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| 4. The Union of Kalmar |
| 1387–1412 |
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| Margaret of Denmark, ruler of all three Scandinavian kingdoms. She had her grandnephew, Eric of Pomerania, elected king of all three countries but retained effective power herself. | 1 |
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| 1397 |
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| Coronation of Eric. Margaret presented a draft for the union of the three kingdoms. Vague and incomplete, the plan provided for a single king, established rules of succession, and set up a system of common defense. It was never ratified by the councils of the three kingdoms, but as long as Margaret lived, it worked relatively well. The union left the internal government of each kingdom much as it was. Margaret, an able despot, repressed the nobles, maintained order, and began the recovery of the Danish royal domain. In general the Danes profited by the union, and Danes and Germans were gradually insinuated into power in Sweden and Norway. Effective government of Scandinavia was centered in Denmark. | 2 |
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| 1412–39 |
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| ERIC, Margaret's successor, proved himself less able. His efforts to regain control in Schleswig led to a long contest with the dukes of Holstein, who, in alliance with the Hansa towns, finally conquered Schleswig completely (1432). At the same time, much unrest developed among the peasantry (especially in Sweden, where Engelbrecht Engelbrechtson emerged as a leader of the lower classes). | 3 |
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| 1434 |
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| Engelbrecht marched through eastern and southern Sweden, seizing castles and driving out bailiffs, until the Diet of 1435 recognized his demands, electing him regent. This Diet included representatives of all four orders, and for four hundred years it continued to be an important institution. | 4 |
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| 1439–48 |
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| Eric finally took flight, and the Danish council called in CHRISTOPHER (of Bavaria), nephew of Eric, who again ruled all three countries (elected in Sweden, 1440; in Norway, 1442). His reign marked the nadir of the monarchy, for Christopher was entirely dependent on the Hansa towns and was obliged to renew all their privileges, despite protests from the Danish burghers. | 5 |
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| 1448–81 |
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| CHRISTIAN I (of Oldenburg) was elected by the Danish council under a capitulation that left all real power in the hands of that body. He had to accept a similar engagement on assuming the crown of Norway. The Swedish nobility, on the other hand, elected Knut Knutsson as king, with the title of Charles VIII (1449–57). Charles tried to secure the throne of Norway, but was ousted by Christian. | 6 |
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| 1457 |
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| Charles was driven out of Sweden by a revolt inspired by the Church. Christian I was then crowned, but the real power was in the hands of the Stures, a noble family (Sten, Svante, and Sten the Younger). Christian kept a great state, but his court, like that of Christopher and Eric, was filled with Germans, and he was financially dependent on the Hansa cities. The union of Schleswig and Holstein, each autonomous under the crown of Denmark, was arranged in 1460. Christian founded the university of Copenhagen (1479). | 7 |
| Sweden in the later 15th century. The crown was a plaything of the nobles, while the clergy supported the king of Denmark. Rising commerce and industry were, however, creating a burgher class that was soon to assert itself. Sten Sture the Younger, who came into power with the death of Charles VIII, repulsed Christian of Denmark (1471) with the aid of the towns (especially Stockholm) and returned to the reforms of Engelbrecht. The university of Uppsala was founded (1477), and printing was introduced soon afterward. (See Scandinavia) | 8 |
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