My ancestors came to America from Denmark and Sweden from 1867 to 1909. For the most part my family has been peasant farmers or factory laborers as far back as can be determined. There is one great exception, however. That was when my 10-greats grandfather, Carl Jönsson, saved the life of the king of Sweden in battle. Carl Jönsson then became Carl Sabelskjöld, was granted the estate Bråhult in Kristdala parish, in Småland, and knighted as a noble freeman in the court of Gustav II Adolf (Gustavus Adolphus). You can see the Sabelskjöld family coat of arms here.  His second marriage was to Ingeborg Börjesdotter Rosenstråle. She was a rich girl descended from the oldest noble and royal houses of Scandinavia. She is my link to the old nobility.  Carl and Ingeborg are buried in Blacksta Church, Södermanland, Sweden, near his childhood home. Their gravestone is pictured here.

Among Ingeborg's ancestors are:

1. King Knut II, the Holy. He was king of Denmark from 1080 - 1086. He was descended from Gorm den Gamle and the legendary kings of the Saga of the Skjöldungs.

2. Olof Skötkonung, king of Sweden at the turn of the millenium.

3. Stenkil Ragnvaldsson, king of Sweden 1061-1066.

4. Sverker the Elder, king of Sweden 1130-1156.

5. Harald IV Gille, king of Norway 1130-1136. Descended from the kings of Snorri Sturlusson's Heimskringla.

6. Birger jarl, regent of Sweden for his son Valdemar from 1250-1266. Founder of Stockholm.

7. Charlemagne, First of the Holy Roman Emperors, crowned in the year 800.

There are other notables, but these are my favorites. There is also a controversial link to Valdemar the Great of Denmark, Erik the Saint Jedvarsson, and Harold II Godwinsson. These are a bit on the fringe, however, and I will not deal with them here.

Without any further ado, I invite you to examine my ahnentafel. Enjoy!

These are some of my favorite places to visit, genealogically speaking...

I have source documentation for everything. Please e-mail me for specifics: gary@garyjacobson.org

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