ABSTRACT
The incorporation of the Finns made the medieval kingdom of Sweden a multiethnic society. This multiethnic character was enhanced by German immigration from the thirteenth century onwards. Finland belonged to the Swedish realm from around 1150 till 1809, when Sweden had to turn it over to Russia. Much has been written on this common history, but there are still aspects that need clarification. The incorporation into Sweden partly explains the absence of a Finnish written language in the Middle Ages, but it is impossible to claim that the Finns would have been objects of ethnic discrimination in the same way as for example the native population of Ireland after the English conquest. Despite the commemoration of former conflicts there is no information on big-scale bloodshed between Finns and Swedes after the Crusader period. The official records thus transmit something of the Swedes’ sentiments towards the presence of different ethnic groups.
