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History of Åland

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Thehistory ofÅlandcan be traced back to roughly 4000 BCE, whenhumansfirst reached thearchipelagoin theNeolithicperiod.[1]SeveralBronze Agevillages have been found on Åland. During theViking Age,sixhillfortswere built. Sweden controlled the Åland Islands from the 1200s until 1809, during which,Kastelholm Castlewas the focal point of many battles. In 1809, theRussian empiretook Åland andFinland.In 1854,BritishandFrenchforcesattacked Bomarsund.The Åland Islands were then demilitarised until 1906. In 1918,SwedishandGermanforcesoccupiedthe Åland Islands. After theFinnish Civil War,Åland joined Finland following theÅland Conventionof 1921.

Geology and prehistory

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Paleolithic period

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Around 18,000 BC, during theWeichselian glaciation,a thick cover of ice stretched overScandinavia,[2]which eventually receded from the islands around 9000 BC.[3]Around 8000 BC the highest peaks of the then submerged archipelago rose from theBaltic Sea.[4]Thesea levelswould alternate in the Baltic Sea,[5]but aland bridgeto Åland never formed, indicating the first humans came byboator over the ice.[1]

Due to theforebulge effectafter the icecaps melted, the area around Åland is still rising several millimeters per year, marginally expanding the archipelago's surface.[6]

Neolithic period

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Ritual Stone Age clay bear paws from the Åland islands.

Artifactsofhuman remains,potteryand animalboneswere found dating as far back as theMiddle Neolithic(ca. 4000 BC). These are the oldest findings, denoting human presence on the isles by then. Their cultures wereScandinavian,firstly thePitted Ware cultureand later joined by theComb Ceramic culture.[1][7]Around this time is when the first primitive agriculture begins.[8]

Bronze Age

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ManyBronze Agevillages have been found on Åland. Ceramics and animal bones have been found onKökar.[9]Signs of livestock have been found from the Bronze Age on Åland.[10]

Viking age

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Dense settlements were built onFasta Ålandduring this time.[8]Large burial grounds have been found on Åland as well.[11]Arabic mint coins from 400 C.E. have been found on Åland.[1]On Åland, there are sixhillfortsfrom this period.[12]There was extensive trade with other areas, as far asArabia.[8][13][14]The first signs of Christianity were found from the Middle Ages.[8]

Middle Ages

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The first wooden churches are built on Åland.[8][13]Åland Islands might have been occupied byEric the Saint,other sources claim Åland was already an integral part of Sweden. The first stone churches where built in the 1300s to 1400s on Åland.[13][8]When construction began onKastelholm Castleis not exactly known but it most likely began in the 1380s[8][15]Kastelholm is first mentioned in 1388[15]Many noble families would live on Åland.[13]The Franciscan order would found amonasteryon Hamnö inKökarin the 1400s.[13]Åland would join theKalmar Union.

Swedish rule

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In 1507 the Danish naval officerSøren Norbywould capture Kastelholm castle.[13][8]Many battles would take place between the Danish and Swedish over Kastelholm between 1521 - 1523.[8]Gustav Vasawould make Åland a royal castle county in 1537.[13]Gustav Vasa would also establish 3 large breeding farm estates.[13]Catholicism came to an end on Åland and monasteries would be closed and the churces and monasteries had give their silver to the state.[13]

Åland would become part of theSwedish Empireand many Ålanders would be enrolled for war.[13]The postal service was given apermanent routewhich would go fromStockholmtoTurkuthrough Åland.[8][13]

Between 1665 and 1668 theKastelholm witch trialswould take place on Åland where over 20 women would be accused of witchcraft and would be executed.[13]The first school would be founded on Åland in the 1600s inSaltvik.[13]

During theGreat Northern Warmany Ålanders fled west from the advancing Russians.[13]TheBattle of Grengamwould take place in Åland during the Great Northern war on 7 August 1720.

During theNapoleonic Wars,the Russians wouldoccupyÅland in 1808. TheTreaty of Fredrikshamnwould be signed by Russia and Sweden. Finland and Åland are ceded to Russia.[16][8][13]

Russian rule

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Soldiers in trenches an artillerie batteriesshooting the Bomarsund fortressduring theÅland Warin 1854.

In 1829 the Fortress of Bomarsund begins construction.[8][17]As part of theCrimean WartheAnglo-French invasion of Ålandtakes place. The coalition force attacks and destroys the fortress ofBomarsundduring theBattle of Bomarsund.[8]The British prime ministerPalmerstonhad protested against this fortification some twenty years prior, without effect. TheTreaty of Parisforbids the fortification of the islands after the destruction of Bomarsund.[18]

As the result of abundantAnopheles clavigermosquitoes,malariawas endemic in Åland for at least 150 years, with severe outbreaks being recorded in the 18th century, and in 1853 and 1862.[19]

In 1882, Lemströms canal opens to ship traffic.[8]A telegraph cable is in use fromMariehamntoNystadin 1877. TheÖnningeby artists' colonywould be founded in 1886. The firsttelephoneis installed in Mariehamnin 1892.[20]A Russian garrison is established in the Islands in 1906. Some attention went to the earlier Treaty of Paris when Russia, under pretext of stopping thesmuggling of armsinto Finland, placed considerable naval and military forces on the islands. SecretTreaty of Björkö(Russia and Germany), which gives Russia a free hand to install military forces on the islands is signed in 1907.

World War 1

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World War Ibreaks out and Russia begins building fortifications on Åland.[8][21]Fortifications would be built on Saggö, Börkö, Sålis, Frebbenby, Mellantrop, Kungsö, Korsö, Herrö, Storklobb och Kökar.[21]Many Ålanders wanted to join Sweden.[8][22]A referendum would be held on Åland and 95% was willing to join Sweden.[23]Finland would declare independence from Russia in 1917 and had sent troops to take over Åland. Sweden would send troops to Åland on 13 February 1918. The Finnish Whites would take Boxö and Saggö. Finnish reds would land on Åland on 17 February 1918. The Finnish Whites and Reds would fight over Godby and the Whites would win. Germans would land on Åland on 28 February 1918.

Interwar period

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In 1918 the islanders would internationally plead to reunite with Sweden. In 1919 Sweden brings the question before theParis Peace Conferenceon 18 March but the islands remain part of Finland.[18]Also in 1919 the1919 Ålandic status referendumtakes place where the islanders would have a unofficial referendum to integrate into Sweden. In 1921 theÅland conventionre-establishes the demilitarised status of the islands.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdEarly history. (2014, September 25). Visit Åland.https:// visitaland /en/good-to-know/history/early-history/Retrieved 25 August 2021
  2. ^NASA. (2014, June 4). Åland Islands. Earthobservatory.Nasa.Gov.https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/52174/aland-islandsRetrieved 25 August 2021.
  3. ^Mörner, N. A. (1995). The Baltic Ice Lake-Yoldia Sea transition. Quaternary International, 27, 95-98.
  4. ^Stone Age Åland.Retrieved 29 August 2006.(in Swedish)
  5. ^Andrén, T., Björck, S., Andrén, E., Conley, D., Zillén, L., & Anjar, J. (2011). The development of the Baltic Sea Basin during the last 130 ka. In The Baltic Sea Basin (pp. 75-97). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
  6. ^"December 2006, Anne-Maj Lahdenperä Pöyry Environment Oy, Working Report 2006-111, Literature Review on Future Development of the Baltic Sea and Recommendations for Safety Modelling"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-03-04.Retrieved2014-09-29.
  7. ^Götherström, A., Stenbäck, N., & Storå, J. (2002). The Jettböle middle Neolithic site on the Åland Islands–human remains, ancient DNA and pottery. European Journal of Archaeology, 5(1), 42-69.
  8. ^abcdefghijklmnopEriksson, Sussanne (1993).Åland Kort och gott[Åland in short] (in Swedish). Ålands landskapsstyrelse och Ålands lagting.ISBN9518946000.
  9. ^"early history".visitaland.
  10. ^"forntiden".visitaland.
  11. ^historia/ "ålands historia".visitaland.{{cite web}}:Check|url=value (help)
  12. ^"Permenenta utställningar".visitaland.
  13. ^abcdefghijklmnoMattsson, Benita (2000).Alla Tiders Åland Från istid till EU-inträde.Ålands landskapsstyrelse. p. 55.ISBN951894671X.
  14. ^Ilves, Kristin (2021).101 Glimtar ur Ålands forntid.Ålands Museum. p. 36.ISBN9789525614749.
  15. ^ab"Historia kring slottet".Kastelholms slott.
  16. ^Prothero, G.W.(1920).The Åland Islands.Great Britain. Foreign Office. Historical Section. p. 9.
  17. ^Robins, Graham (2006).Bomarsund The Russian Empire's Outpost in the West.SkogsjöMedia.ISBN952996403X.
  18. ^abProthero, G.W.(1920).The Åland Islands.Great Britain. Foreign Office. Historical Section. pp. 9–10.
  19. ^Prothero, G.W.(1920).The Åland Islands.Great Britain. Foreign Office. Historical Section. p. 3.
  20. ^Prothero, G.W.(1920).The Åland Islands.Great Britain. Foreign Office. Historical Section. p. 6.
  21. ^abGustavsson, Kenneth (2003).Sevärt Batterier.Ålands landskapsstyrelse.
  22. ^Harjula, Mirko (2010).Itämeri 1914-1921: Itämeren laivastot maailmansodassa sekä Venäjän vallankumouksissa ja sisällissodassa.Helsinki: Books on Demand. pp. 82–83, 86–87.ISBN978-952-49838-3-9.
  23. ^Lindqvist, Herman (29 March 2014)."Då höll Åland på att bli en del av Sverige".Aftonbladet(in Swedish).Retrieved7 January2017.
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