Härjedalen () is a historical province (landskap) in the centre of Sweden. It borders the Norwegian county of Trøndelag, as well as the provinces of Dalarna, Hälsingland, Medelpad and Jämtland. The province originally belonged to Norway, but was ceded to Sweden in the Second Treaty of Brömsebro in 1645. The province forms the bulk of Härjedalen Municipality of which the village of Sveg is the seat.

Etymology

thumb|left|The tarn Björnskalletjärn, with [[Helagsfjället|Mt. Helags in the background]]

The name Härjedalen, from Old West Norse , literally means the "Valley of the Härje river". A Latinized transliteration is Herdalia although that name is hardly encountered in English today. More prominent are derivations such as Herjedalen or Haerjedalen. The more prosaic explanation of the name is that the word her or har means only "mound of stones" and refers to stones in the river .

History

Härjedalen and Jämtland were provinces of Denmark-Norway until the mid-17th century. Härjedalen came under the Norwegian king in the Middle Ages

Christianization of Härjedalen took place after the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. Agriculture remained Härjedalen's largest industry for a long time, supplemented by ironmaking and trade mainly to Røros in Trøndelag. Extensive forestry also played a major role in Härjedalen resulting of industrialization which occurred in the mid-1850s. A large portion of Härjedalen residents emigrated to America, principally to Northwestern Minnesota during the late 1800s. More recently, Härjedalen has increasingly taken up the position as a tourist landscape with large mountain facilities in Funäsdalen, Vemdalen, and Lofsdalen.

Geography

thumb|left|[[Pulsatilla vernalis|Arctic violet]]

Four-fifths of the province is situated above 500 metres of altitude, constituting a part of the Scandinavian mountain range. Sweden's highest village Högvålen, at 835 metres, is also within the province.

Härjedalen does not have any cities at all. The only village of even modest size is the market town Sveg, which used to be the administrative centre of the province.

The provincial flower is the Arctic violet. It is prominent on high altitudes in Europe, and is also found in the Alps.

Sånfjället National Park extends through the municipality.

Administration

right|thumb|Map of Härjedalen (within the blue line)

The traditional provinces of Sweden serve no current administrative or political purposes, but are historical and cultural entities. In the case of Härjedalen there is a municipality, kommun, Härjedalen Municipality, which is located in the southern part of Jämtland County. The municipality does not exactly correspond to the province, but is larger.

Subdivisions

Härjedalen was historically divided into districts.

  • Hede Court District
  • Sveg Court District

Heraldry

The arms is represented with a dukal coronet. Blazon: "Argent a Sledgehammer Sable with Core Gules between Tongs of the second and two Hammers adorsed in pale of the second handled Gules.". It was granted in 1660. Since 1974 Härjedalen Municipality uses the same coat of arms, but without the coronet.

Sports

Football in the province is administered by Jämtland-Härjedalens Fotbollförbund.

References

Other sources

  • Bergström-Magnusson-Raihle (1991) Härjedalen - Natur och kulturhistoria (Östersund: Jämtlands läns museum)
  • Municipality site
  • Härjedalens Culture Center
  • Jämtland Härjedalen Tourist site
  • Härjedalen map
  • Map of Härjedalen