Meet the Middle Ages
BackClaus Ruska
Claus Ruska´s family came to Sweden at the beginning of the 14th century. They were aristocracy from the German island of Rügen. In a very short time, Claus managed to become quite wealthy, with farms and land mainly in Aspeland. His main residence was at Bråhult in the parish of Kristdala. In 1350-1377 he acquired 40 or so farms in the parishes of Kristdala, Vena, Tveta, Gårdveda and Mörlunda, all in Aspeland. He also had property in the parishes of Fagerhult, Kråksmåla, Döderhult and Mönsterås in Handbörd and Stranda. Claus Ruska took advantage of Henrik Svinakula ´s financial difficulties, and acquired a large part of Henrik ´s estate in the parish of Kristdala.
Claus must have been a very shrewd business-man with a keen sense of money-making. He had a bailiff - Jon Rötgers – who travelled by horse to collect the taxes of all the tenant farmers. The peasants then had to have their farm in order as well as enough produce to be able to pay their taxes.
Claus died in 1383. His brother, Lydike Ruska, inherited his estate. After Lydike ´s death in 1400, all the land (44 farms) was sold to Queen Margareta for the price of 500 Lübeck marks. A new time was here, with more power to the Crown, and less to the German aristocracy.
Claus Ruska´s coat-of-arms held a picture of a wolf ´s head.