Stockholm During The Great Power Era - Trade

Trade

While Stockholm was an obvious best choice for the shipping trade on Lake Mälaren and the export of metals from Bergslagen, it was far from the only alternative. Before the death of Charles, Duke of Södermanland (king 1604-11), approximately one fourth of national export passed through Södertälje, but within a few years after Charles' death it was deprived from its export privilege. The second alternative was Gävle, located north of Stockholm much closer to the important mines in Dalarna, through which approximately ten per cent of exported copper and iron passed before Oxenstierna in 1636 prevented foreign ships from sailing north of Stockholm and Åbo, which effectively forced all export to pass through the Swedish capital. This marked the completion of the so-called "Bothnian Trade Coercion" (Bottniska handelstvånget) which forced all trade to pass through Stockholm or, to a lesser extent, Åbo. Most Swedish cities were granted a trade monopoly over a limited area surrounding them, but for Stockholm most of the lands surrounding the Gulf of Bothnia formed part of the city's trade territory. However, the state-granted monopoly was not the only thing that favoured Stockholm at this time. It was one of the best natural harbours of the era and throughout the 17th century countless foreign visitors marvelled at the sight of large ships "with 60 or 70 canons" moored along the eastern quay next to the royal castle.

Stockholm was completely dependent of the transit passing through the city. This dependency incoming fuel and food made it different from other Swedish cities where burghers were not only craftsmen and merchants but also peasants and fishermen which made these cities self-supporting. In contrast, in 1627 Stockholm had 327 horses, 738 cows and 1,383 pigs where, for example, Uppsala with a population about a tenth of Stockholm's, had the same number of horses and cows but more pigs.