Emund of Svealand (The Kalmar Union)

Emund was the last king of Svealand from the House of Munso. He was probably the only son of Olof I and his pagan wife Edla. Scholars are divided as to whether he was older than his half brother and predecessor Anund Kolbranna as he is sometimes given the epithet Gamle or 'Old'.

Like his father and half-brother little concrete is known about his reign. It is not even known for sure when he took over from his brother. It is known however that during his reign little attempt was made to extend the reach of Christianity over Svealand, perhaps apt as he was the semi-legitimate son of a pagan mother. This has led to a negative opinion in the church chronicles (if he appears at all). His son Anund is reported to have died in a failed attack on Terra Feminarium, 'Womanland' which is guessed to mean Finland or Estonia.

With both sons having predeceased him it would be his son-in-law Stenkil, King of Gothenland who would succeed him. The Svealandic Thing would however reject Stenkil's attempts to rule the Geats and the Svear 'as one'. One of Emund's known deeds involved marking out the border between Svealand and Gothenland and this may have helped foster a sense of 'us and them' which would stop the two countries from ever uniting.