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Union of Kalmar established between Denmark, Sweden and Norway

The Kalmar Union was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden as designed by Queen Margaret of Denmark.

The Kalmar Union was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden as designed by Queen Margaret of Denmark. From 1397 to 1523, it joined under a single monarch the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden (then including much of present-day Finland), and Norway, together with Norway's maritime colonies (then including Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland).

The union was not quite continuous; there were several short interruptions. Legally, the countries remained separate sovereign states, but their domestic and foreign policies were directed by a common monarch. Gustav Vasa's election as King of Sweden on 6 June 1523, and his triumphant entry into Stockholm 11 days later, marked Sweden's final secession from the Kalmar Union.

Historical Significance

The Kalmar Union was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden as designed by Queen Margaret of Denmark.

Events Before

  1. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, marries 3rd wife Katherine Swynford, mother of four of his children at Lincoln Cathedr

    John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, marries 3rd wife Katherine Swynford, mother of four of his children at Lincoln Cathedral

  2. Richard II of England (31) marries Isabella of Valois (6) in a dynastic marriage

    Isabella of Valois (9 November 1389 – 13 September 1409) was Queen of England as the wife of Richard II, King of England, between 1396 and 1399, and Duchess of Orléans as the wife of Charles I, Duke...

  3. Crusade of Nicopolis: one of the last large-scale medieval crusades departs from Dijon led by the Count of Nevers, eldes

    Crusade of Nicopolis: one of the last large-scale medieval crusades departs from Dijon led by the Count of Nevers, eldest son of the Duke of Burgundy

  4. Crusaders under Earl of Nevers reach Vienna

    Crusaders under Earl of Nevers reach Vienna

  5. Crusaders under Earl of Nevers reaches Nicopolis

    Crusaders under Earl of Nevers reaches Nicopolis

Events After

  1. Tamerlane captures and sacks Delhi, defeating Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud's armies by setting camels loaded with hay alig

    Tamerlane captures and sacks Delhi, defeating Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud's armies by setting camels loaded with hay alight and driving them toward the Sultan's armored war elephants

  2. The Treaty of Salynas is signed between Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great and the Teutonic Knights, who receive

    The Treaty of Salynas is signed between Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great and the Teutonic Knights, who received Samogitia.

  3. Hongwu dies

    Hongwu dies

  4. Battle of Vorskla: Tatars defeat Russians and Lithuanians

    The Battle of the Vorskla River was fought on August 12, 1399, between the Tatars of the Golden Horde, under Edigu and Temür Qutlugh, and the armies of Tokhtamysh and a large Crusader force led by...

  5. John of Gaunt dies

    John of Gaunt, English prince and regent, known for english prince and regent, died on 1399-02-03.

More from the 1390s

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, marries 3rd wife Katherine Swynford, mother of four of his children at Lincoln Cathedr

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, marries 3rd wife Katherine Swynford, mother of four of his children at Lincoln Cathedral

Richard II of England (31) marries Isabella of Valois (6) in a dynastic marriage

Isabella of Valois (9 November 1389 – 13 September 1409) was Queen of England as the wife of Richard II, King of England, between 1396 and 1399, and Duchess of Orléans as the wife of Charles I, Duke...

Tamerlane captures and sacks Delhi, defeating Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud's armies by setting camels loaded with hay alig

Tamerlane captures and sacks Delhi, defeating Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud's armies by setting camels loaded with hay alight and driving them toward the Sultan's armored war elephants

Anti-Semite monk in Seville, Spain stirs up people to attack Jews

Anti-Semite monk in Seville, Spain stirs up people to attack Jews

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 17, 1397?
The Kalmar Union was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden as designed by Queen Margaret of Denmark. From 1397 to 1523, it joined under a single monarch the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden (then including much of present-day Finland), and Norway, together with Norway's maritime colonies (then including Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland). The union was not quite continuous; there were several short interruptions.
Why is Union of Kalmar established between Denmark, Sweden and Norway significant?
The Kalmar Union was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden as designed by Queen Margaret of Denmark.

Explore More

June 17 in HistoryYear 1397