The principal articles of export from Sweden are iron and timber. Norway takes a considerable quantity of iron, and sends fish in return. Stockholm receives from Finland three fourths of the fire-wood which it consumes, the northern provinces not being able to supply the article either so cheap or so good. Finland also exports to Stockholm meat, butter, cheese, bacon, flour, hides, pitch, and tar. Other articles of export are copper, cobalt, alum, tar, pitch, hemp, oil, paper, tree bark, tobacco and snuff, bricks, furs, some linens, vessels, and some minor articles. The chief article. of import are sugar, coffee, salt, fish, hider*, cotton-twist, cotton in wool, woollen stuffs, linens, cottons, wine and brandy, wool, dye-stuffe, raisins, almonds, pepper, cinnamon, arrack end ram, butter, bacon, soap, treiu-oil, ginger, lacquered ware, tea, tallow, potashes, and oiL Education.—Sweden has two universities, Upsala and Lund. The average annual attendance at the former is about 1000 students; at the latter, between 400 and 500. There are besides, 12 rytrinasia for higher instruction, preparatory to the universities; 41 lerdome 'kola, or grammar schools ; and 40 apologist schools, where tho common branches are taught, with, in some instances, French and German. For elementary education, the law of 1842 commanded the erection of a school in each commune or parish. Owing to the 'Terseness of the population this wag found to be in many instances impracticable ; in such cases however the communes are divided into district., each of which is visited in turn by ambulatory schoolmasters. Schoolmasters are trained by government and paid by the communes in kind. In 1850 there were 2107 stationary and 1351 ambulatory schoolmasters. Of the masters, 218 were clergymen and 690 church clerks. In that year, 143,526 children were receiving instruction in the stationary schools, 126,178 in ambulatory schools, 128,990 were instructed at home, 6223 in the secondary schools above named, and 17,465 in private schools, making a total of 422,338 altogether under instruction. It Is a general practice In Sweden for parents, especially those who live in the country, to instruct their children in the long winter evenings.
History.—The early history of Sweden 14 known chiefly from the Sagas, or chronicles, which present little more than a confused mass of fables and heroic legends. According to these, the first dynasty of kings was that of the Ynglings (so called from the third of their number, Freyer-Yngve, a grandson of Odin), who reigned from the arrival of Odin in the north, an event variously fixed at from B.c. 50 to A.D. 250, till about A.D. 630, when the lag of these princes, Olaf Trsetelia, was expelled by Ivar Vidfadme, a Danish king of the race of the Skiolduoge, another branch of the progeny of Odin. The thronca of Sweden and Denmark continued for some time united under the descendants of Ivar, till at the death (704) of the famous plrete-kiog Ragnar Lodbrok, who fell in an expedition against the English coasts, Sweden again became a separate kingdom under his second son, Biorn Ironside. Under Biorn II. grandson of Biorn Irunside, Christianity was first introduced in II., but the maw of the people still adhered to paganism, and Erik, who reigned 993.1001, perished in a popular revolt provoked by his demolition of
the heathen temples. Ilia son Olaf however (1001.26) formally established the Christian faith. The male descendants of Biorn Iron side fallinF upon the death of King Edmund Slemme, who fell in bettlo against the Gotha of Gothland, a fresh dynasty was founded (1056) by Stenkill, under whom the Swedes and Goths were for the first time united. On the death of Inge II., the Swedes conferred the royal dignity on a privato individual named Sverker (1129-50) ; while to obviate the discontent of the Goths, who supported the claims of Erik, a descendant by females of the house of Stenkill, it was agreed that Erik should succeed Sverker, and that the representatives of the two families should in future reign alternately. The reign of St. Erik (1155-41) was signalised by the final conquest and conversion of the Fins, and by the compilation of an excellent code of laws; but after his death tho strange arrangements above mentioned gave rise, as might have been foreseen, to endless dissensions and civil wars. The alternate succession was however adhered to through the reign of Charles. With Erik Erikson (1222-50), surnamed Lmspe, or the Stammerer, expired the male line of St. Erik, as that of Sverker had done with John.
Waldemar, a minor of the Folkungar family, and a nephew of Erik Lmape by the sister's side, was raised to the vacant throne by election of the states. Waldemar was dethroned (1276) by his brother Magnus Ladultes, a wise and politic monarch; but the reign of his son Birger (1290.1319) was again a scene of fraterusl discord, ending in his depo sition in favour of his infant nephew Magnus Smek (1319-63), who also succeeded in right of his mother to the crown of Norway. The long reign of this weak and perfidious prince was a series of domestic treasons and disastrous and civil wars. He was deposed by the Diet in 1343, and his son Erik XII. substituted ; and, though restored on the death of Erik in 1359, he was soon finally displaced by his sister's son, Albert of Mecklenburg (1363-89). But the rule of Albert was as unpopular as that of his predecessor ; and he was overthrown and made prisoner (13S9) by Margaret, queen of Norway and Denmark.
This remarkable princess formed the three realms of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, into a confederate monarchy by the Union of Calmar (1397), the three crowns being declared indissolubly united, though the internal administration of each kingdom continued inde pendent and separate. Margaret was succeeded by her grand-nephew Erik of Pomerania (1413.39), but his tyranny irritated the Swedes, who expelled the Danes in 1433. For nearly a century the Danish kings struggled to effect the subjugation of Sweden. Finally, Christian IL, aided by the powerful family of Trolle, defeated and slew Sten Sture II. at Bogesuod. and massacred at Stockholm (1520) 94 prelates, senators, and nobles of the opposite party. The Swedes now flew to arms under Gustavus Erikson Vasa, the eon of one of the victims ; and the expulsion of the Danes (Christian being opportunely dethroned at the same time in Denmark) was followed by the unaui mous proclamation of Gustavus as Xing of the Swedes and Clothe, Thus ended the Union of Calmar.