"Eden för Hörja," 1677

[Kevin Casey]

Hej! On ancestry.com, several people have claimed that two förfäder of mine signed a document called "eden för Hörja," in 1677.

I understand that swearing an oath of allegiance to the King of Sweden was common then, but these ancestry.com trees provide little context, and I was hoping to learn more: was Hörja significant in any way, or only because this document has survived the years? My two ancestors were probably soldiers, but did they hold some special station that forced them to sign this?

The signatories were Kiersten Nilsson (c. 1602–c. 1689) and Joën Torkelsson Krum (died c. 1690).

A rough image of this document is attached, and part of a translation is below.

Tacksam för hjälp...

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"Eftersom hans Kongl. Maij. wor Allernaadigste Konning och Herre hafe afferdiget hit til Westre Göinge herret Riegs- och Cantzelior Raadet Baron Hög Welborne Her Johan Gyldenstierna att affhandla med almogen nogle Erender, som concenerar alles Sickerhedt, Fred och Roligheed. Da hafuer wii gemene Mand i Finnie och Hörrie Sogner, Indstillet oss efter skriftlig citation for hans Exellts. paa Hofdahla, att afbede alle wor forseelser imod Hans Kongl. Maijt. tilsige Sweriges Crone nu och her efter all huldskab, Troskab och Lydighed efter wor Eedsplicht och Lofe..."

[Kalle Birgersson]

Less than one year earlier, in august 1676, Hörja was the place where the danish king happend to be when he got the message that a part of his army was beaten. Because of that he stayed at Hörja for three days and with his 14.000 men he probably made a lot of destruction to the village. The winter and spring of 1677 was probably pretty tough for the villagers if the danish army took all of their supplies, and that oath was signed in april of that year. I guess that must have at least some significance.

[Kevin Casey]

Thank you, Kalle! Very interesting, and this gives me some additional facts to research.

Kevin