Scandinavian minor kingdoms: Map & History
In Scandinavian prehistory, sometimes specifically Swedish prehistory, the Vendel Period, or Vendel Age, appears between the Migration Period and the Viking Age, specifically following the Volcanic winter of 536, subsiding around 550 AD.
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In Scandinavian prehistory, sometimes specifically Swedish prehistory, the Vendel Period, or Vendel Age, appears between the Migration Period and the Viking Age, specifically following the Volcanic winter of 536, subsiding around 550 AD. The name is taken from the rich boat inhumation cemetery at Vendel parish church, Uppland. Unlike the preceding and succeeding eras, the Vendel Period left very few precious metal artifacts or runic inscriptions. Instead, it is extremely rich in animal art on copper-alloy objects. It is also known for guldgubbar, tiny embossed gold foil images, and elaborate helmets with embossed decoration similar to the one found at Sutton Hoo in England.
Modern Countries Once Part of Scandinavian minor kingdoms
At its mapped extent, Scandinavian minor kingdoms covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Scandinavian minor kingdoms's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Scandinavian minor kingdoms in Depth
Background
The Germanic Iron Age is divided into the Early Germanic Iron Age (EGIA) and the Late Germanic Iron Age (LGIA). It is particularly for Sweden that the late Germanic iron age spanning between 550 and 800 is called the Vendel era. In Norway it is more common to refer to the period as the Merovingian Age, while the Danish refer to it as the Younger Germanic Iron Age.
The late Germanic Iron Age begins with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of the Gothic kingdoms in Europe, later replaced by the Franks, the Lombards and the Avar Khaganate. After the Western Roman Empire fell, gold became scarce and Scandinavians began to make objects of gilded bronze, with decorative figures of interlacing animals.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Vendel Period (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Scandinavian minor kingdoms Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Scandinavian minor kingdoms appears, with the other states of the time.
Scandinavian minor kingdoms Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 426,216 km² in 845 CE.
Scandinavian minor kingdoms: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Scandinavian minor kingdoms exist?
Scandinavian minor kingdoms is dated to 500 CE – 1002 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
How large was Scandinavian minor kingdoms at its peak?
At its peak in 845 AD Scandinavian minor kingdoms covered about 426,216 km².
How did the map of Scandinavian minor kingdoms change over time?
Scandinavian minor kingdoms appears on 5 dated world maps in the atlas, from 500 CE to 1000 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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