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{{Short description|Military conflict}}{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}{{Multiple issues|{{lead too short|date=June 2018}}{{original research|date=June 2018}}}}

factoids

SUNDBERG >FIRST=ULF PUBLISHER=HJALMARSON & HöGBERG ISBN=9189080262 LOCATION=STOCKHOLM, 73, Tavastia (historical province)>Tavastia| territory = Tavastia becomes a part of Sweden NEWSPAPER=SVENSKA DAGBLADET LAST1=HARRISON, Dick, 20px) SwedenTavastians Supported by (File:Banner of the Novgorod Republic (c. 1385).svg>22px) Novgorod RepublicHTTPS://BOOKS.GOOGLE.COM/BOOKS?ID=HGXEDWAAQBAJ&DQ=SWEDISH+EXPEDITION+TO+FINLAND&PG=PA11 ISBN=978-0-19-754003-9 FIRST1=HENRIK PUBLISHER=OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, | combatant3 = 20px) Eric XI of Sweden(File:Royal Banner of Sweden (14th Century).svg|20px) Birger Jarl| commander2 = Unknown| commander3 = | strength1 = | strength2 = | strength3 = | casualties1 = | casualties2 = | casualties3 = | notes = | campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Crusades}} {{Campaignbox Swedish colonial conflicts}}}}The Second Swedish Crusade was a military expedition by the Kingdom of Sweden into Tavastia {{circa|1249–1250}} as described by the Erikskrönikan. As described by the Erikskrönikan, the Swedes defeated the Tavastians under the leadership of Birger Jarl.BOOK, Carlquist, Erik,weblink The Chronicle of Duke Erik: A Verse Epic from Medieval Sweden, Hogg, Peter C., Österberg, Eva, 2011-12-01, Nordic Academic Press, 978-91-85509-57-7, en,

Background

File:Birger_jarl_(Forssén).jpg|thumb|A sculpted head in Varnhem ChurchVarnhem ChurchSweden had held a foothold within Finland, specifically Finland Proper since the First Swedish Crusade. Swedish missionary attempts, possibly having been led by the bishop Thomas, were present within Tavastia in {{circa|1230}}. The Tavastian uprising from 1236–1237 led to a justification for the Swedes to invade Tavastia, with Pope Gregory IX calling the Swedes to attack them.Harrison (2005), p.425-426

Sources

Eric's Chronicle

All details of the crusade are from Eric's Chronicle, which is largely propagandist in nature, written a century after the events, amidst internal unrest and a war against Novgorod. The chronicle says that the crusade took place between the Battle of Sparrsätra in 1247 and the death of King Eric (XI) in 1250, and presents the Tavastians (taffwesta) as the Swedes' opponents. According to the chronicle, the expedition was prepared in Sweden and then conducted over sea to a land on the coast, where the enemy was waiting.Description of the crusade. Original text.The Chronicle also mentioned that a castle called taffwesta borg was established after the war. The Chronicle also linked the Crusade to a contest with the Orthodox Russians, making a point of the fact that the "Russian king" had now lost the conquered land.{{Cquote| quote = King Erik then sent out a callto knights and to their equals all,to peasants and to fighting men,– as ruler still do now, as then,to notify their men beforethey send them off to fight a war –he sent them thus to heathen landand chose his in-law to take in handto lead them all upon that quest,for him of all he trusted best.His son-in-law was eager to go,keen his honour there to show.Then arms and armour were preparedby warriors brave, who nothing feared.Helmets and body-armour burnishedwere in demand, and more were furnished.Each in his district did his best,ready to heed the king`s request,and warships and transport set afloat.Many a money-bag was brought out,its contents did those men receivewho now their homes were due to leavenot knowing where their journey ledHands were wrung and tears were shedby many a wife left on her own.Yet they rejoiced that God`s renownwould grow and He be more adored.Many an old ancestral swordwas then from nails unslungwhere it for many a day had hung.Their friends them followed to the strandto bid farewell and clasp their handMany a red mouth was kissed that daythat never again was kissed that way,for some never more would each other see such can the outcome of such partings be.Fair winds arose, the sails were set.The heathen, too, foresaw the threatthey well knew that their coming wouldbe to their harm and not their good.There the Christians a harbour did find.Innumerable gilded prows alignedthe heathen men saw lying there,causing them less to laugh than fear.They took their banners and went ashore.Fate then favored the Christians more:their bright shields there and helmets theythroughout that country did display.They eager were to try their swordsupon the Heathen Tavast hordes,which I expect is what occurred.With gold and silver and many a herdof cattle the Tavasts away did run.The heathen lost, the Christians won.Whoever would this them agreeto become a Christian and baptised be,him they allowed both goods and lifeand peace to live withour further strife.The heathen who would them gainsaythey did mercilessly slay.The Christians there a fortress did build,which they with friend and kinsmen filled.That castle they Tavasteborg did call;it to this day does the heathen gall.With Christian men they settled that land,a deed, I think, that does yet stand.That land became Christian through and through the Russian king its loss must rue.Eric ChronicleCARLQUIST URL=HTTPS://BOOKS.GOOGLE.COM/BOOKS?ID=2GIK29DXVMAC&PG=PA35 LAST2=HOGG LAST3=ÖSTERBERG DATE=2011-12-01 ISBN=978-91-85509-57-7, en, }}

Other sources

The so-called "Detmar Chronicle", originating from Lübeck around the year 1340, confirmed the expedition with a short note that Birger Jarl submitted Finland under Swedish rule.Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä, 1989. {{ISBN|951-96006-1-2}}. See page 7. The "Lübeck Chronicle" states that in 1266, Finland become a part of the Kingdom of Sweden.BOOK, Tarkiainen, Kari,weblink Ruotsin Itämaa, 2010, Swenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 978-951-583-212-2, fi,

Interpretations

Unlike the dubious First Swedish crusade, there seems to be little doubt that Sweden's effort to Christianize Finland reached a culmination in the middle of the 13th century. Still, many details, including the year and the exact nature, remain the subject of debate.

Nature of the Crusade

Although the Chronicles attempted to paint the Crusade as a war of conquest, it was likely more of an unusually bloody phase in the ongoing process by which Finland was incorporated in the Swedish state. Sweden had a central government and a strong ideological force in the form of the Catholic church. The Finnish chieftains who joined gained power and prestige.Harrison (2005), p 425; Tarkiainen (2008), p. 101

Dating controversy

According to the Eric's Chronicle the crusade took place between the dates of 1247–1250. The 1247–1250 date has been viewed as false by Jarl Gallén and Gisela Nordstrandh who view it to be incorrect due to their position that it would only be logical for the crusade to take place following the Tavastian uprising and after the call of Pope Gregory IX to launch a crusade against the Tavastian pagans. They have suggested that the Second Swedish Crusade could only have taken place from 1238–39.JOURNAL, Nordstrandh, Gisela, 1990-01-01, En kritisk läsning av Erikskrönikans första korstågsepisod,weblink Historisk Tidskrift för Finland, sv, 75, 1, 2343-2888, {{Citation |last=Gallén |first=Jarl |title=Kring Birger jarl och andra korståget till Finland. En omdatering och en omvärdering |date=1968 |work=Kring korstågen till Finland : ett urval uppsatser tillägnat Jarl Gallén på hans sextioårsdag den 23 maj 1968 |url=https://www.finna.fi/Record/jykdok.1929127?lng=sv |access-date=2024-04-30 |publisher=[s.n.]}} Swedish historian Dick Harrison finds the theory of an early crusade most probable, based on the papal letter, which would also make the war a properly sanctioned crusade, and the fact that Sweden was otherwise peaceful during that period.Harrison (2005), p 427 However the 1238-1239 theory has not gained much prevalence or acceptance in studies.WEB, Suomen muinaismuistoyhdistys – FINSKA FORNMINNESFÖRENINGEN,weblink 2024-04-30, en-US, Peter Andreas Munch stated that according to the Saga of Haakon Haakonarson, Birger Jarl would have been at the Norwegian border during the summer of 1349 of the Second Crusade.BOOK, Munch, Peter Andreas,weblink's+Det+Norske+folks+historie&hl=en, Det norske folks historie, 1852, Tønsberg, da, WEB, Haakon Haakoninpojan saaga,weblink 2024-04-30, www.narvasoft.fi, The position that the crusade took place from 1247–1250 has been defended by Rolf Pipping, who dismisses the work of Peter Andreas Munch, by stating that Birger Jarl did not stay on the Norwegian border in summer, instead in winter, possibly March and that Peter Andreas Munch misinterpreted the saga.BOOK, Pipping, Rolf,weblink Kommentar till Erikskrönikan, 1926, Åbo tryckeri och tidnings aktiebolag, sv, The Morkinskinna describes King Magnus Barefoot leaving the Oslofjord at the beginning of spring, which was on Candlemas (February 2) traditionally in Medieval Scandinavia.BOOK,weblink Morkinskinna: The Earliest Icelandic Chronicle of the Norwegian Kings (1030–1157), 2012-07-11, Cornell University Press, 978-1-5017-2061-1, en,

Taffwesta borg

The Chronicle mentioned an impressive castle that was built by the Swedes, taffwesta borg. This has been interpreted as either Häme Castle (Swedish Tavastehus) or the nearby Hakoinen Castle, but there is no archaeological evidence at either site to support such an early dating.{{Christianization of Finland}}

Aftermath

Church reaction and reorganization

Probably in an effort to prevent other parties from getting involved in the conflict, Pope Innocent IV took Finland under his special protection in August 1249 but without mentioning Sweden in any way.WEB,weblink Letter by Innocentius IV to the diocese of Finland and its people,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070927050600weblink">weblink 2007-09-27, In Latin. The bishop of Finland, Thomas, probably a Dominican friar, had resigned already in 1245 and died three years later in a Dominican convent in Gotland. The seat being vacant, the diocese had probably been under the direct command of the papal legate, William of Modena, whose last orders to Finnish priests were given in June 1248.WEB,weblink Wilhelm of Sabina's letter to the priests of Finland in 1248,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070927050433weblink">weblink 2007-09-27, In Latin.Bero was eventually appointed as the new bishop in 1248/9, presumably soon after William's visit to Sweden for an important church meeting at Skänninge that ended on 1 March 1248. The so-called "Palmsköld booklet" from 1448 noted that it was Bero who gave the Finns' tax to the Swedish king.Original text as hosted by the University of Columbia; in Latin. See also Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä, 1989. {{ISBN|951-96006-1-2}}. Page 7. Bero came directly from the Swedish court, like his two successors. It seems that Swedish bishops also held all secular power in Finland until the 1280s, when the position of the Duke of Finland was established.In 1249, the situation was also seen clear enough{{explanation needed|date=September 2023}} to establish the first monastery in Finland, a Dominican convent.WEB,weblink Convent established in Finland,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070927050453weblink">weblink 2007-09-27, In Latin. The convent was next to the bishop's fortification in Koroinen until the end of the century.

Swedish succession

Eric's Chronicle tells of how, as an unexpected side effect, the expedition seems to have cost Birger the Swedish crown. When King Eric died in 1250, Birger was absent from Sweden. The Swedish lords, led by Joar Blå, selected Birger's underaged son Valdemar as the new king, instead of the powerful jarl himself.

Swedish rule in Finland

From 1249 onwards, sources generally regard Finland Proper and Tavastia as a part of Sweden. The Diocese of Finland proper is listed among the Swedish dioceses for the first time in 1253.Surviving lists from 1241 and 1248 still did not include Finland. In the Novgorod First Chronicle, Tavastians (yem) and Finns proper (sum) are mentioned on an expedition with Swedes (svei) in 1256.WEB,weblink Novgorod First Chronicle entry about the Swedish attack to Novgorod and Novgorodian counterattack to Finland,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070927050533weblink">weblink 2007-09-27, . In Swedish. However, very little is known about the situation in Finland in the following decades. That is partly because Western Finland was now ruled from Turku and so most of the documents remained there. As the Novgorod forces burned the city in 1318 during the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars, very few of the documents about what had happened in the previous century remained. The last Swedish Crusade to Finland took place in 1293 against Karelians.

See also

• Early Finnish wars
• First Swedish Crusade
• Third Swedish Crusade
• Northern Crusades
• Battle of Lihula
• Battle of the Neva

References

{{Reflist|2}}

Sources

• BOOK, Gud vill det!, Harrison, Dick, 2005, sv, Ordfront, 91-7037-119-9,
• BOOK, Sveriges Österland, Tarkiainen, Kari, 2008, sv, Atlantis, 978-91-7353-227-3,

{{Catholic Church in Sweden}}