Götaland, Gothia, Gothland [1], Gotland (AHD), Gautland or Geatland, is a historical land of Sweden, and was once divided into petty kingdoms. The inhabitants were called Gautar in Old Norse. It is generally agreed that the inhabitants of Götaland were the same as the Geatas, the people of the hero Beowulf in England's national epic by the same name. There is, however, a long-standing dispute whether the Goths emigrated from Götaland. Geographically it is located in the south of Sweden, bounded to the north by Svealand. Deep woods (Tiveden, Tylöskog and Kolmården) constitute the borders to Svealand in the North, like Finnveden did to Danish Terra Scania in the South.

Provinces

Götaland is made up of the following six provinces:

Götaland with acquisitions of 1658 in darker green: Terra Scania from Denmark and Bohuslän from Norway (then under Danish rule).

History

Westrogothia and Ostrogothia, once rival kingdoms themselves, constitute Götaland proper. The Geatish kings, however, belong to the domain of Norse mythology.

The small countries to the south of Finnveden, Kind, Möre , Njudung , Tjust, Tveta, Värend, Ydre where merged into the province of Smalandia (literally: [the] "small countries"). Off the coast of Småland was the island of Öland, which became its own province.

Dal to the north west became the province of Dalia.

Smalandia, Oelandia and Dalia were seen as lands belonging to Götaland already in the (Scandinavian) medieval times (12th–15th century).

In the Treaty of Roskilde (1658), the Danish kingdom ceded Terra Scania and Bahusia to Sweden. Skåneland, which had constituted the eastern part of Denmark, became the Swedish provinces of Scania, Hallandia and Blechingia. The new provinces came to be counted to Götaland.

The island of Gotland shifted allegiance between Swedes and Danes several times. Although the island may be perceived to have closer links to Svealand, it's in a Swedish mindset actually counted to Götaland.

In the early 19th century the province of Wermelandia did for a time belong to the Court of Appeal for Svealand. Even though Värmland historically was a part of Götaland, it has since then been counted to Svealand.

See also

• Norrland
• Götaland theory