Second Swedish Crusade

The Second Swedish Crusade was a possible 13th-century Swedish military

Second Swedish Crusade
expedition against theTavastians, in present-day Finland, led by Birger jarl. A lot of
the details of the Crusade are debated. After the crusadeTavastia gradually started to Part of the Northern Crusades
fall under the rule of Catholic Church and Swedish kingdom. Date middle of the 13th
century
Location Tavastia
Contents Result Swedish victory;
Tavastia became a part
Background
of Sweden
Sources
Interpretations Belligerents
Nature of the Crusade Swedish Tavastians
Dating
Crusaders
"Taffwesta borg"
Commanders and leaders
Aftermath
Church reaction and reorganization Eric IX of Unknown
Swedish succession Sweden
Swedish rule in Finland Birger Jarl
Eric's Chronicle: "Crusade against T
avastians"
See also
References
Sources

Background
Sweden had been starting to exert control over Finland at least since the beginning in
the 13th century, starting with Finland proper. In 1220, Sweden tried to join in on the
Baltic Crusades, but could not hold on to the foothold in Estonia. There are notes of
Swedish churchmen, possibly led by Finland's bishop Thomas, being present in
Tavastia ca 1230, and papal letters deplore how slowly Christianity gains ground in
Finland. There were apparently a backlash against the missionaries, and in 1237,
pope Gregory IX sent out a call for the Swedes to take up arms in a crusade against
the "apostates and barbarians".[1][2]

Sources
All details of the crusade are from Eric's Chronicle, which is largely propagandist in
nature, written a century after the events, amidst internal unrest and war against
Novgorod. The chronicle says that the crusade took place between the Battle of
Sparrsätra in 1247 and the death of King Eric in 1250, and presents the Tavastians
(taffwesta) as the Swedish opponents. According to the chronicle, the expedition
A sculpted head in Varnhem Church,
was prepared in Sweden and then conducted over sea to a land on the coast, where identified as the likeness of Birger
the enemy was waiting.[3] Jarl, leader of the Crusade.
The Chronicle also mentions that a castle called "taffwesta borg" was established after the war. The Chronicle also links the Crusade
to a contest with the Orthodox Russians, making a point of the fact that the "Russian king" had now lost the conquered land.

The so-called "Detmar Chronicle" of Lübeck from around 1340 confirms the expedition with a short note that Birger Jarl submitted
Finland under Swedish rule.[4]

Interpretations
Unlike the doubted First Swedish crusade, there seem to be little doubt that Sweden's effort to christen Finland reached a culmination
in the middle of the 13th century. Still, a lot of the details, including the year and the exact nature, has been the subject of debate.

Nature of the Crusade

Despite the Chronicles attempt to paint the Crusade as a war of conquest, it is likely it was more of an unusually bloody phase in an
ongoing process by which Finland was incorporated in the Swedish state. Sweden had a central government, and a strong ideological
[5]
force in the form of the Christian church. Finnish chieftains who joined up gained power and prestige.

Dating
The dating of the Crusade when the attack took place has been somewhat disputed. Attempts have been made to date the attack either
to 1238-1239 or to 1256. Neither date has received wide acceptance.[6] Dick Harrison finds the theory of an early crusade most
probable, on the ground of the papal letter, which would also make the war into a properly sanctioned crusade, and the fact that
[7]
Sweden was otherwise peaceful during that period.

"Taffwesta borg"
The Chronicle mentions an impressive castle that was built by the Swedes, "taffwesta borg". This has been interpreted both as Häme
Castle (Swedish Tavastehus), as well as nearby Hakoinen Castle, but there is no archaeological evidence to support such an early
dating.

Aftermath

Church reaction and reorganization

Probably related to preventing other parties from getting involved in the conflict, Pope Innocent IV took Finland under his special
protection in August 1249, however without mentioning Sweden in any way.[8] Finland's bishop Thomas, probably a Dominican
friar, had resigned already in 1245 and died three years later in a Dominican convent in Gotland. The seat being vacant, the diocese
had probably been under the direct command of the papal legate William of Modena whose last orders to Finnish priests were given
in June, 1248.[9]

Swedish Bero was eventually appointed as the new bishop in 1248/9, presumably soon after William's visit to Sweden for an
important church meeting atSkänninge that ended on March 1, 1248. The so-called "Palmsköld booklet" from 1448 noted that it was
Bero who gave Finns' tax to the Swedish king.[10] Bero came directly from the Swedish court like his two successors. It seems that
Swedish bishops also held all secular power in Finland until the 1280s when the position of the
Duke of Finland was established.

In 1249, the situation was also seen clear enough to have the first Dominican convent established in Finland.[11] There had been no
monasteries in Finland before that. The convent was situated next to the bishop's fortification in Koroinen until the end of the century
.

Swedish succession
As an unexpected side effect, Eric's Chronicle tells of how the expedition seems to have cost Birger the Swedish crown. As King Eric
died in 1250 and Birger was absent from Sweden, the Swedish lords, led by Joar Blå, selected Birger's under-aged son Valdemar as
the new king instead of the powerful Jarl himself.

Swedish rule in Finland

From 1249 onwards, sources generally regard Finland proper and Tavastia as a part of Sweden. The Diocese of Finland proper is
listed among the Swedish dioceses for the first time in 1253.[12] In the Novgorod First Chronicle Tavastians (yem) and Finns proper
(sum) are mentioned on an expedition with Swedes (svei) in 1256.[13] However, very little is known about the situation in Finland
during the following decades. The reason for this is partly the fact that Western Finland was now ruled from Turku and most of the
documentation remained there. As the Novgorod forces burned the city in 1318 during the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars, very little
remained about what had happened in the previous century. The last Swedish Crusade to Finland took place in 1293 against
Karelians.

Eric's Chronicle: "Crusade against Tavastians"

King Erik then sent out a and warships and transport - such can the outcome of With gold and silver and many a
call set afloat. such partings be. herd
to knights and to their Many a money-bag was Fair winds arose, the sails of cattle the Tavasts away did
equals all, brought out, were set. run.
to peasants and to fighting its contents did those men The heathen, too, foresaw The heathen lost, the Christians
men, receive the threat won.
- as ruler still do now, as who now their homes were they well knew that their Whoever would this them agree
then, due to leave coming would to become a Christian and
to notify their men before not knowing where their be to their harm and not theirbaptised be,
they send them off to fight a journey led good. him they allowed both goods
war - Hands were wrung and There the Christians a and life
he sent them thus to tears were shed harbour did find. and peace to live withour further
heathen land by many a wife left on her Innumerable gilded prows strife.
and chose his in-law to take own. aligned The heathen who would them
in hand Yet they rejoiced that God`s the heathen men saw lying gainsay
to lead them all upon that renown there, they did mercilessly slay.
quest, would grow and He be morecausing them less to laugh The Christians there a fortress
for him of all he trusted adored. than fear. did build,
best. Many an old ancestral They took their banners and which they with friend and
His son-in-law was eager to sword went ashore. kinsmen filled.
go, was then from nails unslung Fate then favored the That castle they Tavasteborg
keen his honour there to where it for many a day had Christians more: did call;
show. hung. their bright shields there and it to this day does the heathen
Then arms and armour Their friends them followed helmets they gall.
were prepared to the strand throughout that country did With Christian men they settled
by warriors brave, who to bid farewell and clasp display. that land,
nothing feared. their hand They eager were to try their a deed, I think, that does yet
Helmets and body-armour Many a red mouth was swords stand.
burnished kissed that day upon the Heathen Tavast That land became Christian
were in demand, and more that never again was kissed hordes, through and through
were furnished. that way, which I expect is what the Russian king its loss must
Each in his district did his for some never more would occurred. rue.
each other see
[14]
best,
ready to heed the king`s
request,

See also
Early Finnish wars
First Swedish Crusade
Third Swedish Crusade
Northern Crusades
Battle of Lihula
Battle of the Neva

References
1. Harrison (2005), p.425-426
2. "Letter by Pope Gregory IX about an uprising against the church inavastia"
T (https://web.archive.org/web/20070927
051432/http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=82). Archived from the original (http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.ph
p?id=82) on 2007-09-27. In Latin.
3. Description of the crusade(http://runeberg.org/erikkron/03.html). Original text.
4. Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä, 1989. ISBN 951-96006-1-2. See page 7.
5. Harrison (2005), p 425; Tarkiainen (2008), p. 101
6. Finnish Antiquarian Society(http://www.muinaismuistoyhdistys.fi), Suomen Museo 2002, page 66
7. Harrison (2005), p 427
8. "Letter by Innocentius IV to the diocese of Finland and its people"(https://web.archive.org/web/20070927050600/htt
p://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=96). Archived from the original (http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=96)
on 2007-09-27. In Latin.
9. "Wilhelm of Sabina's letter to the priests of Finland in 1248"(https://web.archive.org/web/20070927050433/http://19
3.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=94). Archived from the original (http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=94)on
2007-09-27. In Latin.
10. Original text as hosted by the University of Columbia(http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ets/Sweden/Abo/abo.html); in
Latin. See also Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä, 1989. ISBN 951-96006-1-2. Page 7.
11. "Convent established in Finland"(https://web.archive.org/web/20070927050453/http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.ph
p?id=98). Archived from the original (http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=98)on 2007-09-27. In Latin.
12. Surviving lists from 1241 and 1248 still did not include Finland.
13. "Novgorod First Chronicle entry about the Swedish attack to Novgorod and Novgorodian counterattack to Finland"
(h
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070927050533/http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=112)
. Archived from the
original (http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=112)on 2007-09-27.. In Swedish.
14. Erik Carlquist,Peter C. Hogg,Eva Österberg."The Chronicle of Duke Erik: A Verse Epic from Medieval Sweden" (http
s://books.google.com.kh/books?id=2gIK29dXvMAC&lpg=P A260&ots=QoGwJ98DQY&dq=Kristina%20T yrgilsdotter&
pg=PA102#v=onepage&q=Kristina%20Tyrgilsdotter&f=false).

Sources
Harrison, Dick (2005).Gud vill det! (in Swedish). Ordfront.ISBN 91-7037-119-9.
Tarkiainen, Kari (2008).Sveriges Österland (in Swedish). Atlantis.ISBN 978-91-7353-227-3.

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