Ericus Olai, the Praise of Sweden and the Concept “Uppsala as a New Syon” in the “Chronica Regni Gothorum”

Abstract

The hero of the article is Ericus Olai, the 15th century theologian and historian, and his “Chronica regni Gothorum”, the history of Sweden from primordial times to the second half of the 15th century. In the preface the author stresses the role of the Church in the society, and proclaims that the secular authorities must cooperate with the Church. This thought serves as one of the key ideas for the whole chronicle. Uppsala, the ecclesiastical centre of Sweden, is given the central place in Chronica regni Gothorum. Ericus portrays Uppsala as a place which initially was a site where pagan gods were worshiped, and which subsequently became a prominent centre of Christianity. According to Ericus Olai, Uppsala is a successor of Jerusalem and Rome. The author of the chronicle praises not only Uppsala, but also Sweden in general; he portrays Sweden as a blessed country which abounds in various natural resources. However, the concept “Uppsala as a new Syon” did not spread widely; Ericus Olai’s ideas, based on Catholic theological thought, became out of date – to a great extent in connection with the Reformation.