Nyckelord
geographical identity
Helsingborg
Skåne War
Danish–Swedish relations
Abstract
The last of the Caroleans: Remembering Magnus Stenbock
In the Swedish city of Helsingborg, in the southernmost county of Skåne, there is a prominent equestrian statue of Magnus Stenbock (1666–1717). Unveiled in 1901, it is a testament to his popularity as a commander of the Carolean Army and provincial governor general. The memorial culture surrounding Stenbock included various monuments, festivals, and parades in Skåne (Scania) and particularly in Helsingborg. This article investigates the emergence of memorial culture, its growing importance, and its purpose and concludes that Stenbock’s popularity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was closely tied to Swedish nationalism and local patriotism. The celebration of his memory revolved around the commemoration of the decisive Battle of Helsingborg in 1710 as the pivotal moment in Skåne’s transition from Danish to Swedish rule. The memorial culture of Magnus Stenbock is illustrative of the evolution of three levels of identity: a regional city identity, a national identity, and a pan-national identity.