Mantal
Encyclopedia
Mantal has been an official measure of land in Finland
and in Sweden
.
The mantal is a measure of the wealth
of a farm
, not a simple unit of area
, as it depends on the productivity
of the land. It is an apportionment figure. A cameral measurement instrument of the wealth of the farm. According to Sjöström (2011, page 433) the essence is that the mantal figures of farms in one village show their share of the lands of the village.
A landed estate's share of the joint properties of a village (such as, water areas and undivided wasteland
and some specific things) is defined by its mantal figure.
The mantal was also used as a basis for taxation. A farm had to pay a fixed annual land tax and several other taxes (so-called auxiliary taxes and tithe
s = tenth taxes).
Sjöström 2011 page 433 advances an explanation that one mantal meant, in perspective of late-medieval and early-modern government, originally one warrior
who was provided by group of farmers. One mantal thusly represented a group of farms which provided one mounted warrior, his horse
and equipment. according to Sjöström, the governments in those days viewed the country and its revenues a a means to provide armed troops, rather than viewing the country in terms of a population to be fed. Another explanation of "mantal" is that of one man cultivating a plot to feed his nuclear family
("one mantal would be a farm which supports a single family"), but Sjöström 2011 page 433 argues against that idea, citing examples of bunches of farms of about 0.05 mantal which each fed satisfactorily one household
(one nuclear family or even a few more persons than merely a nuclear family).
Kiesi however reports that mantal was unit that describes how many men there was in the household - i.e, if a family cultivating a farm had two adult brothers, then the farm was 2 mantal.
Sjöström 2011 page 433 reports that hectarages of estates of one mantal, were around 500-1000 hectares in some regions of Finland and was rather considered a manor
, not merely one farm. According to Kiesi, a farm of one mantal was a big farm.
Kiesi reports about hectares of farms: ....was totally depending on what kind of land the farm owned. In northern Finland one mantal farms were huge compared with southern Finland's more fertile one mantal farms.
According to Sjöström 2011 page 433, the one warrior model (as opposed to one cultivator
feeding his family) is more meaningful from the perspective of governments of those ages.
Mantal figures were assigned to real estate
in Finland and Sweden in the early 1500s.
In the late 1600s, mantal figures were drastically adjusted throughout Finland, to so-called new mantals. It was based on production valuation. Since that, mantal figures have been fixed in Sweden and Finland. Of course, when a farm with its mantal figure was divided, its mantals also were divided so the sum of the mantals of the new farms was equal to the mantal figure of the original farm of c1720.
Already in 1600s, most farms had mantal figure which was merely a fraction of one. Divisions in the 1800s and 1900s led to very small fractions.
Since about 1720, land records of Finland generally contain information as follows: every independent farm was put in the records, its jurisdictional district, parish
, village
, and number of the farm in village, number of households in the farm, the old mantal figure, the new mantal figure, one of three natures of land, and mention of the designation of the farm's taxes use.
In the 1900s, land natures and mantal figures were no longer relevant for everyday uses, because taxation has been changed so crown land
taxes ceased to exist and the government started to draw revenue from income tax
es.
Today, mantal figures are used merely in connection to some rural obligations and rights, whereas usually the size of farms in Finland is nowadays reported in hectares. Since 1997 in Finland, land surveying actions no longer calculate mantal figure for new divisions of estates.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and in 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....
.
The mantal is a measure of the wealth
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
of a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
, not a simple unit of area
Area
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
, as it depends on the productivity
Productivity
Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of production. Productivity is a ratio of what is produced to what is required to produce it. Usually this ratio is in the form of an average, expressing the total output divided by the total input...
of the land. It is an apportionment figure. A cameral measurement instrument of the wealth of the farm. According to Sjöström (2011, page 433) the essence is that the mantal figures of farms in one village show their share of the lands of the village.
A landed estate's share of the joint properties of a village (such as, water areas and undivided wasteland
Wasteland
-Literature:* Wasteland , the Celtic motif of the land of the Fisher King* The Waste Land, a poem by T. S. Eliot* The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands, a novel by Stephen King* Wasteland , a novel by Francesca Lia Block...
and some specific things) is defined by its mantal figure.
The mantal was also used as a basis for taxation. A farm had to pay a fixed annual land tax and several other taxes (so-called auxiliary taxes and tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s = tenth taxes).
Sjöström 2011 page 433 advances an explanation that one mantal meant, in perspective of late-medieval and early-modern government, originally one warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
who was provided by group of farmers. One mantal thusly represented a group of farms which provided one mounted warrior, his horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
and equipment. according to Sjöström, the governments in those days viewed the country and its revenues a a means to provide armed troops, rather than viewing the country in terms of a population to be fed. Another explanation of "mantal" is that of one man cultivating a plot to feed his nuclear family
Nuclear family
Nuclear family is a term used to define a family group consisting of a father and mother and their children. This is in contrast to the smaller single-parent family, and to the larger extended family. Nuclear families typically center on a married couple, but not always; the nuclear family may have...
("one mantal would be a farm which supports a single family"), but Sjöström 2011 page 433 argues against that idea, citing examples of bunches of farms of about 0.05 mantal which each fed satisfactorily one household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
(one nuclear family or even a few more persons than merely a nuclear family).
Kiesi however reports that mantal was unit that describes how many men there was in the household - i.e, if a family cultivating a farm had two adult brothers, then the farm was 2 mantal.
Sjöström 2011 page 433 reports that hectarages of estates of one mantal, were around 500-1000 hectares in some regions of Finland and was rather considered a manor
Manor
-Land tenure:*Manor, an estate in land of the mediaeval era in England*Manorialism, a system of land tenure and organization of the rural economy and society in parts of medieval Europe based on the manor*Manor house, the principal house of a manor...
, not merely one farm. According to Kiesi, a farm of one mantal was a big farm.
Kiesi reports about hectares of farms: ....was totally depending on what kind of land the farm owned. In northern Finland one mantal farms were huge compared with southern Finland's more fertile one mantal farms.
According to Sjöström 2011 page 433, the one warrior model (as opposed to one cultivator
Cultivator
A cultivator is any of several types of farm implement used for secondary tillage. One sense of the name refers to frames with teeth that pierce the soil as they are dragged through it linearly. Another sense refers to machines that use rotary motion of disks or teeth to accomplish a similar result...
feeding his family) is more meaningful from the perspective of governments of those ages.
Mantal figures were assigned to real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
in Finland and Sweden in the early 1500s.
In the late 1600s, mantal figures were drastically adjusted throughout Finland, to so-called new mantals. It was based on production valuation. Since that, mantal figures have been fixed in Sweden and Finland. Of course, when a farm with its mantal figure was divided, its mantals also were divided so the sum of the mantals of the new farms was equal to the mantal figure of the original farm of c1720.
Already in 1600s, most farms had mantal figure which was merely a fraction of one. Divisions in the 1800s and 1900s led to very small fractions.
Since about 1720, land records of Finland generally contain information as follows: every independent farm was put in the records, its jurisdictional district, parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, and number of the farm in village, number of households in the farm, the old mantal figure, the new mantal figure, one of three natures of land, and mention of the designation of the farm's taxes use.
In the 1900s, land natures and mantal figures were no longer relevant for everyday uses, because taxation has been changed so crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
taxes ceased to exist and the government started to draw revenue from income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
es.
Today, mantal figures are used merely in connection to some rural obligations and rights, whereas usually the size of farms in Finland is nowadays reported in hectares. Since 1997 in Finland, land surveying actions no longer calculate mantal figure for new divisions of estates.
Sources
- Sjöström (2011), "Medieval landed inheritances of the Junkar and Vilken lineages of Vehkalahti, Finland", Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, vol 3 issue 5 (January 2011), pp 425-461
- Kari Alofrosti's material