A fun history podcast chronologically charting Swedish history in a light-hearted and conversational way. Each week we introduce a new step along our journey through the history of Sweden, from the Stone Age to the modern day. Vikings included. Now also judging and ranking all of Sweden's rulers in our new podcast Kingdom: Swedish Rulers!
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We're jumping into the feed to let you know that we are appearing at the Intelligent Speech podcasting conference in February 2026!
We'd love to see you there, where we look forward to delivering an interesting talk about the infighting within the Bjälbo dynasty!
The conference
Intelligent Speech Online is happening on the 28th of February 2026.
The theme is Companions and Rivals
Tickets are on sale at intelligentspeechonline.com
If you use the code "SWEDEN" you can get an extra 10% of the tickets!
Earlybird pricing is available on tickets until 31st December 2025.
Greetings From Colombia (00:04:53)
Hello from Colombia!
We pop back on the feed to thank you for all your kind messages and to let you know about a special guest appearance we did recently on the Presidencies of the United States Podcast.
We talked to host Jerry over three episodes about the incredibly eventful life of John Quincy Adams. Do give it a listen, just search for Presidencies wherever you find your podcasts!
Flatpack Takes a Break in Colombia (00:05:03)
Flatpack is going on a break!
Work is taking Åsa to Colombia for the rest of 2025 and that means we will pause the production and release of this podcast. We'll be back at the start of 2026 ready to jump into the 1600s, and you can find out more about the break in this episode.
In the meantime, you can continue to listen to our second podcast Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, where we're judging and ranking all the Swedish kings, queens and regents, which will be continuing throughout the time Flatpack is on a break! Available wherever you get your podcasts and more information on www.aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com
See you in 2026!
S13. Polish WW2 Submarines in Sweden (01:08:26)
As promised at the end of our Q&A episode, we're diving into the fate of the crew of the three Polish submarines that managed to escape to Sweden during the Second World War. What was life like in their internment camps, what was the attitude of the Swedish authorities and how did the crews get on with the locals in the small town of Mariefred?
123. Questions and Answers (00:50:05)
It is here! Our first Q&A episode has arrived and we have some excellent things to talk about. We'll discuss the avocado of Sweden in 1500s, how the Reformation changed attitudes towards sexuality and meet the medieval version of Huey, Dewey, and Louie!
Thank you to everyone for sending in the great questions!
S12b. Alfred Nobel: The Nobel Prizes (00:47:17)
Last time in our two-part look at the life and achievements of Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel, we covered his life and contributions to science and business. This time we are looking at the prizes named after him.
Why does Norway award the Nobel Peace Prize, why was the Swedish king angry about this, who has won the most Nobel Prizes and why has Åsa interviewed a prize winner? All this and more in this episode!
We mention Norwegian writer and Nobel Literature Prize winner Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in this episode. Here he is!
Andreas Norlén: Interview with the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament (00:37:53)
In a very special episode, we interview the Speaker (Talman) of the Swedish Parliament, Andreas Norlén. The Speaker reflects on the history behind his historic office, the period in history he would have most liked to have been Speaker and how he sees the reign of current king Carl Gustaf XVI. Bonus content includes Swedish poetry, tomatoes, a historical clock and how heavy the parliamentary gavel is!
Links to some of the topics covered
The poet Karin Boye
Speaker Olof Håkonsson from the 1700s
The Speaker's instagram account
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I ett mycket speciellt avsnitt intervjuar vi Riksdagens talman, Andreas Norlén, på engelska. Talmanen reflekterar över historien bakom sitt historiska ämbete, den historiska perioden han helst skulle ha varit talman och hur han ser på regeringstiden för nuvarande kung Carl Gustaf XVI. Med bonusinnehåll såsom talmannes favoriter i svensk poesi, tomater, en historisk klocka och hur mycket rikdagens klubba väger!
S12a. Alfred Nobel: The Man (00:47:30)
The first in a two-part special about famous Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. We look at the life of the man who opened more factories than anyone could count! This biography looks into his exploits, inventions and explosions, from his childhood to last days spent in Italy. Next time we'll dive deep into the history of the famous prizes created by him by his will.
122. Three Centuries of Uppsala Cathedral (00:48:40)
Uppsala Cathedral is a place that has appeared multiple times in the podcast; hosting rebellions, funerals and coronations. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the history of the cathedral and its construction, including the lengthy building process and even the original French contractors!
Some images to help you along:
The final floor plan
A timeline floorplan:Dark red: 1270s, Red: 1287-1331, Blue: 1360s-1380s, Light Blue: c.1400, Light Green: 1430s, Dark Green: 1440s or later
121. Battle of the Bridges (00:33:35)
After much back and forth, it is time for King Sigismund to face his uncle Duke Karl in battle for the throne of the Sweden. Karl is using every trick and tactic in the book, but Sigismund has a load of cannons and even a dragon! But how will it end and who will end up in charge of the Swedish kingdom?
120. Karl's Your Uncle (00:38:34)
The end of the 1500s is fast approaching, but there's still time for some classic Swedish history events! This time we see a peasant revolt, religious turmoil as the Archbishop goes on a tour of the country and of course some more family feuding in the top dynasty of the country. We also visit a place that will become much more famous in the 20th century!
119. Sigismund Arrives in Sweden (00:44:50)
For the first time since his father Johan III died, Sigismund is back in Sweden and looking forward to his coronation as ruler of Sweden. But before that happens, he needs to agree on some rules with the Swedish regency council and deal with the fallout of a big religious meeting in Uppsala. Will Sigismund become a slave to the Swedish nobility and why is his child being held hostage by the Polish council? We also take the time to finish off "The Long Wrath" or even the "Nordiska tjugofemårskriget" in Swedish!
118. Father and Son (00:44:49)
We're nearing the end of King Johan's reign, but there's still time for him to try and sort out the issues surrounding his son Sigismund, and the Polish succession. After years of strife and arguing over religious reform, added to the trials of war abroad, Johan isn't sitting on a large pile of political capital, and so has to struggle with the Swedish nobility. Plus, someone has the bright idea to actually count how much money is left in the treasury!
117. A Costly Scottish Bar Tab (00:55:18)
We're shifting our focus across the Baltic Sea to Estonia, Finland and Russia, to see what happens when war once against inevitably breaks out between Sweden and Russia. This time, it's personal! Tsar Ivan the Terrible and king Johan of Sweden really don't get along and their differences spill over into a drawn-out conflict. One particularly dramatic event involves a dispute between Johan's German and Scottish mercenaries!
Kingdom 2: Anund Jakob (01:02:10)
Following in the footsteps of your father, who also happens to be the first king of Sweden, can’t be easy. Anund certainly has his job cut out for him, but he has learnt a few lessons from his dad Olof Skötkonung that he puts to good use. Will it be enough for him to walk away with The Three Crowns?
Be sure to search for Kingdom: Swedish Rulers and follow the feed there to get all the episodes going forward. This is the final Kingdom episode to be posted here on the Flatpack feed.
You can also find out more information on our website: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/kingdom-swedish-rulers/
P.S. The podcast is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, but we will use the fancy Swedish Ö letter in some of the logos, because we like it!
Kingdom 1: Olof Skötkonung (01:05:29)
For some reason the first upload of this episode didn't work on the Flatpack feed, so here's the re-release!
It is time to judge our first ever ruler, the first king of Sweden, Olof Skötkonung!
We cover the life of this interesting character who straddled eras, as we enter a country in the dying days of the Viking period. Will Olof do enough to win the coveted Kingdöm prize of The Three Crowns, or is his life story a bit of a bore?
Here are some maps which might handy too: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/about-the-podcast/maps/
Be sure to search for Kingdom: Swedish Rulers and follow the feed there to get all the episodes going forward. Only episodes 1 and 2 will be posted here on the Flatpack feed. You can also find out more information on our website: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/kingdom-swedish-rulers/
P.S. The podcast is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, but we will use the fancy Swedish Ö letter in some of the logos, because we like it!
Introducing Kingdom: Swedish Rulers (00:34:14)
Welcome to our brand new podcast, Kingdom: Swedish Rulers!
In this new adventure, we are going to be ranking and judging all the Swedish kings, queens and regents, from Olof Skötkonung to Carl XVI Gustaf. In this episode we cover the background to the podcast, go through how we are going to judge each ruler and explain a little bit more about how the format works.
Be sure to search for Kingdom: Swedish Rulers and follow the feed there to get all the episodes going forward. Only episodes 1 and 2 will be posted here on the Flatpack feed. This may take a day or so to appear, depending on your podcast player of choice. You can also find out more information on our website: https://aflatpackhistoryofsweden.com/kingdom-swedish-rulers/
P.S. The podcast is called Kingdom: Swedish Rulers, but we will use the fancy Swedish Ö letter in some of the logos, because we like it!
116. Abbey Joe and the Religious Reforms (00:43:33)
No, this title isn't the name of an old Swedish folk band, but rather part of the theme of this episode: King Johan's dealings with religion! The King had been both academically and spiritually interested in religion for a long time, but now it is time for him to make some changes. The problem is, even though he has support from people like Abbey Joe, a lot of the country think the changes are too catholic for their liking.
Oh, and a monster terrorises a lake near Västervik. Maybe...
115. King Johan Takes Over (00:53:46)
King Johan officially takes over Sweden after his brother Erik is deposed and there's a long to-do list for the new monarch. We cover Erik's "retirement", his brother's coronation and the end of war the with Denmark. There's even some disagreement between the Riksdag and the Council regarding what to do with Sweden's supplies of gunpowder, bullets and arrows...
114. The Karin That Broke the Camel's Back (00:46:31)
King Erik recovers from his insanity long enough to tell the Council he's married his lowborn girlfriend Karin. There's no honeymoon period for the happy couple though, as this tips the already angsty nobility into outright opposition. With Erik's two brothers also on their side, things will turn violent pretty quickly.
Plus, some breaking news! On New Year's Day, we're launching a brand new podcast called Kingdom. We're going to be judging and ranking all the Swedish Kings, Queens and Regents in the "Rexypod" format! More news in this episode and on our social media channels:
Bluesky
Facebook
X
113. Erik Goes Crazy (00:48:48)
Well, where do we start? In this episode, King Erik completely loses all grip on reality and others will pay the price. What can the Swedish state and nobility actually do when a monarch goes on a killing spree? The events over a few fateful days in 1567 will go down in history as The Sture Murders. Find out why!
We're also now giving Bluesky a go again. Check us on: @flatpacksweden.bsky.social
112. The Repetitive War (00:49:33)
Denmark and Sweden come to blows once again and both kings are eager for some quick successes. But alas, the armies mainly end up chasing each other back and forth across Scandinavia and dying of starvation or disease... We do get to see an angry King Fredrik deliver a one-liner worthy of James Bond though!
Shoutout once again to the excellent Presidencies of the United States podcast! Check them out wherever you get your podcasts or online at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com
111. Livonia Falls Apart (00:46:47)
Now Erik XIV is well and truly on the throne, it is time to get involved in foreign policy. After teetering on the edge for a couple of decades, it is now time to see the end of Livonia, and everyone is invited to the going away party! Poland, Russia, Denmark and Sweden will all decide to fight over the remnants. We promise you it is going to get messy...
110. Enter King Erik (00:45:57)
Gustav Vasa is dead. His son Erik calmly takes control over Sweden and is crowned King in an elaborate coronation. The new King has some changes he wants to make and new advisors he wants to put in charge. His ideas will annoy some people, especially his younger brothers; but how bad can it be?
We also give a shoutout to The Popeular History Podcast; Check them out on Spotify here, or wherever you find your podcasts!
S11. Ål About Eels (00:43:53)
It's time for another special episode! We're dedicating an entire episode to the life and cultural impact of eels, an animal that we've already seen play a part in Swedish history. We'll get better aquainted with the world's (potentially) oldest eel, who spent his life in a well in southern Sweden, go on a Freudian search for the eels' reproductive parts and hear about the time Åsa went into what she calls an eel coma.
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