Imaginaries of Kingship in the Nordic Household State – Danish and Swedish Variations

Monarkierne i Danmark-Norge og Sverige-Finland var de eneste monarkier, der indførte en luthersk reformation og de eneste lutherske riger, der befandt sig ud for det tysk-romerske kejserrige. Denne artikel undersøger, hvordan lutherdommen påvirkede forestillinger om kongen og den statslige organisering. Den finder, at måden, hvorpå reformationen blev indført havde indflydelse på, hvordan den Seneca-inspirerede og bibelsk funderede forståelse af den ideelle benevolente hersker med ansvar for sine undersåtters både evige og timelige velfærd påvirkede kongeforestilliger og statslig organisering i de pågældende lande.Danmark-Norge og Sverige-Finland var i et konfessionskulturelt perspektiv kendetegnet ved en mangle på den ”Streitkultur”, som spillede stor rolle i Tyskland. I diskussion med eksisterende litteratur vises det, hvordan en religiøs betinget forståelse af kongens ansvar formede både kongens og hans undersåtters opfattelse. Olaus Petri som reformator sammenlignes med Johannes Bugenhagen, og Johannes Bugenhagens Kirkeordinansen fra 1537/39 sammenlignes med Georg Normans forsøg på en kirkeordning og med den svenske Kyrkorodningen fra 1571.I begge riger er det tydeligt at se en stærk anti-macchiavellisk forestilling om kongemagt gøre sig gældende. Men Johannes Bugenhagens indførsel af en mere ”moden” reformation i 1537 synes at have bidraget til en mere stabil og centralistisk udvikling, hvorimod reformationshistorien i Sverige er langt mere kompleks, bl.a. pga. af den tidlige introduktion af meget unge reformatoriske tanker.Ikke desto mindre, så kendetegnes konfessionskulturen i Norden af en særlig autoritetsforestilling byggende på gensidige forpligtigelser. Organisationsmæssigt går de to riger dog i forskellige retninger. I Danmark smelter de tre stænder i Luthers trestandslære mere eller mindre sammen, hvor Sverige i langt højere grad bevarer forestillingen om intakte stænder, hvorigennem statens magt begrænses. The monarchies of Denmark-Norway and Sweden-Finland were the only monarchies that became Lutheran, and the only Lutheran realms placed outside of the Holy Roman Empire. This article investigates how Lutheranism affected the imaginary of kingship and state organisation in the Nordic Countries, and finds that the way reformation was introduced in the two realms respectively had impact on the way a common Seneca inspired and Biblical argued understanding of the ideal benevolent ruler with responsibility of the both eternal and temporal well-being of their subjects impacted on the imaginaries of kingship and of the organisation of society.Denmark-Norway and Sweden-Finland was in a confessional cultural perspective marked by the lack of streitkultur in the same extent as in Germany. In discussion with existing literature, it is shown how a religious view on the king’s responsibility formed both the king’s and his subject’s view. Olaus Petri’s as agent of the reformation is compared with Johannes Bugenhagen, and Johannes Bugenhagen’s Kirkeordinans is compared both with the work of Georg Norman and with Swedish Kyrkoordningen from 1571. In both realms a strong anti-macchiavelian view on rulership is clearly seen, however Johannes Bugenhagen’s introduction of a “mature” reformation in 1537 in Denmark, seems to have contributed to a more stable and centralistic development, whereas the reformation history in Sweden is much more complex, also due to the very early introduction of young reformation ideas.Nevertheless, a central aspect of confessional culture in the Nordic Countries was a special imaginary of authority building on mutual obligations. Organisationally, the two countries however went in two directions. In Denmark the three estates of Church, household, and government melted into each other, whereas in Sweden the estates kept a much more independent role limiting state power.