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King of Kvenland

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A few Icelandic sagas tell about kings that ruled in Kvenland.

Icelandic sagas

Title "King of Kvenland" appears widely misused in various contexts. The title was mentioned only once in all sagas: Faravid in Egils saga was directly said to be the "King of Kvenland". He also appeared to be a Kven himself.

Two other sagas that mention Kvenland, Hversu Noregr byggdist and Orkneyinga saga , did not use title "King of Kvenland". In Orkneyinga, only Fornjót was said to be "a king" and that he "reigned over Gotland, which we now know as Finland and Kvenland." This is a very different thing than being the King of Kvenland. Like, king Gustaf II Adolf of Sweden ruled over Finland, but he surely wasn't the "King of Finland". As sagas mainly told about kings and their labors, this difference is remarkable and most probably well recognized by the original writer. Also, Orkneyinga did not say that Fornjót or any of his descendants were Kvens. They just ruled over Kvenland. Hversu had very much the same usage of the title. This time only Fornjót's (who is said to be just "a man") great-grandson Old Snow and his son Thorri were told to be kings, but again not "Kings of Kvenland". Kvenland appeared only in relation to Thorri of whom it was said that "he ruled over Gothland, Kvenland, and Finland". Again, no mention that anyone of them had even been Kvens. Hversu's brief mention that Kvens sacrificed to Thorri indicates that Kvens were meant to be his subordinates and of different nationality.

For more information on Kvenland in sagas, see article about Kvenland.

Charles IX of Sweden

It is often, and erroneously, referenced that king Karl IX of Sweden would have called himself as the "King of the Kvens". This is not true. The king expanded his already lengthy title 1607 CE to be as follows (example from year 1608 CE):

"Carl then Nijonde medh Gudz nådhe, Swerikes, Göthes, Wendes, Finnars, Carelers, Lappers j Nordlanden, the Caijaners, och Esters j Lifland, etc. Konung"

The title does not include Kvens, but "Caijaners", Swedish name for inhabitants of Kainuu. His son dropped the "Lappers j Nordlanden, the Caijaners" from the title 1611 CE when he succeeded his father as the king, and the text was not added to it later. The fix in the Karl IX's title is clearly related to the construction of the Kajaani castle 1604 CE close to the Russian border.

References

  1. Egil's Saga, Chapter XIV
  2. Hversu Noregr byggdist
  3. Orkneyinga saga
  4. Titles of European hereditary rulers - SwedenKonung Christoffers Landslag. Edictum Regis Caroli IX eius iussu edito textui praescriptum