Alternative History
Kingdom of the Gutnish
Konungariket Gutiske (Gutnish)
Gutnishernas kungarike (Swedish)
Timeline: An Honorable Retelling
Flag of Gotland Gotlands vapen
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: 
Die aimar fran marki u rydmen av dagen
"We aim from the mark and rhythm of the day"
Anthem: 
Uti vår hage
"In our meadow"
Location of Gothland (An Honorable Retelling)
Location of Gothland (green)
Capital
(and largest city)
Visby
Official languages Gutnish, Swedish
Demonym Gutnish
Government Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
 -  King Karl
 -  Prime Minister Håkan Loob
Legislature Assembly
Establishment
 -  Settled 11th century 
 -  Independence 1918 
Population
 -  2021 estimate 50,000 
Currency Eurasian guilder (ƒ) (EUG)
Drives on the right

Gothland (Gutnish: Gutland; Swedish: Gottland), officially the Kingdom of the Gutnish (Gutnish: Konungariket Gutiske; Swedish: Gutnishernas kungarike) is an island nation situated in Northern Europe, surrounded by the Baltic Sea, but sharing maritime borders with Sweden. It is one of the least-populated nations in Europe, with a small demographic of around 50,000 inhabitants, most of whom are of mixed Swedish-Gutnish ancestry. It includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, as well as the Karlsö Islands (Lilla and Stora) to the west.

Gothland, with a population of 50,000, centers around Visby, the main town, home to about 23,600 residents. Beyond Visby lie smaller settlements and a predominantly rural populace. Inhabited since around 7200 BC, Gothland's economy thrives on agriculture, food processing, tourism, IT services, design, and heavy industries like concrete production using local limestone. Militarily, its central position in the Baltic Sea is strategic. The archipelago is a favored holiday spot for Swedes, seeing a significant summer population spike due to its sunny weather and vast coastline along gentle waters. Visby's summer calendar features Almedalen Week and Medieval Week, attracting even more visitors. During winter, Gothland is encircled by ice-free waters and enjoys mild conditions.

Gothland is a member of the Global Treaty Organization, the Eurasian Community, the League to Enforce Peace, and the International Monetary Fund.

History[]

Prehistoric time to Viking Age[]

The island was inhabited by the Gutes, and archaeological sites like the Ajvide Settlement indicate its prehistoric occupation. DNA analysis of 5,000-year-old remains of three Middle Neolithic seal hunters from Gothland revealed a genetic link to contemporary Finns, while a farmer from Gökhem parish in Västergötland was more genetically similar to modern Mediterraneans, aligning with the migration of agricultural peoples from the Middle East around that time.

Scandinavia-12th century

Sweden in the 12th century before the incorporation of Finland during the 13th century.

The Gutasaga recounts the island's settlement by Þieluar and his descendants' lineage. It describes how a third of the population migrated and settled in southern Europe, a narrative connected with the Goths' migration, sharing etymological roots with the Gutes, the island's native people. The saga further details the Gutes' voluntary allegiance to the Swedish king, emphasizing the agreement's reciprocity and outlining the responsibilities of the Swedish King and Bishop towards Gothland. Some historians interpret this as an attempt to document Gothland's history and affirm its autonomy from Sweden.

The quantity of Arab dirhams found on Gothland is remarkably high. In the various hoards scattered across the island, these silver coins outnumber those at any other location in Western Eurasia. The aggregate is nearly equal to the amount uncovered throughout the entire Muslim world. These dirhams traveled northward via trade conducted by Rus merchants with the Abbasid Caliphate along the Silver-Fur Road. The wealth generated by Scandinavian traders would bolster northern Europe, particularly Viking Scandinavia and the Carolingian Empire, as key economic hubs for centuries to follow.

Middle Ages[]

Masterbykyrka

The modern town of Mästerby, which was the site of the 1361 Battle of Mästerby.

Historically, Gothland emerged as a key commercial hub, with Visby becoming the most significant Hanseatic city in the Baltic Sea. During the late medieval period, the island was home to twenty district courts, known as tings, each represented by a judge at the landsting, the island's assembly. The landsting was responsible for enacting new laws and making decisions for the island's welfare. Visby and the rest of Gothland were administered separately. A civil war, sparked by disputes between Visby's German merchants and the local peasants, was quelled by King Magnus III of Sweden in 1288. In 1361, Valdemar Atterdag of Denmark invaded, leading to the death of approximately 1,500 Gothlandic farmers at the Battle of Mästerby.

The Victual Brothers took over the island in 1394, establishing a base in Visby. Eventually, Gothland was granted as a fief to the Teutonic Knights, tasked with ousting the Victual Brothers from their stronghold. The Teutonic Knights seized the island in 1398, razed Visby, and expelled the Victual Brothers. In 1409, Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen of the Teutonic Knights sold Gothland to Queen Margaret of the Scandinavian Kalmar Union, ensuring peace. Following the occupation by the Teutonic Order and subsequent sale to Eric of Pomerania, the landsting's authority diminished, and by 1449, Danish governors ruled. The ting, by the end of the medieval era, comprised twelve representatives from the island's farmers, free-holders, and tenants.

Early modern period, Swedish civil war, and contemporary era[]

MapGottland-1805-1124

A Swedish administrative map of Gothland, 1805

The Treaty of Brömsebro in 1645 established Gothland as a Swedish territory. Gothland maintained relative peace in comparison to the rest of the Swedish Empire, which was marked by persistent land disputes and invasions by outside nations. Around 9,000 Gutnish immigrants were situated in New Sweden during the colonial era, but were largely assimilated by the dominant Stockholm culture. The island faced bombardment by the Polish naval forces during the 1800s, due to Sweden's ties to France, but this did not produce significant damage to hamper settlement. During the Third Great War, the island served as a military base, and repulsed an attempted Russo-Polish invasion near Visby in 1914. However, this failed due to 5,000 Swedish conscripts being stationed on the island. Upon the collapse of the Swedish Empire by 1915, the Gutnish population, fearing the impact of a Republican or Spartacist government on the region's fishing economy, declared independence with the assistance of the Swedish Army remnants stationed there. Recognition by Russia ensured that the area was independent of Swedish control.

Gothland retained neutrality into the 20th century. It cooperated with Swedish and Finnish maritime laws, but did not actively participate in international agreements due to its poor infrastructure development. Investment and tourism beginning in the 1970s raised the nation's GDP, allowing it to become the first European nation to spend the majority of its investments on electronic testing. The country joined the GTO and the LTEP in 2002, and the European Community in 2016.

Geography[]

The island of Gothland covers a total area of 3,183.7 km² (1,229.2 sq mi). The country encompasses the smaller islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, as well as the even tinier Karlsö Islands (Lilla and Stora) to the west. Gothland itself spans 2,994 km² (1,156 sq mi), while the entire province measures 3,183.7 km² (1,229.2 sq mi), with 3,151 km² (1,217 sq mi) being land, excluding lakes and rivers. As of December 2021, the population stands at 50,000. In 2016, around 23,600 people, or 40% of the population, resided in Visby, the municipal seat and county capital. Situated roughly 90 km (56 mi) east of the Swedish mainland and about 130 km (81 mi) from the Baltic region, with Courland in the United Commonwealths being the closest, Gothland is the principal island, but nearby islands are often included as part of Gothland and its cultural sphere.

Numerous shallow lakes dot the island's shores, with Lake Bästeträsk, near Fleringe in the north, being the largest. The Hoburg Shoal bird reserve is located at the island's southern extremity. Gothland's highest elevation is Lojsta Hed, reaching 82 m (269 ft) above sea level, while the island's average height is 29 meters. Hemse is the largest settlement in southern Gothland, and together with Roma, they are the two main inland villages. Burgsvik lies at the southern end, and Fårösund at the northern tip. Fårö, a permanently settled island with a few hundred residents, lacks a fixed link to Gothland, relying on a 24/7, toll-free car ferry across a strait about 1.3 km (0.81 mi) wide, with a crossing time of approximately eight minutes. There are plans to connect Fårö to the main island with a bridge, but the project has experienced numerous delays.

Climate[]

Gothland experiences a semi-continental version of a marine climate (Cfb), leading to greater seasonal differences than typically seen in marine climates, despite being encircled by the Baltic Sea. This is attributed to strong continental winds crossing the sea from the large surrounding landmasses. Isolated areas of the island, like Hoburgen or Östergarnsholm, exhibit less seasonal temperature variation, with warmer autumns and winters, yet cooler springs and summers. The weather station at Östergarnsholm notably experiences significant seasonal lag. For instance, December is warmer than March, with low temperatures comparable to those in April. August is usually the warmest month, which is atypical for Scandinavian locations. In the capital, Visby, the temperatures in July and August are relatively consistent.

Winters tend to stay just above the freezing point, and since brackish water remains liquid longer than freshwater, the sea around Gothland is typically ice-free throughout the year, except during unusual and extreme cold spells. The last instance of the entire passage from the mainland to Gothland freezing over was in 1987, when icebreakers were deployed to keep the transport of passengers and goods to the island operational.