Earliest Unified Scandinavia?

Kalmar Union succeeding would be the best bet. Of course, you need to find a way to weaken the Danish nobility to the point where the common interests of both Danish and Swedish peasants (of whom the latter were allowed to own land and to carry weapons with them) converge and whoever is ruling the Scandinavian realms can act in their interests.
 
What about some superstrong viking-king uniting the land during the viking age?
Is this in any way feasible?

Very possible. Even language not be anything problem then there is still Old Norweigian and Scandinavian languages not be yet separated. On early 11th century Denmark and Norway was under one king. If this union survives it could easily conqued Sweden.
 
Nah, it's the same story.

Taking Sweden and Scandinavia remaining united are two different things. That kind of unity is hard (even just as a matter of a fairly far flung area to rule), not automatic.

A super-strong king might have weak heirs. Or split his kingdom. Or see elective monarchy at work. Or any of a thousand problems.
 
Taking Sweden and Scandinavia remaining united are two different things. That kind of unity is hard (even just as a matter of a fairly far flung area to rule), not automatic.
It's possible though, isn't it ?

I still think it's part of the same story, though I strongly that suspect I've misunderstood a play of words (proverb?) with my autism and non-native English capabilites.

Elfwine;7351889A said:
super-strong king might have weak heirs. Or split his kingdom. Or see elective monarchy at work. Or any of a thousand problems
Or he could have super-awesome heirs who do the "Mare Nostrum Balticum" and then proceeds to conquer the world.


I don't really see a point for this conversation...
 
It's possible though, isn't it ?

I still think it's part of the same story, though I strongly that suspect I've misunderstood a play of words (proverb?) with my autism and non-native English capabilites.

I wouldn't say it is absolutely impossible, but I would certainly say it's unlikely.

What I mean is, while you could get a super-strong king accomplishing something, whether or not that lasts depends on what follows after him.

Or he could have super-awesome heirs who do the "Mare Nostrum Balticum" and then proceeds to conquer the world.


I don't really see a point for this conversation...
That a united Scandinavia would be a very difficult challenge to meet, and "What if a super strong king conquered all three kingdoms?" is only the start. That he would have a weak heir at some point is considerably more likely than that all his heirs would be competent and popular/respected.
 
I wouldn't say it is absolutely impossible, but I would certainly say it's unlikely.

What I mean is, while you could get a super-strong king accomplishing something, whether or not that lasts depends on what follows after him.

That a united Scandinavia would be a very difficult challenge to meet, and "What if a super strong king conquered all three kingdoms?" is only the start. That he would have a weak heir at some point is considerably more likely than that all his heirs would be competent and popular/respected.

Hmmm... Norway/Sweden/Denmark got unified during the viking age, getting a super-strong viking-king to take the process alittle further doesnt seem to improbable.
Harald Fairhair's hair getting alittle longer etc.

If the state survives until after the christianization, the likelyhood of it surviving until present age, even making the Baltic it's lake (maybe even the North sea, atleast Redbeards timeline seems plausible enough) doesn't seem to improbable.


Though the scenario of the 11th century Denmark/Norway conquering Sweden and remaining unified seems a tad bit harder to achieve.
 
How about a Danish or Norwegian ruler in England with a continuing dynasty? Backed up with English support either could establish a joint kingdom of both and then take on Sweden.

Without the OTL English(French) interest in NW European affairs this could allow the joint Scandinavia to expand further into Ireland and Iceland to the West and around the Baltic east and south coasts and being a player in German and Polish affairs.

Certainly maritime trade and technology would be a growth area and one could suggest a Scandinavian colonisation of North America.

A problem with this Greater Scandinavia could be following the Reformation. England and Ireland would remain Roman Catholic. Would Protestantism have such a hold in the core Scandinavian regions? Could this stress break up Greater Scandinavia?
 
Hmmm... Norway/Sweden/Denmark got unified during the viking age, getting a super-strong viking-king to take the process alittle further doesnt seem to improbable.
Harald Fairhair's hair getting alittle longer etc.

This is more than a little further, that's the problem. And it lasting after the super-strong king is the main dilemma.
 
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