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Stones of Mora


The Stones of Mora (Swedish: Mora stenar) was the place where the Swedish kings were elected. The origin of the tradition is unknown.

The name "Stones of Mora", Mora stenar in Swedish, was originally in singular, Mora sten "Stone of Mora", and referred to a "king stone" on which the newly elected king stood after the election. Later monuments in stone around the Stone of Mora, commemorating different elections, changed the name to the plural form.

Another name often used referring to the place where the king was elected was Mora äng, "Meadow of Mora".

In Lagga parish about 10 km south-east of Uppsala, but (since 2003) in neighbouring Knivsta Municipality, is Mora äng (Mora Meadow). The location is at equal distance from the Things of the old folklands Attundaland and Tiundaland.

This was the location of Mora Thing (called Múlaþing by Snorri Sturluson, see Þorgnýr the Lawspeaker), where the Swedish kings were elected. After his election was decided, the king was elevated on top of a flat stone and hailed by his subjects.

The law of Uppland and Södermanland states: The three folklands, i.e. Tiundaland, Attundaland and Fjärdhundraland, shall first elect king. Then the election will be sanctioned by the lawspeaker of Uppland and then by all his subordinate lawspeakers in the rest of the kingdom, one by one. This process was done during the so-called Eriksgata.


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