Finland's traces of human settlement date back to the thaw of the last Ice Age some 10,000 years ago. The Finns' ancestors seem to have dominated half of northern Russia before arriving on the north of the Baltic coast well before the Christian era. By the end of the Viking Age, Swedish traders and chieftains had extended their interests throughout the Baltic region. Over the centuries, Finland has sat precariously between the Protestant Swedish empire and Eastern Orthodox Russia. For seven centuries, from the 12th century until 1809, it was part of Sweden. Finland was blighted by constant battles with Russia and severe famines. From 1696-97, famine killed a third of all Finns. The 1700s were punctuated by bitter wars against Russia, culminating in the eventual loss of Finland to Russia in 1809. With nationalism beginning to surge during the latter half of the 19th century, Finland gained greater autonomy as a Grand Duchy, though new oppression and Russification followed, making Finns emotionally ripe for independence

 

PUBLISHED DATE	1884 PARIS
ARTIST	FREEMAN
ENGRAVED BY	PANNEMAKER
PUBLISHER	THOMAS DE LAMOTTE SAINTE-MARTIN
PAGE SIZE: approx	14 3/4 INCHES x 10 1/2 INCHES
IMAGE SIZE: approx	6 1/2 X 4 1/2 inches
CONDITION	FOLIO INTEXT ENGRAVING with text on the back . Excellent condition. Heavier paper.Suitable ageing. The image is clean, clear and sharp with beautiful depth and detail.