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The Story


Sweden in the 12th Century did not exist as we know it today. Back then it was a wild and untamed land inhabited by the descendents of the Vikings.

The land of the ''Götas'' lay to the west and east of the 2nd largest inland lake, lake Vättern. The eastern part was the home of the ''Erikska'' clan whilst the ''Sverkerska'' clan ruled over the western part. Needless to say there was constant feuding between these two clans over the claim to the throne.

North of this and stretching between Norway and the east coast lay the land of the ''Sveas'', traditionally Viking territory but by 1100 AD settled by farmers and sea-faring traders.

Christianity had been around since 800AD but amongst the peasantry the pagan rights and traditions still existed. With the establishment of monasteries in the 11th century and the building expertise of the monks most of whom came from France or England, the nobility could build themselves stone churches and establish Christianity as the new religion.

The struggle for power between the clans was a ruthless and bloody affair. Between 1100AD and 1210AD no less than 11 ''kings'' were appointed and as many slain, either in battle or murdered in cold blood.

This is the story of one of those kings, King Karl 7th or more correctly, Karl Sverkersson who ruled for 7 short years between 1160 and 1167. During his reign and with the establishment of the 1st Archbishop the seeds of a nation were sown, seeds which would take more than 200 years to bloom into the nation we call today ''Sweden''.

Karl Sverkersson lived (and died) on the tiny island of ''Visingsö'', strategically situated between the western and eastern parts of ''Götaland''. It was here from Sweden's first ever stone fortress that King Karl weilded his power.

King Karl was murdered on his way home from church on the 12th April 1167, supposedly by his rival from the Erikska clan, Knut Eriksson. Throughout the ages historians have unquestioningly accepted this as a fact but there is no evidence other than heresay, to support this.

In our dramatised documentary on the reign of King Karl Sverkersson, we have looked closer at what really happened and discovered who the real murderer was.
The Story

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