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Scandinavia's Realm of...
Svealand
The name Svealand first appeared in King Kristofer’s Law of 1422 and was used as an alias for Nordanskog, which is the forest that lay north of Tiveden and Kolmården, both provinces of Svealand. The modern name of Sweden actually derives from the old word Svealand that later turned into Svea Rike, or Realm of the Svear, and later into Sverige in modern Swedish. 
During older medieval times, ca. 1000-1300, the kingdom was settled and Christianized. Missionaries had already arrived during the 9th century but it would take two hundred years before Christianity would take roots in the area. A clerical organisation did however slowly grow and a diocese organization is known since the early 1100’s, with an Episcopal See established in 1164 in Old Uppsala. The royal crown was until the 11th century a source of concern as it was not inherited but based on popular vote. The introduction of Christianity however, changed that with the proclamation of anointed kings. Which however did little to discourage different houses from claiming the throne. During medieval times the land continued to be ruled by chosen kings who caused the period between ca. 1130 to the early 1200’s to be characteristic of the struggle between the houses of Sverker and Erik to have fought for royal power. In the 12th century the kings of Svealand conquered Österland and a century later began to develop official laws of all provinces of the land. They would be divided into Svea-laws and Gaut-laws, each one used in its specific area. The one that would become the main one used in Svealand would be Upplandslagen. This was the law of Uppland and the one that would be used as a template for other medieval Swedish laws of the time. It would continue to be used in the area until the mid 14th century when the reigning king, Magnus Eriksson, introduced Landskapslagen and Stadslagen, the official laws of the country and cities of Sweden. They would be in use until the 1st of September 1736 when the modern laws would be introduced. 
In the early days of medieval time the crown enjoyed cooperation with the church that peaked when in 1248 a new canonical order was established, meaning that the church would enjoy privileged status and not have to pay taxes. A definitive break with the Roman Catholic Church came in 1530 when the results of the reformation lead to a cultural disarmament and isolation that mostly struck the school system. Contacts were however upheld with the German evangelic university system and the humanistic ideals had a breakthrough while the renaissance culture was reflected on the architecture of the time.
Sources
Internet : Nationalencyklopedin In print : McKay, A History of World Societies Burenhult, Arkeologi i Norden
The Articles of Svealand:
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