Geopolitical Perspectives on Åland in the Viking Age

Lassi Kalevi Heininen, Jan Storå, Frog Frog, Joonas Ahola

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterScientific

Abstract

The Åland Islands are situated in the midst of the Baltic Sea region, and they are roughly mid-way between the southern part of the Baltic Sea and the nortehrn coasta of Bothnia, as well as between Sweden and Finland. In the Viking Age, this placed the islands on the one hand, between two culturally different settlement areas: the expanding kingdom of the Svear in Sweden, and Satakunta, Vakka-Suomi and Finland Proper in the east. On the other hand, the islands was an important position for shoreline-based navigation and provided a waypoint along different sailing routes. Followed from this, the Åland was an important arena of diverse cultural backgrounds and influences. The chapter sets out to discuss Åland in terms of its polities and geopolitical context.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Viking Age in Åland
Subtitle of host publicationInsights into Identity and Remnants of Culture
EditorsJoonas Ahola, Frog, Jenni Lucenius
Place of PublicationHelsinki
PublisherAcademia scientiarum Fennica
Pages323-348
Edition1.
ISBN (Print)978-951-41-1098-6
Publication statusPublished - 15 Apr 2015
MoEC publication typeB2 Part of a book or another research book

Publication series

SeriesAnnales Academiae Scientiarum Fenniae. Humaniora
Number372
ISSN1239-6982

Keywords

  • The Viking Age
  • Åland Islands
  • Geopolitics
  • External affairs
  • Sailing routes
  • Mobility

Field of science

  • Political science

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