Meet the Middle Ages
BackHenrik Svinakula
The Svinakula family belonged to an aristocratic family from north Germany which came to Sweden at the beginning of the 14th century. Henrik Svinakula was born in Sweden during the first half of the 14th century. His father was called Lyder Svinakula and his mother was called Katarina. At first, Henrik was a rich man with large estates both in Småland and in Öster- götland. In the parish of Kristdala he owned no less than six large manors (Mellingerum, Möllekulla, Kalerum, Dabbekulla, Libbekulla and Röstorp as well as the mill at Hägerum). Henrik married Kristina Björnsdotter, a wealthy woman of noble birth with property in Närke. We do not know why, but the couple was in financial trouble by the end of the 1350 ´s and had to sell their land. Between 1359 and 1377 one manor after the other in the parish of Kristdala was sold to the nobleman Claus Ruska. In 1381, Henrik and Kristina even had to sell Kristina ´s family home in Närke. A few years earlier, the couple ´s only child, a girl named Ingeborg, had died.
At the middle of the 14th century, Henrik Svinakula was a wealthy and powerful nobleman with a large estate. No doubt, many peasants in the parish of Kristdala were aware of his strong influence and great power.
The Svinakula family ´s coat-of-arms held a picture of a red swine ´s head with a wide-open mouth with long fangs and a red tongue. Two memorial shields, with the coat-of-arms painted on coarse, woven cloth, are still kept in the parish church of Kristdala.. Perhaps Lyder and Henrik Svinakula helped to finance the building of the church, and as a result were buried there.