History of Åland

The history of Åland can be traced back to roughly 4000 BC, when humans first reached the archipelago in the Neolithic period. Several Bronze Age villages have been found on Åland. During the Viking Age, six hillforts were built. Sweden controlled the Åland Islands from the 1200s until 1809, during which Kastelholm Castle was the focal point of many battles. In 1809, the Russian Empire took Åland and Finland. In 1854, British and French forces attacked Bomarsund. The Åland Islands were then demilitarised until 1906. In 1918, Swedish and German forces occupied the Åland Islands. After the Finnish Civil War, Åland joined Finland following the Åland Convention of 1921.