Tavastia (historical province)

Häme [ˈhæmɛ] (Swedish Tavastland, Latin Tavastia, German obsolete Tawastland) is a historical landscape in Central Finland. Häme includes the present-day landscapes of Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme, Central Finland, and the eastern part of Pirkanmaa.

Häme came under Swedish rule through the Second Swedish Crusade of 1239. At the end of the 13th century Birger Jarl founded Häme Castle in Hämeenlinna. When the Swedish border was moved eastwards by the Treaty of Nöteborg in 1323, the castle lost importance, but the town remained the centre of the Häme region.

Under Swedish rule, Häme was combined with Uusimaa to form the province of Nyland and Tavastehus. In 1831-1997 there was a province of Häme (Swedish Tavastehus according to the Swedish name of its capital Hämeenlinna). This comprised Kanta-Häme, most of Pirkanmaa and the western part of Päijät-Häme. In the 1997 provincial reform, Häme was divided between the newly created provinces of Southern Finland and Western Finland.