Götaland

The Götaland (country of the Götar ) is southernmost of the three great historical areas ( landsdelar or huvudområden ) of Sweden. The two other great historical areas are the Svealand and the Norrland.

It includes/understands the historical provinces ( landskap ): Småland, Öland, Västergötland, Östergötland, Dalsland (in light on the chart opposite) and since the 17th century Bohuslän, Halland, Scanie ( Skåne ), Blekinge and Gotland (into dark on the chart opposite). At the beginning of the Middle Ages (which start in Sweden about the year 1000), the Värmland and perhaps also the Närke, today provinces of Svealand, was also regarded as götalandais.

Traditionally, one locates the creation of the kingdom of Sweden at the unification of Götaland and Svealand under only one king. The exact date of this event is not known. Obviously, the process slow and was complicated, but Olof Skötkonung is regarded as the first king having reigned at the same time on the Götar and the Svear .

Even if the membership of a historical province is always an identity factor much more important for the Swedes than that with one or the other of the great areas, the terms of Götaland, Svealand and Norrland are of a very frequent use in Sweden, in particular in meteorology.

See too

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