Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Kvinnan, tornet och makten i Bjälbo

Gustin, Ingrid LU orcid (2009) Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology 11.
Abstract
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... (More)
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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bjälbo, kyrkan, tornet, Ingrid Ylva, änkor, medeltid, kyrkostiftare
host publication
Triangulering. Historisk arkeologi vidgar fälten
editor
Mogren, Mats ; Roslund, Mats ; Sundnér, Barbro and Wienberg, Jes
volume
Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology 11
publisher
Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens historia, Lunds universitet
ISBN
978-91-89578-31-9
language
Swedish
LU publication?
no
id
045fea8c-d62a-4d11-9cf7-6bde0f173231 (old id 2733956)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:35:47
date last changed
2021-03-23 22:09:05
@inbook{045fea8c-d62a-4d11-9cf7-6bde0f173231,
  abstract     = {{Abstract in Undetermined<br/>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.<br/>There has been an ongoing discussion about who was the founder of<br/>this building piece. New dendrochronological dating of the erection to<br/>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.}},
  author       = {{Gustin, Ingrid}},
  booktitle    = {{Triangulering. Historisk arkeologi vidgar fälten}},
  editor       = {{Mogren, Mats and Roslund, Mats and Sundnér, Barbro and Wienberg, Jes}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-89578-31-9}},
  keywords     = {{Bjälbo; kyrkan; tornet; Ingrid Ylva; änkor; medeltid; kyrkostiftare}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  publisher    = {{Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens historia, Lunds universitet}},
  title        = {{Kvinnan, tornet och makten i Bjälbo}},
  volume       = {{Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology 11}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}