Stockholm during the Middle Ages

However, even though events during the 1250s and 1260s remain diffuse, the amount of surviving documents, such as letters and diaries, seem to indicate that Stockholm grew rapidly to become the largest city in Sweden during the late 1270s, and throughout the 1280s.

[2] It's reasonable to assume, Birger Jarl's primary interest when founding Stockholm, not only was to strengthen his own domestic and international position, but that he was also aiming at a general economic expansion.

As Sweden just had experienced more than 50 years of continuous warfare between rivalling political parties, it was at this time hardly able to produce the economical resources required to build an entire city.

While no surviving document can confirm Stockholm was found, planned and built by Germans, their increasing presence in Swedish historical records coincide with the development of mining in Sweden.

The castle and the protection it could offer, initiated by Birger Jarl, was the prerequisite to create a medieval city of continental standard, but the organisation and financial strength to produce it came with Magnus.

[6] During the turbulent closing era of the Swedish Middle Ages, controlling Stockholm and its castle became crucial to anyone aspiring to rule the kingdom, and the city was therefore repeatedly subject to lengthy blockades and occasionally besieged by various Swedish-Danish fractions disputing the Kalmar Union.

Hans' son Christian II of Denmark continued the ambitions of his father and made failed attempts to conquer the city in 1517 and 1518, to finally besiege it and force Queen Christina Gyllenstierna leading the resistance to capitulate in 1520.

Fishermen and carpenters dominated on the eastern waterfront, except the southern stretch which was located near the so-called "Cog Harbour" (Koggahamnen) were the merchants' large sea-going ships were moored.

Lastly a group of 150 women not given a title appear in the records, but their intimate names was hardly meant to deny they were prostitutes: Anna svandunet "the swan-down", Birgitta rödnacka ("red-neck").

Seal of Stockholm known from an imprint from 1296; most likely the city's first seal mentioned in a letter from 1281. [ 1 ]
Sten Sture the Elder enters Stockholm.
Painting by Georg von Rosen , 1864.
During the late Middle Ages, most buildings were made of brick, which gave the city its character. Some prominent façades were, however, painted red to accentuate their importance — like the restored façade of 5, Stora Gråmunkegränd , also featuring several other aesthetic details. [ 8 ]
An old crane still hanging over the Järntorget square reminds of the lively medieval marketplace.