Have you ever heard of New Sweden? Long before the mass-emigration from Sweden to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, there was the short-lived colonial project of New Sweden, 1638 – 1655. The…
Let’s move on from nightly courtship, where young people got to know each other and found a partner, to the real deal – engagements and weddings. Once a couple settled on each other, the man…
From the Middle Ages to the 19th century (even longer at some places) there was a tradition in Northen Europe amongst young people called nightly courtship. It meant that young men in the village (it…
One thing people always enjoyed throughout the ages, is dancing. Actually, it seems as though they took every opportunity they could, even in times of grief and trouble. One such opportunity happened to be at…
Something that often strikes me when I study history is how awful everything seemed. War, famine, plague, poverty… I have often wondered if life really was as awful as it would seem. Or how did…
As seen in the previous post, it is primarily men who have been credited with turning the Nordic people from the old Norse Gods to the new God and Christ. Kings, who with a mixture…
Turku, Finland/Sweden, 1643: Inside the town hall of Turku, the air felt thick with the weight of impending decisions. The large, dimly lit room was dominated by heavy wooden beams and rough stone walls, casting…
In the previous post, we examinated the origins of this gruesome profession. Now let’s take a look at the social status of those who became executioners. Once someone agreed to take on this role, he…
In this theme, previously posted on my instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/tookstalesofthenorth/), we explore one of the most marginalized and despised proffessions of history – the executioners. The name of this theme is because this was the…
In this series of Women and War, it is time to tell the tale of the ordinary women who followed the armies on campaign. When we read about historical military campaigns, they exclusively focus on…