TL-181 The Scandinavian Union

Because I haven't done a map in AGES.

In the past Sweden was a valuable ally of Germany and, under its influence, managed to gain a position as a great power in Europe. For a long time Sweden and Norway were bound by a personal union, though Sweden was clearly dominant. This dominance was especially apparent after the Eastern War of 1862, when Sweden annexed what are now the Grand Duchies of Finland and Kourland from the Tsardom of Rossia.

In 1889 Sweden and Norway, already in personal union with one another, entered into personal union with Denmark under King Gustav VII of the House of Holstein-Gottorp. Gustav was a great reformer, and soon set in motion the events that would unite Scandinavia once and for all. With Germany's full support the nations were first united in a loose confederation whereby the new personal union was made permanent (in that the King of Norway would always be the King of Sweden and would also be the King of Denmark, the nobles of the three nations could no longer elect their kings seperately). Later, when the Rossian bear stirred again during the Third Turkish War of 1908, the mutual fear of the three countries drove them together further, and the Scandinavian Union was formerly created. It is far from perfect, though the Finnish and the Latvians of Kourland were both granted the same autonomy of the seperate kingdoms, there are still accusations that their voices are often drowned out or not heard by Scandinavia's Parliament, and, in more peaceful times, there are often disagreements between the three kingdoms, too.