WARS, WIDOWS, AND STATE FORMATION IN 17TH-CENTURY SWEDEN

Throughout the 17th century the Swedish kingdom experienced an almost constant state of warfare, which led the kingdom's leaders to engage in state building to meet the military needs of the expanding Swedish empire. In response to the kingdom's military activities, hundreds of widows of s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of history 2006-03, Vol.31 (1), p.17-34
Main Author: Ailes, Mary Elizabeth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Empires
Expansionism
Military
State building
Sweden
War
Widows
Women
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Summary:Throughout the 17th century the Swedish kingdom experienced an almost constant state of warfare, which led the kingdom's leaders to engage in state building to meet the military needs of the expanding Swedish empire. In response to the kingdom's military activities, hundreds of widows of soldiers and officers petitioned the crown asking for financial aid, compensation, and information regarding their deceased husbands. In turn, the crown created policies and precedents to provide the widows with compensation. This article investigates the petitioning activities of Swedish war widows during the first half of the 17th century. Its goal is to analyze how women's activities and interests influenced royal policy. On a broader scale, it expands the discussion of the 17th-century Swedish military state's development by addressing how state bureaucratization developed in response to women's interests.
ISSN:0346-8755
1502-7716
DOI:10.1080/03468750500444038