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Swedish Occupation: Saltpetersjudare: Difference between revisions
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Back to [[Sweden]]►<br> | Back to [[Sweden]]►<br> | ||
A Salpetersjudare collected urine soaked earth to assist with the production of saltpeter. | A Salpetersjudare collected urine soaked earth to assist with the production of saltpeter. | ||
Saltpeter was a key ingredient of black powder | Saltpeter was a key ingredient of black powder (the first gunpowder.) Firearms had been invented around 1400 and required the use of black powder. At the time of Gustav Vasa, the army turned increasingly to the use of firearms. These firearms were charged with powder, which contained 75% saltpeter. Since a high concentration of saltpeter was contained in the earth under the barns, this earth was declared to be royal property. All farmers (the priests made sure that no one was forgotten) had to supply its quota imposed to the nearest salpetersjudare -- it was called the saltpeter tax. | ||
In order to streamline and better control that all the manure soil was obtained during the war years of the "Stormaktstid", special salpetersjudare traveled around among the farming villages. They had the right to even break the stall floor if needed. Moveover, they were to be furnished with food and lodging by the farmer as long as the work was in progress. When they were finished, the farmers had to fill in the new earth themselves and make new floors in the barns. The farmers did not like this forceful practice which was repeated every five years. <br> | In order to streamline and better control that all the manure soil was obtained during the war years of the "Stormaktstid", special salpetersjudare traveled around among the farming villages. They had the right to even break the stall floor if needed. Moveover, they were to be furnished with food and lodging by the farmer as long as the work was in progress. When they were finished, the farmers had to fill in the new earth themselves and make new floors in the barns. The farmers did not like this forceful practice which was repeated every five years. <br> | ||