Rike

Rike is the Swedish word for "realm" or "empire". The word is traditionally used for sovereign entities, a country with a King or Queen as head of state, such as the United Kingdom or Sweden itself, is a Kungarike.

The word is used in "Svea rike", with the current spelling "Sverige", the name of Sweden in Swedish. It is based on an analogy to Svealand and to Mother Svea, a symbolic representation of the nation. It is also present in the names of instituions such as the Riksdag, Riksbank, Riksgäld, Riksåklagaren[?], Rikspolisstyrelsen[?], Riksteatern[?], Riksdaler, etc.

The Lord's Prayer uses the words in the Swedish version "tillkomme ditt rike" (thy kingdom come).

Etymology

• German: Reich
• Old High German: richi
• Anglo-Saxon: rice
• English: rich
• Indo European: reg
• Latin: regalis, regere, rex
• Prussian: reiks
• Indian: Raj[?]
• Old Norse: rike (as in Gårdarike[?])

See also: Realm of Sweden