Treasures of God: The Fur Trade as a Motivating Factor of the Swedish Crusades

Authors

Aidan R. McDonald, Kennesaw State UniversityFollow

Name of Faculty Sponsor

Jamie McCandless

Faculty Sponsor Email

jmccandl@kennesaw.edu

Author Bio(s)

Aidan McDonald is currently a senior at Kennesaw State University. McDonald is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Public History. He is interested in modern and medieval Russian history and hopes to continue his studies into graduate school.

Publication Date

6-2025

Abstract

The Fur trade was one of Medieval Europe’s most profitable industries. The Republic of Novgorod in the north of Russia was one of this industry's chief suppliers. Swedish expansion into Finland increasingly brought it into competition with Novgorod who had interests in the Karelians tribe of the region. The Swedes would justify their actions as a series of crusades. However, their actions and words often betrayed their true intentions, repeatedly seeking to seize control of Novgorodian trade as well as the Novgorodian fur tribute. Significant studies have been made of both the Russian fur trade and the Swedish expansion eastwards, yet these two subjects have rarely been combined. This paper seeks to analyze the interconnection of both the Medieval Russian fur trade and Swedish eastern expansion.