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Slottslän

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A slottslän (Finnish: linnalääni) was a type of secular[note 1] administrative division throughout the Kingdom of Sweden from late 13th century to 1634. The administrative center was a castle. Slottslän were divided into municipalities and administrators. The term slottslän can be translated as "castle fief". Although the word "län" literally means fief, in Sweden it is translated as "county" and in Finland as "province".

There existed multiple different types of slottslän, there existed pantlän, which could be assigned to a lord as compensation for a loan to the crown, until a repayment was done. There also existed kronolän, which were managed by an advocatus, if the advocatus was a military commander, would be referred to as a "hövitsman", which was a capitaneus, they were ordered to deliver and report surplus profit to the crown, however sometimes a fixed sum was to be delivered annually, where the advocatus got to retain some profit. There also existed län which were granted to noblemen for their services to the King.[1]

Slottsläns were established by Birger Jarl to replace the lething system in the latter-half of the 13th century.[2] Slottsläns were disbanded in 1634 following Axel Oxenstierna's land reform and replaced with provinces.[3]

Slottsläns in Sweden

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slottslän administrative centre modern region(s)
Axevalla län Axevalla hus Västra Götaland
Dalaborgs län Dalaborg Castle Västra Götaland
Ekholms län Ekholm Castle Västra Götaland
Gullbergs län Gullbergs hus Västra Götaland
Hofs län Östergötland
Lindholmens län Borgen Lindholmen Västra Götaland
Lödöse län Lödösehus Västra Götaland
Olsborgs län Olsborg Castle Västra Götaland
Openstens län Opensten Castle Västra Götaland
Orreholmens län Orreholmens kungsgård Västra Götaland
Ringstaholms län Östergötland
Stegeborgs län Östergötland
Stynaborgs län Stynaborg Castle Västra Götaland
Telgehus län Telge hus Södermanland
Vadstena län Vadstena Castle Stockholm, Östergötland
Älvsborgs län Älvsborg Castle Västra Götaland

Slottsläns in Finland

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slottslän administrative centre est. disest. modern region(s)
Porvoon linnalääni
Borgå län
Porvoo 1523 1619 Uusimaa, eastern half without northern part of Hyvinkää
from Kymenlaakso: southwestern part of Kouvola
Kastelholman linnalääni
Kastelholms län
Kastelholm Castle 1388 1634 Åland
Korsholman linnalääni
Korsholms län
Korsholm Castle 1384 1634 Central Ostrobothnia
Kainuu
Northern Ostrobothnia
Coastal Ostrobothnia without Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Kristinestad and Närpes
Southern Ostrobothnia without Isojoki, Karijoki, Soini and Ähtäri
Lapland, southernmost part
Kokemäenkartanon linnalääni
Kumogårds län
Kokemäki Castle
 Kokemäenkartano
Pori
1331 1634 Satakunta without Eura, Rauma and southern part of Eurajoki
Pirkanmaa without Akaa, Pälkäne, Urjala and Valkeakoski
from Coastal Ostrobothnia: Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Kristinestad and Närpes
from Southern Ostrobothnia: Isojoki, Karijoki, Soini and Ähtäri
from Finland Proper: Loimaa, Oripää and northern part of Pöytyä
from Central Finland: Keuruu and Multia
Savonlinnan linnalääni
Nyslotts län
Olavinlinna Castle 1475 1634 Southern Savonia without Pertunmaa and southern part of Mäntyharju
Northern Savonia without Kaavi, Keitele, Rautalampi, Rautavaara, Vesanto and easternmost part of Kuopio
Raaseporin linnalääni
Raseborgs län
Raseborg Castle 1634 Uusimaa, western half without Karkkila and Vihti
Hämeenlinnan linnalääni
Tavastehus län
Tavastia Castle 1634 Tavastia Proper
Päijänne Tavastia
Central Finland without Keuruu and Multia
from Northern Savonia: Keitele, Rautalampi and Vesanto
from Uusimaa: Karkkila, Vihti and northern part of Hyvinkää
from Southern Savonia: Pertunmaa and southwestern part of Mäntyharju
from Finland Proper: Loimaa
from Kymenlaakso: northwestern part of Kouvola
Viipurin linnalääni
Viborgs län
Vyborg Castle 1293 1634 South Karelia without Parikkala
Kymenlaakso without western half of Kouvola
from Southern Savonia: southern parts of Mikkeli and Mäntyharju
from Leningrad Region, Russia: Vyborg District
from Saint Petersburg, Russia: almost the whole Kurortny District
Turun linnalääni
Åbo län
Turku Castle 1634 Finland Proper without Loimaa, Oripää, Somero and northern part of Pöytyä
from Satakunta: Eura, Rauma and southern part of Eurajoki

Notes

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  1. ^ The church had its own administrative system.

References

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  1. ^ Nationalencyklopedin Multimedia 2000 plus (in Swedish). Höganäs: Bra böcker. 2000. ISBN 91-7133-745-8.
  2. ^ History of Swedish Counties Retrieved 18 September 2013. Archived
  3. ^ Swedish Civil Jurisdictions for Family History Research Retrieved 18 September 2013. Archived