During the Viking Age, Sweden was a collection of small kingdoms and chiefdoms known as petty kingdoms. Like their Scandinavian neighbors, the Swedes were deeply involved in Viking expeditions, both in raids and trade. While Swedes joined in Western raids on England, earning tribute known as Danegeld, they were especially active in the east, traveling into present-day Russia, the Byzantine Empire, and even the Muslim world. Swedish Vikings, known as Varangians, played a key role in the formation of the early Rus' state, and some served as elite warriors in the Byzantine Varangian Guard.
Europe in the 9th century. © "The Public Schools Historical Atlas" by Charles Colbeck. Longmans, Green
Birka, an important trading hub in Sweden during this period, flourished in the 9th and 10th centuries, accumulating great wealth through trade with distant lands. However, it declined around 960, marking the end of its dominance. In terms of rulers, early Swedish kings such as those from the Yngling dynasty are largely known through myth and legend, with sources like Beowulf and Ynglingatal blending fact with mythology. The first historically attested Swedish kings appear in 9th-century sources like Vita Ansgarii.
By the late 10th century, the Viking Age saw increasing centralization under rulers like Eric the Victorious and his son Olof Skötkonung, the first Christian king of Sweden, who helped unify the country and integrate Christianity into Swedish society. This period laid the groundwork for the later formation of the Swedish kingdom.