Hovdala Castle's enduring history from the 12th century

Hovdala Castle, situated in Hässleholm Municipality in southern Sweden, is a historic site with a long lineage. Although its oldest visible parts date from the early 16th century, the original construction dates back to at least the early 12th century. The castle was first mentioned in 1130, long before the buildings seen today were mainly constructed. To understand its history, one must look at the many owners who lived through the turbulent changes of the region.

The estate was owned by the squire Magnus Rabek sometime before the Black Death and belonged to Klement Skaldra during the early 15th century. At the end of the 15th century, it passed to the Laxmand family, who erected the oldest of the presently visible buildings. It later passed to the Grubbe family, including Sigvard Grubbe, an educated man who stood close to the king, Christian IV of Denmark. During his ownership, the castle was besieged twice by Swedish troops during the Kalmar War, but the castle withstood both sieges.

In 1651, Jens Mikkelsen (Michelsen), an officer in the Danish army, became the owner. Following the conquest of Scania by Sweden in 1658, he became a Swedish subject. During the Scanian War of 1676-1679, Mikkelsen reported Swedish troop movements to the Danish Army Camp outside Malmö and denounced the cruel methods of the Swedish commander Johan Gyllenstjerna. Despite this, pro-Danish guerilla fighters assaulted, pillaged, and burnt the castle on 7 August 1678. Mikkelsen survived and was later ennobled by the Swedish king as Ehrenborg. The castle stayed in the Ehrenborg family until 1944, when it was expropriated by the Swedish state.

Today, the castle is a historic landmark where the main rooms of the former living quarters have been restored and are open to the public. Visitors can tour the library and experience an environment representing the upper middle classes of the era. The surrounding land now includes a nature reserve that provides a habitat for 18 of Sweden's 19 bat species.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons