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Skåneland or, more properly, Skånelandskapen (sometimes the Latin names terra Scania or terra Scaniæ are used) is a denomination for the area once making up the eastern part of Denmark, and in the Treaty of Roskilde (1658) permanently ceded to Sweden. It consists of the provinces Skåne, Halland and Blekinge and bordering to the provinces of Västergötland and Småland.
The term was introduced by the Swedish historian and Scandinavist Martin Weibull in the political appeal Samlingar till Skånes historia in 1868, to illuminate the pre-Swedish history of Skåne, Blekinge and Halland. The term was basically a translation from the medieval Latin terra Scaniæ (approximately "land of Skåne"). Weibull used the term as a conjunctional term for the three provinces where the old Scanian law (the oldest provincial law of the Nordic countries) had its jurisdiction, as well as the archdiocese of Lund prior to 1645. The term Skåneland was then used in the regional historical periodical Historisk tidskrift för Skåneland, beginning in 1901, published by the son of Martin, Lauritz Weibull.
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History
The Latin name terra Scaniæ was used in the Middle ages as a denomination for the easternmost parts of Denmark. At that time, dense forests and boggy grounds separated the northern provinces of Sweden from Skåneland, compared to the relatively easiness of travelling by sea. This was attested by Adam of Bremen in the 11th century when he visited Scania and Scandinavia. It therefore became natural to draw the national borders in the inland. The roads were gradually improved, but were in some parts still difficult to travel through in the 19th century.
Skåneland was often the site of bitter battles, especially in the 15th and 16th century, when emotions were running high between Denmark and Sweden. Perhaps most notable was the Northern Seven Years' War (1563–1570). In total, the area was invaded by hostile armies 39 times between 1276 and 1710, which resulted in many bloody battles and demolished cities.
Following the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, the Swedish government forcefully demanded Skåneland adapt Swedish customs, habits and laws. Swedish became the only permitted language in Church and in schools, books in Danish were not allowed to printed, all appointed politicans and priests were Swedish, and to promote a Swedish education the University of Lund was inaugurated in 1667 – the inhabitants of Scania were not allowed to enroll in Copenhagen University until the 19th century.
The population initially were opposed to the Swedish reforms, as can be ascertained from church records and court transcripts. The Swedes did encounter quite hard civil revolts in some areas, perhaps most notably in the Göinge districts, in dense forests in northern Scania. The last civil revolts in Skåneland were peasant revolts early in the 19th century, but during that century it was to such a degree incorporated that, at the end of the century, Skåneland was declared to have been "fully incorporated with Swedish habits, customs and history".
In the first 50 years, the treatment of the population was rather ruthless, but thereafter it lightened up. Denmark, on the other hand, made several attempts to reconquer Skåneland -- the last attempts in 1710, during which they had almost reconquered the entire Skåneland, until they were beaten back by Swedish armies and forced to withdraw.
The history of Skåneland was not taught for a long time in schools in Skåneland, especially during the period of immediate threat of revolt. Instead Swedish history was taught, and the Scanian history before 1658, for instance concerning the list of monarchs, was disregarded as Danish history. As a reaction, a movement began in the late 19th century trying to revive the history and culture of Skåneland. It resulted in the publication of several books about Scanian history.
It is still disputed whether children of the Scanian Provinces should learn the Danish history or Swedish history for the time before 1658.
Swedish Governors-General
- Gustaf Otto Stenbock (1658 - 1664)
- Fabian von Fersen (1675 - 1677)
- Rutger von Ascheberg (1680 - 1693)
- Otto Vellingk (1693 - 1698)
- Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld (July 4, 1698- December 27, 1705)
- Magnus Stenbock (December 27, 1705-1711)
- Jacob von Burenskiöld (1711-1716)
- Carl Gustaf Skytte (1716-1719)
- Carl Gustaf Hård (1717-1719)
(See also: Governor-General in the Swedish Realm)
Modern usage
The most wide-spread usage of the term Skåneland is by regionalist advocating cultural unique features of the region. The proper term Skånelandskap is of historical significance as a common name for Swedish areas formerly belonging to Denmark, though neither is generally used among modern Swedish historians, or have been used for administrative purposes.
Because of the revived notions of a common cultural heritage, separate from that of the national state of Sweden, Skåneland has been made a member of UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation) and FUEN (Federal Union of European Nationalities) under the name of Scania.
Reference
- Ambrius, J, Skånelands historia, 1997 ISBN 91-971436-2-6
- the Swedish encyclopedia Nationalencyklopedin, article Skånelandskapen
- Parts of the article have been translated from sv:Skåneland and da:Skåneland
See also
External links
- Skåne - the creation of an identity (http://manila.djh.dk/Rednaxela/discuss/msgReader$11?mode=topic) - an article by a journalism student
- Scania (http://www.unpo.org/member.php?arg=46) - Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation
- Scania (http://www.scania.org/) - Scania Future Foundation, a regionalist organization in Skåneda:Skåneland