavian Countries

**AmbrosiusAurelianus** · 10-27-2005, 17:20

Hi, I posted this at twcenter.net also but not everyone looks at both forums so...

I am trying to do some research on the emergence of mounted knights in the Scandinavian countries. Specifically I want to know how and when the move to this style of warfare came about, and what changes to society and the economy were needed in order for it to occur.

Although there is a lot of information and interest on the Normans' adoption of heavy cavalry forces, I have not been able to find as much on the later adoption of this style of fighting outside Normandy. If anyone could give me a few pointers on where to start looking I would be very grateful. Thank you.

Regards,
Ambrosius.

**Spartakus** · 10-27-2005, 19:00

You're addressing two complex issues here; the emergence of the Knight as a product of feudalism in Scandinavia, and the emergence of the Knight as a military unit representing a certain discipline of war.

After the Viking Age, Scandinavian society was gradually continentalized, and once you reach the later middle ages it's harder to tell it apart from other northern European societies like England or Germany. Political and military aspects follows this line of development.

Make sure to treat the three Scandinavian countries seperatly; Denmark, bordering Germany was always the first to recieve impulses from central Europe, and thus became the most continentalized. Here a feudal structure much like the one seen in the rest of Europe developed, and Denmark's flat land was ideal for knightly warfare. Sweden was arguably the most secluded of the three from European influences, f. ex. it adopted Christianity far later than its two neighbours. In Sweden too one sees the development of knightly warfare, but the feudalism of central Europe isn't present, serfdom never existed and the individual farmers usually enjoyed a large degree of independence and influence. Same with Norway, but here the mountaneous landscape just wasn't suited for mounted warfare at all, and thus the knightly charges of the south never happened, except maybe in the somewhat flatter southeastern areas (where I live

). You could say warfare in Norway centered far more on ships and infantry than cavalry.

This is pretty much what I know about the subject, it's not my field of expertise I'm afraid. Try checking out this book:

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/titl...=S5058&ser=MAA

**AmbrosiusAurelianus** · 10-28-2005, 00:49

Thanks very much for your response and your words of caution, Spartakus. It is much appreciated.

**Kalle** · 10-28-2005, 12:11

Hi!

In Sweden the move to feudalism and mounted knights came around 1280.

The king Magnus Birgersson also called Magnus Ladulås (which would mean something like Barnlock, i.e. the king who put a lock on the farmers barns, meaning they could not anymore be subject to chieftains or nobilities freeguesting, up until this point powerful men could visit the farmers and demand food and supply for themsleves and their company as they saw fit)

But that was not the issue here. Magnus created the nobility and mounted knights in Alsnö stadgar in about 1280. In return for providing the king with mounted knights the chieftains and important families of old would gain freedom from taxation.

Of course this step is part in a longer process but this event (alsnö stadgar) usually is considered the time when feudalism and mounted knights are put in effect in Sweden.

It was the move away from the "ledungen" to the massive heavy cavalry.

As stated in some previous post the nobility in Sweden remained few and in comparison to continental patterns their power was very limited. The biggest class was the free farmers who much like their viking ancestors kept their rights to influence politics, if need be with the sword. (the Swedish farmers defeated more then one army of heavy knights in thier days, swedish nobility and kings, danish nobility and kings and german mercanaries all experienced this)

Kalle

**AmbrosiusAurelianus** · 10-28-2005, 18:59

Thanks very much to Kelle and Spartacus. I have had responses, both here and at twcenter.net, upon which I can build.

I appreciate your time and effort, more so because my library thinks that Scandinavian history begins and ends with the Vikings. Cheers guys, or should I say skol?