Kategori: 13th century

About one-mile southeast of the cathedral in Uppsala is, compared to the cathedral, a significantly less well-known memorial to Swedish history. Like so many other memories from the past in Uppland in particular, it is about stones, but, which otherwise is very common for this region, these stones are not rune stones.

The Mora stones, a unique feature in Swedish history, stand apart from the typical rune stones found in Uppland.

The Mora stones, also known as the Mora stones and meadow, have been a part of Swedish history since at least the 13th century. They are located in the Storån Valley, in Lagga parish in Uppland, near the border with Denmark parish.
The Mora stones held a unique role in the election of Swedish monarchs. After being elected at the nearby Mora ting, the King would ascend one of these stones to be officially recognised as the chosen monarch.

Until Gustav Vasa and his transformation of the elective monarchy into a hereditary monarchy, it was not apparent that the sitting regent’s eldest son would also become the next King. It should be noted here that it was typical for the crown to be inherited in any case or, at least, stay in the family. The previous King had his men and advocates who, either for pre-existing reasons or for a replacement, would bring the aspirant to the throne whom the now-dead monarch wished to see as his successor.

But it was not a foregone conclusion.

The first king we know for sure was elected at Mora ting and approved at Mora Stones was Magnus Ladulås, in 1275.
The location of the stone here, almost right on the border between two parishes and two so-called folklands, Tiundaland and Attundaland, made the place perfect for a court.

The term ”folkland” is Viking and medieval and describes an area with its own men of the law and laws.
1296 Tiundaland and Attundaland merged with Fjärdhundraland and Roden to form Uppland’s landsaga.
But back to the rocks on the border between Lagga and Denmark, Tiundaland and Attundaland.

The stones before 1275 can only be speculated about as no written sources exist. Still, it isn’t far-fetched to believe that kings were elected here even before Magnus Ladulås, especially considering that the place was not only a ting but also nearby a waterway and that Old Uppsala, where the Swedes are said to have held their Ting and sacrificial ceremonies, lies within the Viking-era Tiundaland.

Of course, as with all historical places and events, there has been and still is debate about their significance, not least because of what can be found about them in the historical sources.
For example, Upplandslagen (Law of Uppland), used from 1295 to 1350, places little importance on Mora stones and meadows. In contrast, the Södermannalagen (Law of Södermanland) from 1325 and Magnus Eriksson’s Landslag (Law of the land) from the 1350s state that it was here that the King’s election took place.

After the election, an Eriksgata, also described in Magnus Eriksson’s Landslag, would take place, even though he did not undertake one until 1335, 17 years after he was elected King, simply because he was only three years old at the time of the election.
(Read about Eriksgatan by following the link in the word).

After Eriksgatan, they returned to Uppsala for the final coronation. Despite the traditional belief that the election would occur at Mora Stones and Meadow, it was only sometimes like that. For example, Erik of Pomerania was elected King in Skara but is thought to have gone to Mora Meadow for a ceremony. Karl Knutsson Bonde was elected in Stockholm, accepted as King at Mora äng, and then crowned in Uppsala.

The last King to be elected at the Stones was Kristian I in 1457.
Since then, the original stone is said to have disappeared. A theory raised over the years is that this particular Kristian made sure the stone disappeared to prevent the Swedes from ever again being able to choose a king in the way that custom dictated.

The remaining stones, the document stones, are protected from the forces of the weather by a small stone house, perhaps the oldest museum in Sweden, built at the request of Gustav III in 1770 (the building is not the same today as in the 18th century).
If this is the original location, the King’s stone has disappeared. However, a group of stones is located about 500 meters northeast of Morby, and the middle boulder has been suggested as the real Mora stone.

Both sites have burial fields from the Iron Age in common, and springs are nearby.
If we assume that Snorre Sturlasson was writing about Mora meadow when he in Heimskringla refers to Mula meadow, then there should also be a spring just near the site of the royal election.

Today, protected by the small pale pink building are the so-called document stones, where, among other things, the symbol ”Three Crowns” is found, according to prevailing opinion, one of the first depictions. Stones here also pay tribute to the election of Erik of Pomerania and Karl Knutsson Bonde.

Unfortunately, the soft stones have been affected by time, weather, wind, and human vandalism when visitors have carved letters, runes, and initials.
The oldest example of lust for destruction on the stones is from 1660, when the doctor Gerhard Stalhoff saw fit to carve his, his wife’s, and his son-in-law’s initials.

Archaeological fieldwork is ongoing at the stones and their vicinity, but as it has been farmland for many generations, the cultural layers are often ploughed to shreds.

Kings elected, or celebrated, at Mora stones and meadow:

Magnus Ladulås, vald vid Mora sten 22 juli 1275

Magnus Eriksson, vald 8 juli 1319

Håkan Magnusson, vald i februari 1362

Albrecht av Mecklenburg, vald 15 februari 1364

Erik av Pommern, elected on 11 juni i Skara, confirmed at Mora den 23 juli 1396

Kristofer av Bayern, vald september 1441

Karl Knutsson Bonde, vald 20 juni 1448

Kristian I, vald 23 juni 1457