is a
historical province or
landskap in the west of middle
Sweden. It borders
Västergötland,
Dalsland,
Dalarna,
Västmanland and
Närke. It is also bounded by
Norway in the west. Its
Latin name is
Wermelandia; its English derivative is
Wermland or similar variation. The origin of the name is uncertain. It may refer to a lake by that name, or to a river.
Administration
Provinces serve no administrative function in Sweden today. Instead, that function is served by
Counties of Sweden; however, in many instances a county has virtually the same border as the province, which is the case with Värmland and its corresponding county
Värmland County. The main exception is a smaller part to the south east which belongs to
Örebro County.
Heraldry
Arms were granted in 1560, when it depicted a wolverine. This was however too similar to that of
Medelpad. In 1567 it was revised into an
eagle. In the late 17th century the eagle was black. In 1936 it got its current
blazon, when the eagle became blue. Blazon: "Argent, an Eagle displayed Azure beaked, langued and membered Gules."
Geography
The largest lake is
Vänern. Most streams of importance lead to Vänern. However, the province is rich in small lakes, ponds and streams. The scenic nature with mountains and lakes is usually regarded among the most picturesque in Sweden, and has inspired painters and writers since the 19th century.
Western Värmland
There are several mountain plateaus in the western part of Värmland, which is in the
Scandinavian mountain range. The highest elevations are found in the northern parts, with plateaus of 500-700 meters. Here also the highest mountain top is found, the
Granberget at Höljes, 701 meters.
Eastern Värmland
The eastern part of Värmland is counted into the
Bergslagen, the
Central Swedish Mining District. Its terrain is rather hilly, but a few high-altitude hills are present:
Hvitklinten (414 m.),
Dalkarlsberget (450 m.) and
Vålbergsrös (476 m.). This part of Värmland is rich in minerals, most notably
iron ore which exists in large quantities. Some notable sites in this area are around
Långban and
Nordmark Hundred. In the southeast, the ridge of
Kilsbergen marks the border to
Närke.
Population
The population of Värmland is 312,591 as of December 31, 2007. It is distributed over four counties as follows:
History
The province was scarcely populated in the
pre-historic age compared to Sweden's southern half. Its 5,500 registered ancient remains are few, compared to other areas. The province was considered to be of minor importance in the Swedish Realm. There are however interesting histories told by
Snorri Sturlasson about Värmland in the 13th century. It extends back to
Ingjald Illråde a legendary king in the 7th century.
The early history was not only strongly influenced by the proximity to Västergötland, but also with its western neighbour
Norway. When Sweden was at war with Norway, it had a strong effect on Värmland too. In 1225,
Haakon IV of Norway (
Haakon the Old) invaded Sweden and burnt down all villages if they did not pay a ransom. This feud was eventually settled in 1249.
Värmland was originally considered a part of
Götaland, and had a strong connection to its southern neighbour
Västergötland. Eastern Värmland traditionally belongs to the
Bergslagen area, Sweden's central mining district.
In 1582, Värmland was granted its first city,
Kristinehamn, but had its privilege revoked. Värmland was granted its second city,
Karlstad, in 1584, on the northern shore of lake
Vänern. The third city was
Filipstad in 1611; however, its privilege was revoked in 1694 after a devastating fire.
The most significant
coup d'état of modern Swedish history had its beginning in
Karlstad. The man behind the uprising was a
liberal nobleman and a prominent man of the opposition, the former officer
Georg Adlersparre. He was backed up by the radical captain Henrik Anckarsword and used the part of the western army that was stationed in Värmland to occupy Karlstad on the night of the 7th March 1809. From there he officially proclaimed revolution, a proclamation which held the view that the wars and oppression had ruined the country and that the government therefore had to be overthrown. On the 9th of March, Adlersparre and his enthusiastic soldiers (many of Finnish origin) finally began their successful march towards
Stockholm, and in the events that followed, the king
Gustav IV Adolf abdicated under pressure.
The early 17th century marked the beginning of a substantial immigration from
Finland. The areas where they centred were known as
Finnskog. They kept their Finnish customs and language until the late 19th century. The last native resident to speak Finnish here died in the 1980´s.
Dukes
Since 1772, Sweden's Princes have been created Dukes of various provinces in Sweden. This is solely a nominal title.
Natives
Some notable natives:
- Göran Hägglund, Minister for Health and Social Affairs (Swedish-Finnish origin)
Sub-divisions
Sweden's provinces were sub-divided into
hundreds or districts. Värmland was historically divided into
chartered cities and districts. One district formed part of
Bergslagen and was a mountain district, and all the other districts were
hundreds.
