Finnish history is the story of a people who for centuries were a wrestling mat between two heavyweights on either side: Sweden and Russia. The unfortunate thing about this history is that the earliest chronicles were written by Swedes, and much of ethnic Finnish culture and events before and well after the Swedish crusades has escaped written record altogether.
Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/finland/history#ixzz3prWbOAg4