Estrid
Encyclopedia
Estrid was a rich and powerful 11th century Swedish woman whose long family saga
has been recorded on five or six runestones in Uppland
, Sweden
. This Estrid was the maternal grandmother of the chieftain Jarlabanke of the Jarlabanke clan
. The family were rich landowners and belonged to the higher echelons of Swedish society, and she was probably named after Estrid of the Obotrites
, who was the queen of Sweden, and the consort of Olof Skötkonung, at the time Estrid was born. Her family saga has been the centre of a dramatisation at the Stockholm County Museum
.
It is safe to assume that five of the 11 runestones that mention an Estrid in eastern Svealand
refer to this Estrid because of the locations of the runestones and the people who are mentioned on them.
A sixth runestone, U 329, deals with an Estrid who is only mentioned as the sister of a Ragnfast and a Gyrid. This Ragnfast appears on the Hillersjö stone and the Snottsta and Vreta stones
as the husband of Inga
and the son-in-law of Gerlög
. Since Fot, the runemaster
of U 329, also made runestones for the Jarlabanke clan, and Gerlög and Inga also belonged to the same regional elite, it is probable that U 329 refers to the same Estrid as the five other runestones. This would mean that Estrid was born in Snottsta (also spelled Snåttsta) as the daughter of the rich landowner Sigfast.
The Broby bro Runestones
tell that Estrid and her husband Östen had a son by the name Gag, who died while Östen still was alive, and three other sons named Ingefast, Östen and Sven. The runestones further tell that a barrow and a bridge were built and that two of the runestones were raised by the brothers Ingefast, Östen and Sven in memory of their father Östen, who had fought in Jerusalem and died in the Byzantine Empire
.
The story of her life is continued on the Hargs bro runic inscriptions
, where we learn that Estrid had married a man named Ingvar, and this Ingvar had a son prior to marrying Estrid whose name was Ragnvald
. It also appears that Estrid and Ingvar had three sons named Sigvid, Ingvar and Jarlabanke. We further learn that Estrid had a bridge constructed, which apparently was a tradition in her family.
She appears to have become quite old and moved back to Täby where she had family, because the last chapter of her life is documented on two runestones in south-western Täby
. They tell that Estrid cleared a road and built bridges together with her grandson Jarlabanke
(by her son Ingefast) and his family, and she dedicated the constructions to her sons Ingvar (her son with Ragnvald at Harg) and Ingefast (her son with Östen at Broby bro).
When Stockholm County Museum made an archaeological excavation at Broby bro, in 1995, they found three graves. The three were buried in Christian manner, i.e. with the head towards the west, they were not burned and there were few gifts. Some coins that were found helped to date the graves to the 11th century. One of the graves was located just beside Östen's barrow and it was for a rich and very old woman. The buried woman was probably Estrid.
Norse saga
The sagas are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, the battles that took place during the voyages, about migration to Iceland and of feuds between Icelandic families...
has been recorded on five or six runestones in Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. This Estrid was the maternal grandmother of the chieftain Jarlabanke of the Jarlabanke clan
Jarlabanke Runestones
The Jarlabanke Runestones is the name of c. 20 runestones written in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark in 11th century, Uppland, Sweden.They were ordered in the by what appears to have been a chieftain named Jarlabanke Ingefastsson and his clan , in Täby...
. The family were rich landowners and belonged to the higher echelons of Swedish society, and she was probably named after Estrid of the Obotrites
Estrid of the Obotrites
Estrid of the Obotrites was a Medieval and Viking age Swedish Queen consort and West Slavic Princess, married to Olof Skötkonung, the King of Sweden, ca...
, who was the queen of Sweden, and the consort of Olof Skötkonung, at the time Estrid was born. Her family saga has been the centre of a dramatisation at the Stockholm County Museum
Stockholm County Museum
Stockholm County Museum is a museum covering the history of Stockholm County in central-eastern Sweden except central Stockholm ....
.
It is safe to assume that five of the 11 runestones that mention an Estrid in eastern Svealand
Svealand
Svealand , Swealand or Sweden proper is the historical core region of Sweden. It is located in south central Sweden and is one of three lands of Sweden, bounded to the north by Norrland and to the south by Götaland. Deep forests, Tiveden, Tylöskog, Kolmården, separated Svealand from Götaland...
refer to this Estrid because of the locations of the runestones and the people who are mentioned on them.
A sixth runestone, U 329, deals with an Estrid who is only mentioned as the sister of a Ragnfast and a Gyrid. This Ragnfast appears on the Hillersjö stone and the Snottsta and Vreta stones
Snottsta and Vreta stones
The Snottsta and Vreta stones are individual runestones known as U 329, U 330, U 331 and U 332. They are found on the homesteads of Snottsta and Vreta, and they tell in Old Norse with the younger futhark about the family story of Gerlög and Inga in 11th century Uppland, Sweden, together with the...
as the husband of Inga
Gerlög and Inga
Gerlög or Geirlaug and her daughter Inga were two powerful and rich women in 11th century Uppland, Sweden. Gerlög and Inga had their dramatic and tragic family saga documented for posterity on several runestones...
and the son-in-law of Gerlög
Gerlög and Inga
Gerlög or Geirlaug and her daughter Inga were two powerful and rich women in 11th century Uppland, Sweden. Gerlög and Inga had their dramatic and tragic family saga documented for posterity on several runestones...
. Since Fot, the runemaster
Runemaster
A runemaster or runecarver is a specialist in making runestones.Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to be a...
of U 329, also made runestones for the Jarlabanke clan, and Gerlög and Inga also belonged to the same regional elite, it is probable that U 329 refers to the same Estrid as the five other runestones. This would mean that Estrid was born in Snottsta (also spelled Snåttsta) as the daughter of the rich landowner Sigfast.
The Broby bro Runestones
Broby bro Runestones
At Broby bro in Uppland, Sweden there are six runestones. U 139, U 140 and U 151 still stand by the road, but U 135, U 136 and U 137 have been moved a distance away from the road....
tell that Estrid and her husband Östen had a son by the name Gag, who died while Östen still was alive, and three other sons named Ingefast, Östen and Sven. The runestones further tell that a barrow and a bridge were built and that two of the runestones were raised by the brothers Ingefast, Östen and Sven in memory of their father Östen, who had fought in Jerusalem and died in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
The story of her life is continued on the Hargs bro runic inscriptions
Hargs bro runic inscriptions
The Hargs bro runic inscriptions, or U 309, U 310 and U 311, are 11th century Younger Futhark inscriptions in Old Norse on bedrock in Skånela Parish, Uppland, Sweden....
, where we learn that Estrid had married a man named Ingvar, and this Ingvar had a son prior to marrying Estrid whose name was Ragnvald
Ragnvald Ingvarsson
Ragnvaldr was a captain of the Varangian Guard in the first half of the 11th century. He may appear on several runestones, some of which suggest that he was the son of an Ingvar connecting him to the Jarlabanke clan....
. It also appears that Estrid and Ingvar had three sons named Sigvid, Ingvar and Jarlabanke. We further learn that Estrid had a bridge constructed, which apparently was a tradition in her family.
She appears to have become quite old and moved back to Täby where she had family, because the last chapter of her life is documented on two runestones in south-western Täby
Uppland Rune Inscriptions 101, 143 and 147
The runestones known as U 101, U 143 and U 147, are located in south-western Täby, in the parishes of Sollentuna and Täby, in Uppland, Sweden. They are all in the style Pr4 and thus dated to the period 1060-1100 during which they were carved in connection with the construction of a road from Hagby...
. They tell that Estrid cleared a road and built bridges together with her grandson Jarlabanke
Jarlabanke Runestones
The Jarlabanke Runestones is the name of c. 20 runestones written in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark in 11th century, Uppland, Sweden.They were ordered in the by what appears to have been a chieftain named Jarlabanke Ingefastsson and his clan , in Täby...
(by her son Ingefast) and his family, and she dedicated the constructions to her sons Ingvar (her son with Ragnvald at Harg) and Ingefast (her son with Östen at Broby bro).
When Stockholm County Museum made an archaeological excavation at Broby bro, in 1995, they found three graves. The three were buried in Christian manner, i.e. with the head towards the west, they were not burned and there were few gifts. Some coins that were found helped to date the graves to the 11th century. One of the graves was located just beside Östen's barrow and it was for a rich and very old woman. The buried woman was probably Estrid.
Sources and external links
- RundataRundataThe Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base is a project involving the creation and maintenance of a database of runic inscriptions. The project's goal is to comprehensively catalog runestones in a machine-readable way for future research...
- Inga och Estrid — en såpa för tusen år sedan: Människor, händelser och platser i Ingas och Estrids liv, Människor, händelser och platser i Ingas och Estrids liv, Stockholm County Museum.
- Gerlögs berättelse — fakta och fiktion, Stockholm County Museum.
- Inga & Estrid — en såpa för tusen år sedan, Stockholm County Museum.
- Inga & Estrid — en såpa för tusen år sedan: Kan detta vara Estrid?, Stockholm County Museum.