The Swedish slave trade mainly occurred in the early history of Sweden when the trade of thralls (Old Norse: þræll) was one of the pillars of the Norse economy from the 9th to the 11th century, and ended with the widespread adoption of Christianity in Sweden. Slavery was a deeply entrenched institution in Viking society which was hierarchical, and the lowest social class consisted of thralls and slaves, which made up the main source of hard labor in Norse society. Slavery itself was abolished in Sweden in 1335 by King Magnus Eriksson.
During the raids, the Vikings often captured and enslaved militarily weaker peoples they encountered through raids or conquests across Europe. This slave trade lasted from the 8th through the 11th centuries.
A smaller trade of African slaves happened during the 17th and 18th centuries as part of the Atlantic slave trade, around the time Swedish overseas colonies were established in North America (New Sweden; 1638–1655) and in Africa (lasting between 1650 and 1663). Similarly to some other European powers, such as the Kingdom of Great Britain following the Somerset v Stewart decision in 1772, slavery was banned in the motherland while being legal in the colonies. Consequently, slavery remained legal on the sole Swedish Caribbean colony of Saint Barthélemy from 1784 until 1847.
The Viking Age was a period of widespread upheaval and disruption throughout the northern world. Viking raiders sought captives, many of whom were captured and held in camps where they were ransomed, exploited and enslaved. The slaves from Western Europe during the Viking era were mainly Franks, Anglo-Saxons, and Celts. Many Irish slaves were used in expeditions for the colonization of Iceland. The Norse also took Baltic, Slavic in Northeastern and Eastern Europe, Latin slaves from Southern Europe, and Moorish slaves from Al-Andalus and North Africa. Vikings navigated the "Highway of the Slaves" through the Aegean Sea and into Black Sea ports first established by Archaic Greeks, shoreline crossroads for human trafficking.
The Persian traveler Ibn Rustah described how Vikings, the Varangians or Rus, terrorized and enslaved the Slavs taken in their raids along the Volga River. These slaves were trafficked to the Middle East via the Bukhara slave trade.
Thralldom was outlawed in 1335 by Magnus IV of Sweden for thralls "born by Christian parents" in Västergötland and Värend, being the last parts where it had remained legal. This however, was only applicable within the borders of Sweden, which opened up for later slave trade in the colonies. Similarly to other European countries, slavery was later to be revived in Swedish territories outside of the European motherland.
In the 17th century, starting from 1650, Swedish citizens become involved with the Atlantic slave trade. Sweden set up trading stations along the West African coast with bases on the Swedish Gold Coast, which today belongs to Ghana. In 1663, the Swedish Gold Coast was taken over by Denmark and became part of the Danish Gold Coast. During its dozen years of activity, the Swedish African Company transported around 2,000 slaves. However, the Swedish establishments in West Africa declined after a few years, while the Danish ones continued until 1850. Between 1784 and 1878, Sweden maintained possession of a colony in the Caribbean. The Swedish colony of Saint Barthélemy functioned as a duty-free port and became a major destination center for slave ships. Slaves were brought in tax free by foreign vessels and the Swedish Crown made a profit by collecting an export tax when slaves were shipped out. Sweden was also a major supplier of iron for chains used in the slave trade.
Slavery was legislated in Saint-Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People dated 30 July 1787, original in French dated 30 June 1787. In the autumn of 1786, the Swedish West India Company was established on the island.
In the early 19th century, Sweden signed treaties with the United Kingdom and France to abolish the slave trade.
In 1847, slavery was abolished in all parts of Sweden including its colony, on the basis of a decision taken in 1846. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of Saint-Barthélemy were bought and freed by the Swedish state on 9 October 1847.
The Swedish slave trade mainly occurred in the early history of Sweden when the trade of thralls (Old Norse: þræll) was one of the pillars of the Norse economy from the 9th to the 11th century, and ended with the widespread adoption of Christianity in Sweden. Slavery was a deeply entrenched institution in Viking society which was hierarchical, and the lowest social class consisted of thralls and slaves, which made up the main source of hard labor in Norse society. Slavery itself was abolished in Sweden in 1335 by King Magnus Eriksson.
During the raids, the Vikings often captured and enslaved militarily weaker peoples they encountered through raids or conquests across Europe. This slave trade lasted from the 8th through the 11th centuries. A smaller trade of African slaves happened during the 17th and 18th centuries as part of the Atlantic slave trade, around the time Swedish overseas colonies were established in North America (New Sweden; 1638–1655) and in Africa (lasting between 1650 and 1663). Similarly to some other European powers, such as the Kingdom of Great Britain following the Somerset v Stewart decision in 1772, slavery was banned in the motherland while being legal in the colonies. Consequently, slavery remained legal on the sole Swedish Caribbean colony of Saint Barthélemy from 1784 until 1847.
The Viking Age was a period of widespread upheaval and disruption throughout the northern world. Viking raiders sought captives, many of whom were captured and held in camps where they were ransomed, exploited and enslaved. The slaves from Western Europe during the Viking era were mainly Franks, Anglo-Saxons, and Celts. Many Irish slaves were used in expeditions for the colonization of Iceland. The Norse also took Baltic, Slavic in Northeastern and Eastern Europe, Latin slaves from Southern Europe, and Moorish slaves from Al-Andalus and North Africa. Vikings navigated the "Highway of the Slaves" through the Aegean Sea and into Black Sea ports first established by Archaic Greeks, shoreline crossroads for human trafficking.
The Persian traveler Ibn Rustah described how Vikings, the Varangians or Rus, terrorized and enslaved the Slavs taken in their raids along the Volga River. These slaves were trafficked to the Middle East via the Bukhara slave trade. Thralldom was outlawed in 1335 by Magnus IV of Sweden for thralls "born by Christian parents" in Västergötland and Värend, being the last parts where it had remained legal. This however, was only applicable within the borders of Sweden, which opened up for later slave trade in the colonies. Similarly to other European countries, slavery was later to be revived in Swedish territories outside of the European motherland.
In the 17th century, starting from 1650, Swedish citizens become involved with the Atlantic slave trade. Sweden set up trading stations along the West African coast with bases on the Swedish Gold Coast, which today belongs to Ghana. In 1663, the Swedish Gold Coast was taken over by Denmark and became part of the Danish Gold Coast. During its dozen years of activity, the Swedish African Company transported around 2,000 slaves. However, the Swedish establishments in West Africa declined after a few years, while the Danish ones continued until 1850. Between 1784 and 1878, Sweden maintained possession of a colony in the Caribbean. The Swedish colony of Saint Barthélemy functioned as a duty-free port and became a major destination center for slave ships. Slaves were brought in tax free by foreign vessels and the Swedish Crown made a profit by collecting an export tax when slaves were shipped out. Sweden was also a major supplier of iron for chains used in the slave trade. Slavery was legislated in Saint-Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People dated 30 July 1787, original in French dated 30 June 1787. In the autumn of 1786, the Swedish West India Company was established on the island.
In the early 19th century, Sweden signed treaties with the United Kingdom and France to abolish the slave trade. In 1847, slavery was abolished in all parts of Sweden including its colony, on the basis of a decision taken in 1846. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of Saint-Barthélemy were bought and freed by the Swedish state on 9 October 1847.
Migration period
Early Swedish history is not well documented and the sources are subjected to much scrutiny, especially since the trustworthiness of the Icelandic sagas is in doubt, since the Swedish monarchs mentioned by foreign sources do not correlate with the monarchs mentioned by Icelandic Sagas. During the Semi Legendary period, a slave revolt is mentioned by the Sagas taking place in Sweden. Its authenticity is unknown.
According to the Icelandic sagas, a slave revolt led by the slave Tunne resulted in the Swedish king Ongentheow being deposed and forced to flee to the Danes (Germanic tribe). The Swedish king Ongentheow, sometimes identified with Angan-Tys in the Beowulf, appear to be another version of the name Týs öttungr.
Tunne was described as the slave responsible for the guard of the royal treasury and weaponry. Tunne was probably named Eofor as both names mean boar and kennings were frequently used in old Norse and old English. Tunne could have been from the Northlands, as the name Tunne has only been found on Runestones in the Swedish Northlands.
The Swedish weaponry was indeed guarded by a slave, as mentioned by the Roman historian Tacitus. According to the saga, Tunne proclaimed himself king of Svitjod, the slaves taking the weapons from the royal weaponry, forced the royals and nobles to retrieve their ancestor's swords and helmets from their graves in Gamla Uppsala to fight the slaves, while Tunne used the weapons from the royal weaponry to defeat the Swedish army in eight battles. The victories of the Tunnes rebels resulted in so many losses for the Swedish king that he was forced to promise the Danish king tribute to ensure his continued support.
The mounds from 500 AD lack weapons, after archaeological examination, supporting the story that weapons were taken from the grave tumulus during the rebellion. With the help of Danish soldiers, the slave uprising was eventually crushed. Tunne, however, killed king Ongenthow before the end of the uprising. In the Icelandic sagas, however, Ongenthow was killed by a boar. In Beowulf, he was killed by the warrior Eofor (who may be identical with Tunne). Eofor slew Ongenthow with his sword with a stab to the head that penetrated Ongenthows helmet. Eofor brought the helmet of Ongenthow to the geats, where he was given protection and rewarded for slaying their rival king.
As a reward, Eofor was given the Geatish king Hygelac's daughter in marriage. Eofor in all likelihood killed Ongenthow, however it is not certain that Eofor and Tunni was the same person.
Swedish slavery and slave trade during the Middle Ages
Tasks for slaves in Sweden were helping with agricultural output for males and females, with women additionally serving as concubines or domestic servants. Thralls could have some social mobility in Norse society, as for example Olav Tyggvason, who went from captured slave of Estonians to king of Norway.
Background
Slavery was common in the Viking age period, and one of the main reasons for the Viking expansion was the search for slaves in other countries. One of the reasons Kievan Rus came to be was that Scandinavian settlers established themselves and traded with captured slaves. During the eighth to tenth centuries, slaves from Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea were traded to elite households in Byzantium and the Islamic world via the Dnieper and Volga river systems, the Carolingian Empire and Venice.
Arabic merchants from the Caspian Sea and Byzantine merchants from the Black Sea bought their goods to the trade markets in Rus, where they met the Viking traders and warriors known as Varangians, and traded their goods for the slaves captured by the Vikings in Europe.
The Vikings used the demand for slaves in the Southern slave markets in the Orthodox Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Middle Eastern Caliphate, both of whom craved slaves of a different religion than their own.
During the Middle Ages, organized alongside religious principles. Both Christians and Muslims banned the enslavement of people of their own faith, but both approved of the enslavement of people of a different faith; both did allow the enslavement of people they regarded to be heretics, which allowed Catholic Christians to enslave Orthodox Christians, and Sunni Muslims to enslave Shia Muslims. However, both Christians and Muslims approved of enslaving Pagans, who came to be a preferred target of the slave trade in the Middle Ages, and Pagan war captives were sold by Pagan enemies into the slave trade.
Archbishop Rimbert of Bremen (d. 888) reported that he witnessed a "large throng of captured Christians being hauled away" in the Viking port of Hedeby in Denmark, one of whom was a woman who sang psalms to identify herself as a Christian nun, and who the bishop was able to free by exchanging his horse for her freedom.
This trade was the source of the Arab dirham silver hoards found in Scandinavia and functioned from at least 786 until 1009, when such coins have been found there, and it would have been so lucrative that it contributed to the continuing Viking raids across Eastern Europe, which was used by the Vikings as a slave supply source for this trade with the Islamic world.
Among such hoards can be mentioned the Spillings Hoard and the Sundveda Hoard.
One of the only accounts describing Norse slave practices in detail and first person is the Arabic merchant Ibn Fadlan meeting Volga Vikings. Describing Swedish Vikings using the Volga trade route using Saqaliba or Slavic slaves as translators when trading.
There he describes the Norse ship burials only known in Norse society before the Viking expansion in 800 AD into present day Russia and Ukraine and that a slave girl was sacrificed to follow her master. Norse burials found in Sweden and Norway indicate that slaves were sacrificed in Sweden to follow their masters to the afterlife. However, Swedish archaeology shows that mostly male slaves were killed to follow their master into the afterlife and not females. The grave of an aristocratic Swedish woman, the Princess of Öland, also include the remains of a male who may have been a slave. Sacrificed female slaves have however been found sacrificed in Norway, where a woman found in the grave showed signs of having her throat slit in a similar manner to the execution described by Ibn Fadlan.
During the 11th century, the Viking nations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden became Christian, which made it impossible for them to continue to conduct slave raids toward Christian Europe, and consequently Viking slave raiding across Europe declined. The establishment of Kievan Rus likely also decreased the number of slaves taken in raids and limited it to the local market for slaves in Sweden, according to Lena Björkman.
Abolition
Slavery in Sweden appear to have gradually phased out during the 13th century. The Christian church did not approve of the enslavement of Christians. Giving freedom to a slave was seen as a holy act, giving the nobleman more of a chance to reach heaven, and it appeared to have become a custom to free slaves by will, gradually decreased the number of slaves. Since there were by the 13th-century fewer Pagan lands where Christians could legitimately acquire new slaves, there were no way to increase the number of slaves. There was no serfdom in Sweden, and consequently all farmers, rich and poor were free. While poorer farmers probably did not have the financial option as rich noblemen had, this possibly means that farmers or freemen were the last to free their slaves
In parallel with the increasing manumission-wills of slaves during the 13th-century, different parts of Sweden started to ban slavery within their counties, while it remained legal in others.
The last document mentioning a slave in Sweden is a will from 1310, which manumitted the male slave Karelus.
Thralldom was finally outlawed by King Magnus IV of Sweden in 1335.
In practice, the 1335 was the abolition of slavery in the Counties of Västergötland and Värend, but since slavery had already been prohibited in the rest of the counties before, the 1335 ban in the only two counties where slavery remained legal, also meant the final abolition of slavery in Sweden as a whole.
In reality, there would have been very few slaves left in Sweden by the time of its final abolition, and it is seen as likely that all had already been manumitted by that point.
Swedish slavery and slave trade in the early modern period
Trading stations in Africa
In 1650, Sweden established trading stations along the West African coast, with bases in an area called the Swedish Gold Coast which was later a part of the West AfricanGold Coast, and which is today part of Ghana. Sweden and Denmark were competing for positions as regional powers during this period, and the Danes followed the Swedes to Africa, setting up stations a couple of years later. In 1663, the Swedish Gold Coast was taken over by the Danish colonial power and became part of the Danish Gold Coast. There is no historical documentation that shows that slaves were ever traded in the trading stations during their 13-year Swedish possession.
Swedish trading stations reappeared in the 18th century, when Sweden established a colonial presence in the Caribbean.
Slavery in the Barbary Coast
There were over 1,500 Swedish slaves in the Barbary Coast as victims of the Barbary slave trade. Many would never see their homeland again. The Turks also frequently castrated their slaves.
The Ottomans also bought black sex slaves from the Swedes.
No slave raids was ever conducted by corsairs towards the coasts of Sweden. However, Swedish and Finnish ships (Finland was a part of Sweden) were attacked by corsairs in the sea outside of Western Europe and in the Mediterranean.
The Swede Johan Gabriel Sparfwenfeldt, who visited Algiers and Tunis in 1691, described empathically how he had met and spoken to many Swedish slaves who asked him for help to be bought free and return to "their homes, to their children, their parents and the land of their home", and listed 23 names of the Swedes then held as slaves.