Slottslän
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
[edit]| 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
[edit]
| ||||
| 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
[edit]- ^ The church had its own administrative system.
References
[edit]- ^ Nationalencyklopedin Multimedia 2000 plus (in Swedish). Höganäs: Bra böcker. 2000. ISBN 91-7133-745-8.
- ^ History of Swedish Counties Retrieved 18 September 2013. Archived
- ^ Swedish Civil Jurisdictions for Family History Research Retrieved 18 September 2013. Archived