History of Gothenburg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The region on the west coast of Sweden has been inhabited for several thousands of years. During the Stone Age, there was incidentally a settlement right on present day Gothenburg. As a reminiscence, there are eleven rock carvings in the Gothenburg area.
The predecessor of present day Gothenburg was Lödöse, 40 kilometers upstream from the present day city on the Göta River, which served as trade centre and port to the west in the Middle Ages. However, Lödöse had problems further down the river – at the Bohus Fortress (present day Kungälv) the Norwegians and the Danes could control the ships to and fro Lödöse and in 1473 the town was moved into a new location called Nya Lödöse (New Lödöse, where the present day suburb Gamlestan in Gothenburg is today). But the new settlement also had its problems and the town dwellers had to seek protection at the old Älvsborg Fortress.
The Swedish king Gustav Vasa tries to build a new city near the old Älvsborg Fortress, but isn't successful. And when Sweden rises as a big European power in the 17th century king Charles IX first tries to make a town settlement on the northern bank of Göta älv and near the outlet to the sea, on the island Hisingen. This is the first time the town is being named Gothenburg. This short lived town is wholly inhabited by Dutch merchants and immigrants. The Swedish king "lured" the Dutch people to Sweden with the promise of free trade and also free practice of religion (the situation in the Netherlands had become problematic). In return Sweden and the west coast could benefit of the Dutch skills and trade connections. But the island of Hisingen was to a fragile position - they couldn't withstand the Danes.
In 1621 the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus II decides the location of present day Gothenburg. The settlement uses the fortification skills of the Dutch immigrants and Gothenburg can grow and prosper within the city walls.
And in 1658 the Treaty of Roskilde makes all of the west coast Swedish and the city can grow into an important port and trade city.
