Slottslän

A slottslän (Finnish: linnalääni) was an administrative division in Sweden and Finland (formerly part of Sweden) from late 13th century to 1634. The term slottslän can be translated as "castle fief". Although the word "län" literally means fief, in Sweden it is translated as "county" and in Finland as "province".

Slottsläns were established by Birger Jarl and King Magnus III of Sweden to replace the old Ledung system. It was replaced with the taxation of farming and agriculture.[1] Taxes were paid to the castle or manor which was the administrative centre of the slottslän. The slottsläns were disbanded in 1634 following Axel Oxenstierna's land reform and replaced with counties.[2]

Slottsläns in Sweden

slottslän	administrative centre	modern region(s)
Axevalla län	Axevalla hus	Västra Götalands län
Dalaborgs län	Dalaborg Castle	Västra Götalands län
Ekholms län	Ekholm Castle	Västra Götalands län
Gullbergs län	Gullbergs hus	Västra Götalands län
Hofs län		Östergötlands län
Lindholmens län	Borgen Lindholmen	Västra Götalands län
Lödöse län	Lödösehus	Västra Götalands län
Olsborgs län	Olsborg Castle	Västra Götalands län
Openstens län	Opensten Castle	Västra Götalands län
Orreholmens län	Orreholmens kungsgård	Västra Götalands län
Ringstaholms län		Östergötlands län
Stegeborgs län		Östergötlands län
Stynaborgs län	Stynaborg Castle	Västra Götalands län
Telgehus län	Telge hus	Södermanlands län
Vadstena län	Vadstena Castle	Stockholms län, Östergötlands län
Älvsborgs län	Älvsborg Castle	Västra Götalands län

Slottsläns in Finland

	slottslän Swedish name	administrative centre	est.	disest.	modern region(s)
	Porvoon linnalääni Borgå län	Porvoo	1523	1619	Uusimaa, eastern half without northern part of Hyvinkää from Kymenlaakso: southwestern part of Kouvola
	Kastelholman linnalääni Kastelholms län	Kastelholm Castle	1388	1634	Åland
	Korsholman linnalääni Korsholms län	Korsholm Castle	1384	1634	Central Ostrobothnia Kainuu Northern Ostrobothnia Coastal Ostrobothnia without Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Kristinestad and Närpes Southern Ostrobothnia without Isojoki, Karijoki, Soini and Ähtäri Lapland, southernmost part
	Kokemäenkartanon linnalääni Kumogårds län	Kokemäki Castle  Kokemäenkartano Pori	1331	1634	Satakunta without Eura, Rauma and southern part of Eurajoki Pirkanmaa without Akaa, Pälkäne, Urjala and Valkeakoski from Coastal Ostrobothnia: Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Kristinestad and Närpes from Southern Ostrobothnia: Isojoki, Karijoki, Soini and Ähtäri from Finland Proper: Loimaa, Oripää and northern part of Pöytyä from Central Finland: Keuruu and Multia
	Savonlinnan linnalääni Nyslotts län	Olavinlinna Castle	1475	1634	Southern Savonia without Pertunmaa and southern part of Mäntyharju Northern Savonia without Kaavi, Keitele, Rautalampi, Rautavaara, Vesanto and easternmost part of Kuopio
	Raaseporin linnalääni Raseborgs län	Raseborg Castle		1634	Uusimaa, western half without Karkkila and Vihti
	Hämeenlinnan linnalääni Tavastehus län	Tavastia Castle		1634	Tavastia Proper Päijänne Tavastia Central Finland without Keuruu and Multia from Northern Savonia: Keitele, Rautalampi and Vesanto from Uusimaa: Karkkila, Vihti and northern part of Hyvinkää from Southern Savonia: Pertunmaa and southwestern part of Mäntyharju from Finland Proper: Loimaa from Kymenlaakso: northwestern part of Kouvola
	Viipurin linnalääni Viborgs län	Vyborg Castle	1293	1634	Southern Karelia without Parikkala Kymenlaakso without western half of Kouvola from Southern Savonia: southern parts of Mikkeli and Mäntyharju from Leningrad Region, Russia: Vyborg District from Saint Petersburg, Russia: almost the whole Kurortny District
	Turun linnalääni Åbo län	Turku Castle		1634	Finland Proper without Loimaa, Oripää, Somero and northern part of Pöytyä from Satakunta: Eura, Rauma and southern part of Eurajoki

References

1. History of Swedish Counties Retrieved 18 September 2013.
2. Swedish Civil Jurisdictions for Family History Research Retrieved 18 September 2013.