It is time for the first part of our look into everyday life in the 1600s. We look at religion, guilds, paying (and avoiding) tax, and how the recent reforms in Sweden were changing the relationship people had with the state and church. Come back for part two next time!

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Gustaf Adolf and his chancellor Axel Oxenstierna are busy ruling Sweden, but also collecting their frequent sailor points as they sail back and forth across the Baltic Sea. They're dealing with reform at home and expansion abroad, with war upon war for the king to pursue. But most importantly, will he let some of his soldiers keep a few small cows??

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Välkommen till Göteborg - Welcome to Gothenburg! Sweden's modern day second largest city has taken 134 episodes to appear, but when it does, it is a fun entrance. We see the Dutch digging canals, the king ordering constructions and a tumultuous time trying to establish Swedish presence on the west coast. But it will all be worth it!

We also take the time to answer a listener's question about the origin of Swedish surnames, so listen to the end for that.

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Sweden's most famous administrator grabs the reins of Sweden and starts to rewrite how the country does business. Everything is up for debate under Axel Oxenstierna; new economic policies, the courts, working hours in the chancellery and much more. We'll also hear about how he hosts Sweden's first trade conference, struggles with gout and finds time to grow a big family!

Here is the link to the metallurgy documentary on YouTube we mentioned.

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We're taking a break from the timeline as Flatpack has been on the road! We visited Stegeborg Castle on Sweden's national day, the 6th of June, to check out this famous historical site and see what role it has played over the centuries in Swedish history.

Whilst there we did some live recording and investigated the ruins, before talking more about what we have seen happen at Stegeborg so far during the podcast. 

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Gustaf Adolf is now in the driving seat and it is time to take the fight to the enemy. Or rather enemies. The king decides to settle the score, one opponent at a time, starting with Denmark. But how will it go and how much will it cost in money and blood?

If you would like to listen to Scott's interview about his family history, search for Letters from America by Martin Wærn and the episode "Scott Segerstrom: From famine to fortune: A Swedish immigrant story with a golden twist" You can listen on Spotify here.

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Gustav Adolf has taken the throne of Sweden now Karl IX is dead and is now in charge of a country embroiled in three separate wars! But should he take over right away as a young man, or should there be a regency for a year until he is technically old enough to rule alone? 

Also, what should we even call this chap? Listen to hear Chris and Åsa discuss the naming convention of Swedish rulers and let us know what you think!

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Karl really has his hands full now. By the end of this episode, he'll be fighting three wars on three fronts, but will at least be able to test a new fancy weapon from France... Plus one of his commanders, Jacob de la Gardie, leads one of Swedish history's most famous expeditions. In the meantime, Karl also tries to reorganise Swedish industry and mining back home, to varying degrees of success.

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Does it feel like it's been a long time since Sweden had a conflict with their favourite foe Denmark? Well, it is. The late 1500s and early 1600s has seen an unusually long period of peace and stability between the two countries. But that might all be about to change. The other favourite enemy of Sweden's, Russia, is litterally embroiled in a big mess, and Karl wants to try and see if he can get the most out of it. It's all borders and battles, plus rain and starvation, for Sweden in this episode. 

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After bloodbaths, battles and more letters than we can count, you'd think Sweden would be ready to get the crown on Karl. But is Karl himself even ready and willing? There are always negotations between a monarch and the country about how they are going to rule, but this current process verges on the ridiculous thanks to a would-be king ready to throw a tantrum at any moment!

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P.S. If you like A Flatpack History of Sweden, how about you check out Kingdom: Swedish Rulers? We're ranking all the Swedish kings, queens and regents, wherever you find your podcasts!