they took. Their continual feuds between themselves disturbed the
peace of the country.

In 1332, King Magnus took charge of the government. He was a ruler of
benign and good disposition toward the common people, whose interests
he always furthered. But he lacked strength of character, and was not
able to control the obnoxious nobles. The provinces of Scania and
Bleking suffered greatly under Danish rule, which was changed into
German oppression when handed over to the counts of Holstein as
security for a loan. The people of Scania rose in revolt and asked for
protection from King Magnus. At a meeting in Kalmar, in 1832, both
provinces were united to Sweden. But the king had to pay heavy amounts
in settlement, which were increased when Halland was procured in a
similar way.

King Magnus was, at his zenith of power, one of the mightiest monarchs
in Europe, having under his rule the entire Scandinavian peninsula and
Finland, a realm stretching from the sound at Elsinore to the Polar
Sea, from the river Neva to Iceland and Greenland. In 1335, King
Magnus decreed that no Christian within his realm should remain a
thrall, thus practically abolishing the remnants of slavery.

But financial difficulties arose, an unsuccessful crusade was
attempted, the "Black Death" came from England to Norway in 1350 and
spread with great rapidity, and several other things convened to fill
the people with discontent, so that the union with Norway did not
prove a happy one. A separation was brought about in 1844, when
Haakon, the younger son of Magnus, was made king of Norway, Magnus
remaining in power until Haakon came of age, and his older son,
Eric, was chosen king or heir-apparent of Sweden. It seems that this