Estrid Sigfastsdotter - 1000-1080 - Stockholm, Sweden - Timelines on Waymarking.com

This timeline is located in the Viking Museum in Stockholm, a fantastic place to visit that includes lots of interesting exhibits in both English and Swedish and even a ride.

The exhibit on Estrid has a mannequin of her, a timeline of her life, and interpretive signs.

"This is Estrid Sigfastsdotter, one of the most powerful women in 11th century Taby and Vallentuna, north of Stockholm. Thanks to the fact that Estrid and her family raised many runestones and that archaeologists have found her grave, we are able to know quite a lot about her life.

An Unusual Grave
At an excavation site for a bridge in 1995 archaeologists made an exciting discovery: they found a well-reserved skeleton from an old woman. She had been buried according to Christian customs, not burned and with her head pointing toward the west. The skeleton showed signs of several pregnancies and births.

Near the skeleton's feet was a small wooden box that contained a few coins and weights for a balancing scale. The objects were connected to trade, which indicates that this was a woman of power. These finds, together with the age of the woman and the location of the grave made the archaeologist quickly draw the conclusion that these were the remains of Estrid, a powerful woman who is mentioned on several runestones in the area. he fact that a 1000 year old grave can be identified with a named individual is quite unusual.

The Runestones Tells Stories
Raising runestones was something that mainly engaged the Christian elite. Estrid let raise several runestones herself and her name is mentioned on quite a few more. Thanks to these runestones we can follow Estrid over the years.
Estrid is born into a rich home in Snattsta, in present-day Vallentuna, north of Stockholm. The first Christian king, Olof Skotkunug, started ruling 995 A. C. and the name of his queen was Estrid. Perhaps our Estrid was named after her.
As a teenager Estrid marries Osten. Shortly after their wedding, Estrid gives birth to a son; Gag. but Gag dies before his tenth birthday. Estrid and Osten raise a runestone to honour their son.

Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
To go on a pilgrimage was uncommon for people during the Viking Age, but Osten and Estrid belonged to a Christian elite. So, a few years into their marriage Osten, and perhaps also Estrid, makes the journey to Jerusalem. Unfortunately, Osten dies along the way. Estrid and her sons dedicate several runestones, a bridge, and a mound in honour of Osten.

A Second Marriage
After Osten's death, Estrid marries Ingvar from Harg, close to Sigtuna. Sigtuna is the city of the Christian King Olof Skotkonung and Ingvar is part of the same upper class as Estrid.
Estrid and Ingvar get several sons and presumably also daughters even though they are never mentioned on runestones.

The Jarlabanke Family
Estrid later has a grandson named Jarlabnake. He becomes powerful and raises several runestones to honor himself, while still alive. The inscriptions boasted that he was the sole owner of Taby. It is hard to know exactly what the word "own" reverred to, and what was included in the geographical area, but Jarlananke was without a doubt a mighty farm owner and chieftan. Thanks to Jarlananke's family's habit of raising runestones we can name 18 people and draw a family tree of four generations; a grand family that Estrid was the head of.

The Aging Estrid
the runestones tell us that Estrid outlives her second husband too and at least wo of her sons. In old age she moves back to Taby; to her children and grand children.
Many years, several runestones, a broken arm and a tooth infection later, Estrid dies. As far as we know she does not get a runestone raised in her memory. but, in a guestbook in the monestary in Reichenau the names Sven, Osten, and Estrid are written. Maybe, Sven went there to honour the memory of his parents?"

Admission fee? (Include URL/link in Long Description to website that gives the current fee): yes

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