Kvinnan, tornet och makten i Bjälbo
Author
Editor
- Mats Mogren
- Mats Roslund
- Barbro Sundnér
- Jes Wienberg
Summary, in English
Abstract in Undetermined
This article discusses the background to the erection of the huge church tower in Bjälbo, Östergötland, Sweden. Bjälbo, today a small rural village,was once the seat of one of the most powerful families in medieval Sweden. The erection of a church tower in Bjälbo probably served several purposes; shelter, dwelling, belfry and storehouse. The tall tower was also a grand symbol for a family with royal ambitions.
There has been an ongoing discussion about who was the founder of
this building piece. New dendrochronological dating of the erection to
shortly after 1220 could mean that the founder was Ingrid Ylva, the mother of Birger Jarl. She was married to the first known owner of Bjälbo and became a widow around 1210. A fact strengthening this theory is that Ingrid Ylva probably was the donor of the church bell. The legal situation for widows also means that she became the new head of the family after the death of her husband. As widows, women had the possibility to continue their late husband´s work, and in a legal sense, they more or less acquired male gender. This could be the reason why medieval women so frequently appear as founders of churches and owners of land.
This article discusses the background to the erection of the huge church tower in Bjälbo, Östergötland, Sweden. Bjälbo, today a small rural village,was once the seat of one of the most powerful families in medieval Sweden. The erection of a church tower in Bjälbo probably served several purposes; shelter, dwelling, belfry and storehouse. The tall tower was also a grand symbol for a family with royal ambitions.
There has been an ongoing discussion about who was the founder of
this building piece. New dendrochronological dating of the erection to
shortly after 1220 could mean that the founder was Ingrid Ylva, the mother of Birger Jarl. She was married to the first known owner of Bjälbo and became a widow around 1210. A fact strengthening this theory is that Ingrid Ylva probably was the donor of the church bell. The legal situation for widows also means that she became the new head of the family after the death of her husband. As widows, women had the possibility to continue their late husband´s work, and in a legal sense, they more or less acquired male gender. This could be the reason why medieval women so frequently appear as founders of churches and owners of land.
Publishing year
2009
Language
Swedish
Publication/Series
Triangulering. Historisk arkeologi vidgar fälten
Volume
Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology 11
Document type
Book chapter
Publisher
Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens historia, Lunds universitet
Topic
- Archaeology
Keywords
- Bjälbo
- kyrkan
- tornet
- Ingrid Ylva
- änkor
- medeltid
- kyrkostiftare
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISBN: 978-91-89578-31-9