116. Abbey Joe and the Religious Reforms
No, this title isn't the name of an old Swedish folk band, but rather part of the theme of this episode: King Johan's dealings with religion! The King had been both academically and spiritually interested in religion for a long time, but now it is time for him to make some changes. The problem is, even though he has support from people like Abbey Joe, a lot of the country think the changes are too catholic for their liking. Oh, and a monster terrorises a lake near Västervik. Maybe...
29 Dec 202443min
115. King Johan Takes Over
King Johan officially takes over Sweden after his brother Erik is deposed and there's a long to-do list for the new monarch. We cover Erik's "retirement", his brother's coronation and the end of war the with Denmark. There's even some disagreement between the Riksdag and the Council regarding what to do with Sweden's supplies of gunpowder, bullets and arrows...
15 Dec 202453min
114. The Karin That Broke the Camel's Back
King Erik recovers from his insanity long enough to tell the Council he's married his lowborn girlfriend Karin. There's no honeymoon period for the happy couple though, as this tips the already angsty nobility into outright opposition. With Erik's two brothers also on their side, things will turn violent pretty quickly. Plus, some breaking news! On New Year's Day, we're launching a brand new podcast called Kingdom. We're going to be judging and ranking all the Swedish Kings, Queens and Regents in the "Rexypod" format! More news in this episode and on our social media channels: Bluesky Facebook X
1 Dec 202446min
113. Erik Goes Crazy
Well, where do we start? In this episode, King Erik completely loses all grip on reality and others will pay the price. What can the Swedish state and nobility actually do when a monarch goes on a killing spree? The events over a few fateful days in 1567 will go down in history as The Sture Murders. Find out why! We're also now giving Bluesky a go again. Check us on: @flatpacksweden.bsky.social
17 Nov 202448min
112. The Repetitive War
Denmark and Sweden come to blows once again and both kings are eager for some quick successes. But alas, the armies mainly end up chasing each other back and forth across Scandinavia and dying of starvation or disease... We do get to see an angry King Fredrik deliver a one-liner worthy of James Bond though! Shoutout once again to the excellent Presidencies of the United States podcast! Check them out wherever you get your podcasts or online at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com
27 Okt 202455min
111. Livonia Falls Apart
Now Erik XIV is well and truly on the throne, it is time to get involved in foreign policy. After teetering on the edge for a couple of decades, it is now time to see the end of Livonia, and everyone is invited to the going away party! Poland, Russia, Denmark and Sweden will all decide to fight over the remnants. We promise you it is going to get messy...
13 Okt 202446min
110. Enter King Erik
Gustav Vasa is dead. His son Erik calmly takes control over Sweden and is crowned King in an elaborate coronation. The new King has some changes he wants to make and new advisors he wants to put in charge. His ideas will annoy some people, especially his younger brothers; but how bad can it be? We also give a shoutout to The Popeular History Podcast; Check them out on Spotify here, or wherever you find your podcasts!
29 Sep 202445min
S11. Ål About Eels
It's time for another special episode! We're dedicating an entire episode to the life and cultural impact of eels, an animal that we've already seen play a part in Swedish history. We'll get better aquainted with the world's (potentially) oldest eel, who spent his life in a well in southern Sweden, go on a Freudian search for the eels' reproductive parts and hear about the time Åsa went into what she calls an eel coma.
8 Sep 202443min