 The History of Östergötland The history of Östergötland begins when the land rose out of the sea which covered the whole of northern Europe during the glacial period. The pressure from the ice formed highlands in the southern and northern areas of the province and where the sediments consist of calcareous moraine clay. The first settlers arrived to the wooded areas 10 000 years ago. They supported themselves mainly by hunting and fishing. Later the land was exploited for agricultural use as the population moving up from the south were farmers. These people settled mainly in the central parts around the lake Tåkern where the ground was fertile. Archaeological findings of a 4 000 year-old pile-dwelling in the watery moss indicates that this area was then a religious centre and graveyard. During the Bronze Age ( 1500-500 BC ) Östergötland flourished and the high-cultural population has left many artistic remains. Particularly the surroundings of the city of Norrköping are rich in these rock-carvings, made directly on the ground and figuring religious and fertility symbols. The centuries after the Bronze Age were characterized by great migrations. This age was rather turbulent and there are many traces of ancient castles left on natural heights of the landscape. Furthermore, a wall covering a distance of 3.5 km can be seen in Västra Husby, west of the town of Söderköping. Whether the buildings were made for defence purposes or not is uncertain, likewise the question of who was the potential enemy. Remains of a more peaceful kind are the big blocks of stones, the rune stones, that were raised along the roads. The ancient signs told stories in memory of prominent persons, great travellers and gave information about major road and bridgeconstructions. In Östergötland archaeologists have found up to 250 runestones and one of the more famous is the Rökstenen, at the Röks church, which can be dated back to 800 AD . Historians are not certain about the political and social situation in Östergötland but most probable is that the province was independent with its centre in Linköping until the Viking Age ( 800-1000 AD ). Changes occurred mainly in agriculture which needed to develop and become more efficient. The private, isolated farms were replaced with small villages including up to ten farms each. At the same time the wooden areas in the north and south were cut down and colonised in order to get more area for cultivation. During the 9th century Östergötland was christianized and around 1120 Linköping became an Episcopal city. During the same decade a local great man, Sverker was elected king of Sweden and the province was now considered to be an influential part of the nation. The central position that the province held in the Middle Ages involved a considerable build-up of the towns; construction workers, handicraftsmen and traders from far and near gathered in Linköping, Norrköping and Söderköping. The remarkable buildings left from this era are mainly churches and monasteries indicating that much of the finances were circulating around religious institutions. One of the contemporary characters worth mentioning is Birgitta Paterson, who later was canonised to St. Bridget. She was well-educated and had a high position at the court. When her husband died, her catholic belief was strengthened by revelations so much that she founded a monastery in Vadstena. The small town grew slowly around the monastery which is still a spiritual centre and stands in close contact with the Brigittines in Rome, Italy. Not only St. Bridget but also king Gustav Vasa found the landscape by lake Vättern ideal and so he let his castle be built here. As a perfect example of Gustav Vasa´s power, the renaissance castle still attracts many tourists. The centuries that followed were calmer. The majority of the population rented acreages and worked as farmers while the wealthy landowners lived in beautiful mansions which still embellish the countryside. Dramatic changes did not take place until the industrialisation in the province boomed in the 17th century. The earliest stages towards industrialisation were probably the quarrying of iron ore in the northern mountain areas and the working of iron, copper and brass in the south. Later, a big textile industry grew in Norrköping and the town was for a long time the most prominent of the region. This has changed a bit, since Linköping the last decades started to manufacture air-planes and high technological instruments on a large scale. The universities and the linked computer industry is contributing to the town's concentration on science and technology. Norrköping was instead chosen to be the centre for some of the departments of the public sector, such as the Swedish Immigration Board, the National Maritime Administration and the Meteorological Institute.  Useful information Quiz game Contents About... E-mail |