"Mother Svea is normally depicted as a powerful female warrior, valkyrie or shieldmaiden, frequently holding a shield and standing beside a lion. Svea is a Swedish female personal name which derives from svea, an old plural genitive form meaning "of the Swedes" or the Swea. It appears in Svea rike, an older form of Sverige, the Swedish name for Sweden.
The popular image is considered to have been created by Swedish writer, Anders Leijonstedt (1649–1725) when first introduced in his poem Svea Lycksaligheets Triumph (1672).
As a patriotic symbol, Moder Svea gained widespread popularity in Kunga Skald (1697), written by Swedish poet Gunno Eurelius (1661–1709) in honor of King Charles XI of Sweden. Eurelius was later ennobled with the name of Dahlstjerna.
Mother Svea appeared frequently as a national symbol in 19th century Swedish literature and culture. She appeared on various Swedish banknotes for over seventy years, such as both the 5-kronor banknote printed between 1890–1952 and the 5-kronor banknote printed between 1954-1963.
Swedish singer Lena Philipsson and composer Torgny Söderberg wrote a song entitled Moder Swea which was introduced in the 1995 album Lena Philipsson." (
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Lyrics to the song, in Swedish, are as follows:
Här skall jag alltid leva - Moder Swea
Släkten ska gå och komma - Moder Swea
Folket och alla kungar - I ditt rike
Kämpa för stora segrar - Moder Swea
Människor som har bott i djupan skog
Över ängarna
Neri dalarna
I mer än tiotusen år har vi brukat dena ädla jord
Vittjat sjöarna
Alla vindar på ditt hav
Och med tacksamhet
Ska vi sköda det du ger
Här skall jag alltid leva - Moder Swea
Släkten ska gå och komma - Moder Swea
Folket och alla kungar - I ditt rike
Kämpa för stora segrar - Moder Swea
Gul som sol, blå som himmels höjd
Är ditt hjärtas färg
Över fjällhöga nord
Alla gamla gudarna ger en viking kraft och mod
ut på äventyr
för att vinna rikedom
På min ödesdag
För du åter det du gav
Här skall jag alltid leva - Moder Swea
Släkten ska gå och komma - Moder Swea
Folket och alla kungar - I ditt rike
Kämpa för stora segrar - Moder Swea
Och vi dansar i midsommar
Du är mitt land
Varje vinter och vår
Höstarna som går
Här skall jag alltid leva - Moder Swea
Släkten ska gå och komma - Moder Swea
Folket och alla kungar - I ditt rike
Kämpa för stora segrar - Moder Swea
Mother Svea is featured in The Poltava Monument, which honors the 7,000 Swedish Soldiers who were wounded, killed or captured during the Battle of Poltava in Ukraine. The Battle of Poltava was the decisive battle of the Great Northern War (1700-1721) between the Swedish Army, led by King Charles XII, and a coalition armies led by Peter the Great of Russia. This monument is located at the Army Museum in Östermalm, Stockholm. The monument marker reads:
"The Poltava Monument
In 1904, a memorial to the Battle of Poltava was raised in Stockholm. The original intention was to place the memorial on the battlefield itself, in Ukraine, but a change of plans put it in front of the Army Museum.
The statue is called the Poltava Monument and was created by professor of sculpture, Professor Johan Teodor Lundberg (1852-1926). It depicts Mother Svea, Sweden's national symbol, unfurling a flag over a fallen soldier in the army of King Charles XII. The inscription on the fundamental reads: Filiis Pro Patria Occisis, which means To the Fatherland's Fallen Sons.
On 28 June 1709, at the Battle of Poltava, 7,000 Swedish soldiers were wounded, killed or captured.
The Poltava Monument was moved to its present site in 1957 to make place for the royal palace guard and car parking."