Meet the Middle Ages
BackNils Turesson Bielke and Ture Stensson Bielke
From the middle of the 14th century, the Bielke family was very influential in the parish of Mönsterås, and continued to be so for centuries. Nils Turesson Bielke lived at Kråkerum around 1350. He was a councillor of Öland as well as of central Småland. He was also a close friend of King Magnus Eriksson. Nils was an expert on law, and knew all about crime and punishment. Therefore he played an important part in the development of the common land-law and town-law which replaced the provincial laws in the 1350´s. Maybe these distinguished men, the King and the councillors, met at Kråkerum or Källarholmen when they wrote down the new laws.
Nils was married to Sigrid Håkansdotter. In the parishes of Mönsterås and Högsby, he owned around ten farms as well as several salmon-filled streams in the Emå River. He also owned land on Öland, in the parishes of Böda and Högby, but also in the parishes of Norra Möckleby and Mörbylånga. Many farmers were dependent on Nils Turesson Bielke and his decisions. He died in 1364.
Ture Stensson Bielke enlarged his estate at Kråkerum in the beginning of the 15th century. Nils Turesson was the brother of his grandfather. Ture Stensson managed to make most of his property in the parish of Mönsterås (60 or so) part of the estate at Kråkerum. Ture also owned property in the parishes of Ålem (about ten) and Högsby (about five). Probably, the peasants did not serve Ture Stensson of their own free will. No doubt the times were hard for the farmers of Mönsterås and Ålem at the beginning of the 15th century.
Ture was married twice – first to the daughter of Abraham Brodersson (Abraham Brodersson, bailiff at Kalmar Castle, see Möre), Birgitta Abrahamsdotter Tjurhuvud. Birgitta died in 1415 and Ture remarried. His new wife was called Margareta Eriksdotter. Ture and Birgitta had three children, two boys and a girl. Their daughter, Birgitta, eventually married King Karl Knutsson Bonde. Ture Stensson Bielke died in 1425.