Slottslän Explained

A slottslän (Finnish: linnalääni) was a type of secular[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.[2]

Slottsläns were established by Birger Jarl to replace the lething system in the latter-half of the 13th century.[3] Slottsläns were disbanded in 1634 following Axel Oxenstierna's land reform and replaced with provinces.[4]

Slottsläns in Sweden

slottslänadministrative centremodern region(s)
Axevalla län Västra Götaland
Dalaborgs län Västra Götaland
Ekholms län Västra Götaland
Gullbergs län Västra Götaland
Hofs län Östergötland
Lindholmens län Västra Götaland
Lödöse län Västra Götaland
Olsborgs län Västra Götaland
Openstens län Västra Götaland
Orreholmens län Västra Götaland
Ringstaholms län Östergötland
Stegeborgs län Östergötland
Stynaborgs län Västra Götaland
Telgehus län Södermanland
Vadstena län Stockholm, Östergötland
Älvsborgs län Västra Götaland

Slottsläns in Finland

slottslänadministrative centreest.disest.modern region(s)
Porvoon linnalääni
Borgå län
1523 1619 Uusimaa, eastern half without northern part of Hyvinkää
from Kymenlaakso: southwestern part of Kouvola
Kastelholman linnalääni
Kastelholms län
1388 1634 Åland
Korsholman linnalääni
Korsholms län
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
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
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
1634 Uusimaa, western half without Karkkila and Vihti
Hämeenlinnan linnalääni
Tavastehus län
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
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
1634 Finland Proper without Loimaa, Oripää, Somero and northern part of Pöytyä
from Satakunta: Eura, Rauma and southern part of Eurajoki

Notes

  1. The church had its own administrative system.
  2. Book: Nationalencyklopedin Multimedia 2000 plus . Höganäs: Bra böcker . 2000 . 91-7133-745-8 . Swedish.
  3. https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/History_of_Swedish_Counties History of Swedish Counties
  4. http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Swedish_Civil_Jurisdictions_for_Family_History_Research Swedish Civil Jurisdictions for Family History Research

References

  1. The church had its own administrative system.
  2. Book: Nationalencyklopedin Multimedia 2000 plus . Höganäs: Bra böcker . 2000 . 91-7133-745-8 . Swedish.
  3. https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/History_of_Swedish_Counties History of Swedish Counties
  4. http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Swedish_Civil_Jurisdictions_for_Family_History_Research Swedish Civil Jurisdictions for Family History Research