Swedish National Day today!

Today, the 6th of June, is the Swedish National Day. There are two reasons why it is celebrated on this particular day

At June 6; 1523 Gustav Vasa was elected king by the Riksdag (Parliament, even though the Riksdag of that time was quite different from a parliament of today). If this was a good or a bad thing might be a matter for debate. Vasa’s rule was harsh and brutal. On the other hand side he formed what was to become a centralised and independent country and during the 17th century also a big power in European politics.

Sweden had been in a union with Denmark and Norway since 1397 and the noble classes were not really happy with the terms which they felt mostly benefitted the Danish. Gustav Vasa was one such nobleman who organised uprisings against the Danish king, Christian II. (By some reason called called Christian Tyrant in Sweden and Christian the Great in Denmark).

The other important event on June 6 occurred in 1809. That year Sweden got a (for that time) modern constitution based on split of power between different institutions. The royal absolutism was thereby over for good.

Sweden has actually only had a National Day since 1983. Before that June 6 was called ‘the day of the Swedish flag’. This year June 6 happens to be on a Sunday witch is already a day off for most people but since 2005 June 6 is always a day when schools and offices are closed.

The Swedish National Day is not always celebrated as much as national day’s in many other countries. One reason might be that it has not existed for that long or that the two reasons for celebrating at June 6 happened rather long time ago. A new constitution and the crowning of Gustav Vasa is also not exactly the kind of events that makes people enthusiastic. One other reason might be that Sweden has never been occupied and it was a long time ago since the country faced an imminent threat, at least in most people’s perception