Meet the Middle Ages
BackIsrael Birgersson
Israel Birgersson owned a whole group of estates in eastern Småland. His property consisted of a hundred or so farms in Stranda, Aspeland and Handbörd. During the first part of the 14th century he was by far the most important land-owner of the region. Most farmers here would have been more or less dependent on Sir Israel.
Israel was raised in one of the most distinguished noble families of the country. His father was Birger Petersson, Councillor of Närke. He had two sisters, Birgitta and Katarina. Birgitta was later to become St. Birgitta. Israel´s mother died early, and the children were raised by relatives.
Israel was knighted Sir Israel by King Magnus Eriksson in 1343. He became Councillor to the Crown, and one of the King´s nearest men.
From time to time, Israel would stay at his manor, Grönskog, in the parish of Fliseryd. He also owned ten or so farms in the parish of Fliseryd, about thirty farms in the parish of Döderhult and forty or so in the parish of Mönsterås. He owned many archipelago islands, such as Runnö, Vållö and Oknö. He also had property in Aspeland.
Israel was a law-councillor in Uppland and very good at laws and regulations. He was one of the men who helped to establish a common law for the entire country. He probably would have had gatherings either at Grönskog in the parish of Fliseryd or at Kronobäck in the parish of Mönsterås (perhaps Källarholmen) where learned men met to discuss the new laws. The law was completed in 1350.
King Magnus Eriksson appointed Sir Israel to take command of a second "crusade" to Novgorod in 1350. King Magnus had led the troops in 1348, when the Swedes tried to take control of trade in Novgorod. He totally failed to achieve this. Sir Israel assembled a new army , with many soldiers from the east of Småland, and went east. His sister, St. Birgitta, supported him. This battle, however, was also a failure. Sir Israel was killed, maybe in Riga or possibly in Viborg in 1351. At this time, Viborg was the eastern-most town in Sweden.
Sir Israel ´s son Peter Israelsson inherited the Grönskog manor in the parish of Fliseryd.
What would it have been like to be one of Sir Israel ´s tenant farmers? What was it like when Sir Israel gathered his troops in 1350 to go to Novgorod on a "crusade"?