Anders Winroth
@winroth.bsky.social
Professor of Medieval History, University of Oslo. Interested in cultural, intellectual, religious, and legal history, vikings, early Rus/Ukraine, manuscripts, medieval world history. President of the Institute of Medieval Canon Law. #medievalcanonlaw
I once put a boom box on my shoulder because I had seen it done by people who seemed happy. I thought it was exceedingly silly and never did it again. So: 0. CDs? I did LPs! I still play CDs (and use the Britannica in my book case).
November 8, 2025 at 7:55 AM
I once put a boom box on my shoulder because I had seen it done by people who seemed happy. I thought it was exceedingly silly and never did it again. So: 0. CDs? I did LPs! I still play CDs (and use the Britannica in my book case).
Good to know! But Hamlet was first published in 1603. I know you do not have that edition, but still...
November 8, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Good to know! But Hamlet was first published in 1603. I know you do not have that edition, but still...
From Haakon Schetelig?
November 7, 2025 at 6:19 AM
From Haakon Schetelig?
PS. First page of the article, to give due credit to my co-conspirators Torsten Berglund och Stefan Jernberg. If you are interested in reading it (in Swedish), either buy the issue from www.genealogi.net/produkter-oc... or message me with an email address. 13/12
November 4, 2025 at 1:38 PM
PS. First page of the article, to give due credit to my co-conspirators Torsten Berglund och Stefan Jernberg. If you are interested in reading it (in Swedish), either buy the issue from www.genealogi.net/produkter-oc... or message me with an email address. 13/12
We published this in a Swedish genealogical journal Släkt och Hävd, which honored us with including one of our photos on the cover. Jöns Svinshuvud was among the people who exploited the rich copper veins at modern Falun in Sweden, and who made a fortune on mining and refining the metal. 12/12
November 4, 2025 at 1:31 PM
We published this in a Swedish genealogical journal Släkt och Hävd, which honored us with including one of our photos on the cover. Jöns Svinshuvud was among the people who exploited the rich copper veins at modern Falun in Sweden, and who made a fortune on mining and refining the metal. 12/12
Clearly several men who issued the discarded letter. Those names include: "Jønis Swinshuwud", very clearly written. Turns out that our guess from 2008 must have been correct. Or at least, here is very good evidence of what his name in fact was. Removes any doubts that he was the first ancestor. 11/
November 4, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Clearly several men who issued the discarded letter. Those names include: "Jønis Swinshuwud", very clearly written. Turns out that our guess from 2008 must have been correct. Or at least, here is very good evidence of what his name in fact was. Removes any doubts that he was the first ancestor. 11/
Did you notice that the parchment strips holding the seals contain scribbles? Here is a clearer image. "...en som thetta breff høra elle se..." (...who hear or see this letter...), clearly the beginning of a discarded letter, reused as strips for the seals. The other strips contain several names.
November 4, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Did you notice that the parchment strips holding the seals contain scribbles? Here is a clearer image. "...en som thetta breff høra elle se..." (...who hear or see this letter...), clearly the beginning of a discarded letter, reused as strips for the seals. The other strips contain several names.
We have always worried that we were wrong about our guess that the letter of 1386 originally read Swinshuvoth, but new evidence has now turned up in an unexpected place, the local library in Linköping Sweden. A parchment letter from 1382 stored there was recently edited in Diplomatarium Suecanum.
9/
9/
November 4, 2025 at 1:16 PM
We have always worried that we were wrong about our guess that the letter of 1386 originally read Swinshuvoth, but new evidence has now turned up in an unexpected place, the local library in Linköping Sweden. A parchment letter from 1382 stored there was recently edited in Diplomatarium Suecanum.
9/
9/
The name "Svinhufvud", however spelled, is rather strange. It means "hog's head". Later family members used head of what must be a wild boar in their coat of arms. Here it is in a stained glass window from the local church in Torsång (now in the Historical museum, Stockholm). 8/
November 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The name "Svinhufvud", however spelled, is rather strange. It means "hog's head". Later family members used head of what must be a wild boar in their coat of arms. Here it is in a stained glass window from the local church in Torsång (now in the Historical museum, Stockholm). 8/
Which would mean that the name as originally written in the letter from 1386 would be "Swinshwoth". The second w then records a vocalic u followed by a consonant v: "Swinshuvoth", which makes sense as a medieval Swedish spelling of Svinhufvud. We published this idea in 2008. 7/
November 4, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Which would mean that the name as originally written in the letter from 1386 would be "Swinshwoth". The second w then records a vocalic u followed by a consonant v: "Swinshuvoth", which makes sense as a medieval Swedish spelling of Svinhufvud. We published this idea in 2008. 7/
In fact, if we go back to the second w on the UV image, that hook is less clear and seems to be a little to the right. Now compare that to the combination "th" in this "bwrith" (also using w for vocalic u!). And note that there is something very unclear under the second w on the UV. Perhaps "th"? 6/
November 4, 2025 at 1:01 PM
In fact, if we go back to the second w on the UV image, that hook is less clear and seems to be a little to the right. Now compare that to the combination "th" in this "bwrith" (also using w for vocalic u!). And note that there is something very unclear under the second w on the UV. Perhaps "th"? 6/
Comparing to letters elsewhere, here are the words "skoghom watnom" ("forests, waters" in dative, describing appurtenances to the manor). We see that hook or bow above the w! So this suggests that the w's in the "improved" texts might in fact be w's. But look at the h to the left! Same hook! 5/
November 4, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Comparing to letters elsewhere, here are the words "skoghom watnom" ("forests, waters" in dative, describing appurtenances to the manor). We see that hook or bow above the w! So this suggests that the w's in the "improved" texts might in fact be w's. But look at the h to the left! Same hook! 5/
The letter from 1386 is still in private ownership, so a group of genealogists were able to borrow it from the Stora Enso archives and have it photographed with various tools. Here is the mysterious passage under ultraviolet light. We can just see two bows to the left over the w's. 4/
November 4, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The letter from 1386 is still in private ownership, so a group of genealogists were able to borrow it from the Stora Enso archives and have it photographed with various tools. Here is the mysterious passage under ultraviolet light. We can just see two bows to the left over the w's. 4/
The most famous member of the Svinhufvud families is probably Pehr Evind (Pekka) Svinhufvud, who was the president of Finland 1931-1937. As a young local judge when Finland was governed by tsarist Russia, he was sent to Sibera for two years because he refused to follow an unlawful order. 3/
November 4, 2025 at 12:50 PM
The most famous member of the Svinhufvud families is probably Pehr Evind (Pekka) Svinhufvud, who was the president of Finland 1931-1937. As a young local judge when Finland was governed by tsarist Russia, he was sent to Sibera for two years because he refused to follow an unlawful order. 3/
"Swinshwow" does not work in 14th-century Swedish and cannot be correct. If we zoom in on that corner, it is quite clear that the letters of the buyer's name have been filled in afterwards and not correctly. We also notice how surrounding letters that have not been filled in are quite pale. 2/
November 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
"Swinshwow" does not work in 14th-century Swedish and cannot be correct. If we zoom in on that corner, it is quite clear that the letters of the buyer's name have been filled in afterwards and not correctly. We also notice how surrounding letters that have not been filled in are quite pale. 2/
You would, alas, not be first:https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Raming. (Her dissertation is really good, btw.)
October 28, 2025 at 6:33 PM
You would, alas, not be first:https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Raming. (Her dissertation is really good, btw.)
Isn't it in Västmanland, on the king's way to Uppland? It is a remarkable place with a huge runestone (where the name Anund appears), several smaller mounds, ship settings, prehistoric roads.
September 27, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Isn't it in Västmanland, on the king's way to Uppland? It is a remarkable place with a huge runestone (where the name Anund appears), several smaller mounds, ship settings, prehistoric roads.
You know Norwegian postal services no longer deliver packages to the US? But I'll get you a pdf.
August 29, 2025 at 5:16 AM
You know Norwegian postal services no longer deliver packages to the US? But I'll get you a pdf.