Slottslän

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 folowing Axel Oxenstierna's land reform and replaced with counties.^[2]

Slottsläns in Sweden

Slottsläns in Finland.

Slottslän	Administrative centre	Modern region
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
Karlsborgs län	Karlsborg Fortress	Västra Götalands 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	Established	Disestablished	Modern region
Porvoon linnalääni (Borgå län)	Porvoon kuninkaankartano	1523	1619	Eastern Uusimaa.
Kastelholman linnalääni (Kastelholms län)	Kastelholm Castle	1388	1634	Åland Islands
Korsholman linnalääni (Korsholms län)	Korsholma Castle	1384	1634	Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Lapland
Kokemäenkartanon linnalääni (Kumogårds län)	Kokemäki Castle, Kokemäenkartano, Porin kuninkaankartano	1331	1634	Satakunta, Pirkanmaa
Savonlinnan linnalääni (Nyslotts län)	Olavinlinna Castle	1475	1634	Northern Savonia, Southern Savonia
Raaseporin linnalääni (Raseborgs län)	Raseborg Castle		1634	Uusimaa
Hämeenlinnan linnalääni (Tavastehus län)	Häme Castle		1634	Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia, Central Finland
Viipurin linnalääni (Viborgs län)	Vyborg Castle	1293	1634	South Karelia, Kymenlaakso
Turun linnalääni (Åbo län)	Turku Castle		1634	Southwest Finland

References

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