History of Östersund
Östersund is a Swedish city which is a relatively young city in Scandinavia, being founded as late as 1786 after several Swedish attempts to found and charter a city in Jämtland, a previously Norwegian province. Older history Since the 16th century when Sweden became a sovereign state, its leadership has sought to expand Sweden's influence over Jämtland, which at the time still was a part of Norway, or more precisely Denmark-Norway: first politically, with no substantial result, and later economically. Cities were established along the Norrlandic coast in order to control trade, Jämtland's faring trade included. Härnösand was the first city established in 1585, later followed by Sundsvall in 1621. These cities were tiny and had little success dealing with the deeply rooted resistance towards the state's interest in controlling trade and the connection between Trøndelag and Jämtland. Plans regarding the foundation of a Swedish city or köping (market town, "Chipping") in Jämtland existed amongst governmental officials after the province was ceded from Denmark-Norway in 1645. Queen Christina demanded the establishment of a sconce on Andersön shortly after the province became Swedish; this sconce would together with Frösö sconce secure Swedish control of Jämtland. Christina's intention was to locate the "Jamts' city" within this fortification. In order to construct the sconce the local inhabitants were coerced into forced labour 1651 but due to protests and lack of capital, the project was ended in 1654. Shortly afterwards there was a major revolt against the Swedish governance of Jämtland in Storsjöbygden; after the Dano-Norwegian reconquest of Jämtland in 1677 where the Jamts actively aided their "real" countrymen, saw them as liberators and fought the Swedes, all plans were regarding a Swedish city in Jämtland were put on hold. In 1758 the plans were brought back up through an initiative from a civilian, though the authorities saw no need for a city in Jämtland. The proposition did, however, initiate a new debate whether or not a city was to be established in Jämtland. The aforementioned Norrlandic cities demanded it so that the faring traditions and the lucrative cross-country border trade conducted by Jamts in Norway across Kölen, the Scandinavian Mountains, was ended. The Jamts were known to neglect agriculture and instead undertake long trading journeys all over Scandinavia to various markets. With a city in Jämtland this could finally end and the city would be able to secure the transportation of goods, which usually was very scarce, to the coast. From a military perspective, a foundation of a city in Jämtland was favorable, given that Sweden no longer was a power to be reckoned with in Northern Europe. Foundation of Östersund Östersund was founded and given its charter by King Gustav III of Sweden in 1786, shortly after the outskirts of the Odensala farmers' lands were bought for the purpose. The only things actually located in the area at the time were the main road and the bridge to Frösön, the then mercantile and administrative centre of Jämtland. The trade in Jämtland could