Quote:
Originally Posted by skip spence
I believe it was written in the mid 19th century to help strengthen the then quite recent (forced) union between the kingdom of Sweden and Norway. Sweden probably harboured hopes of regaining Finland too at this time, which they just lost to Russia, but before that had been a part of the kingdom for many centuries. Sweden had wrestled Norway from Denmark, their arch-enemies, after a successful field-campain by the newly appointed king, Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who had no Swedish connections apart from leading an invading army against the country only a few years before receiving the crown. This happened in the aftermath of Napoleon's big defeat, which Bernadotte, once favoured by the little big man, was instrumental in achieving with his inside information. In Norway however there was little interest in being the subjects of a French Swedish king; nationalism was stirring and they desired independence but had to wait almost a hundred years to get it. "Du gamla, Du Fria", written as a Scandinavian anthem, later became the unofficial Swedish national anthem, although it never mentions the country in question.
I assign nationalism.
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Wrestled Norway from Denmark. . .Sweden did no such thing. It was demanded by England! Norway declared independency and Denmark got the tiny duchy of Lauenburg (northern Germany) as compensation. Norway elected the danish prince Christian as king, got one of the most democratic constitutions in europe and was then invated by Sweden. . .
Anyways the song is from 1844, by this time the ancient rivalry of the north had been substituted by sense of common history and brotherhood. In the first war of Slesvig (1848-1850) between Denmark and Slesvig-Holsten (supported my Prussia), there where troops from Norway and Sweden in Denmark to defend her.