Hakoinen Castle

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Hakoinen Castle (Hakoisten linnavuori in Finnish) are the ruins of a fortification on a hill in Janakkala, Finland. Dated medieval, the fortification was situated on a very steep rock by lake Kernaala (Kernaalanjärvi) reminiscent of a hill fort tradition. The top of the rock is 63 meters above the water level in the lake. Today very little remains of the castle. Equally little is known about its origins. One postulation is that it was built by the Swedes as their original stronghold in the medieval Häme area.

Hakoinen Castle rock in August, 2005.

The name of the castle is unhistorical and taken from the close Hakoinen mansion (Haga gård in Swedish). The original name is not known, but it may have been "Häme Castle" which today is used about a later castle nearby.

The castle was probably built at the end of the 13th century. During the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars, it was attacked by invading Russian forces in 1311 as described in the Novgorod Chronicle:^[1]

"The men of Novgorod went in war over sea to the country of the Germans (Swedes), against the Finnish (Yem) people -- And the Germans fell back into the citadel. For the place was very strong and firm, on a high rock, not having access from any side. And they sent with greeting, asking for peace, but the men of Novgorod did not grant peace, and they stood three days and three nights wasting the district."

Hakoinen castle was probably mostly abandoned after the war, and Häme Castle some 20 kilometers northwards was built to replace it. Some activity seems to have remained in Hakoinen until 1380s. The castle rock was later a part of a large estate belonging to the bailiff of Häme Castle.

According to excavations, the castle was divided into two parts. Lower defensive constructions were mostly made of wood. Constructions on the rock were made of bricks and rocks. The castle probably had one tower.

The site has only been excavated in the early 20th century.

[edit] References

^ Novgorod Chronicle. English translation.

[edit] Further reading

At Home Within Stone Walls: Life in the late medieval Häme Castle. Toim. Anna-Maria Vilkuna, Johanna Onnela, Terhi Mikkola, Päivi Luuppi, Markus Hiekkanen ja Knut Drake. Archaeologia Medii Aevi Finlandiae VII. (2003)
Hämeen Linna - The castle of Häme. Toim. Pirjo Poutanen ja Katleena Kortesuo. (2000)
Taavitsainen, Jussi-Pekka; Ancient hillforts of Finland: problems of analysis, chronology and interpretation with special reference to the hillfort of Kuhmoinen. (1990)
Hämeen linna. Kirj. Sampo Ahto, Pertti Kilkki ja Rainer Knapas,Sotasokeat, (1973)
Ailio, Julius; Hämeen linnan, esi- ja rakennushistoria (1917)
Rinne, Juhani; Suomen keskiaikaiset mäkilinnat (1914)
Heikel, A. O.; Muinaisjäännöksiä. Hauhon kihlakunta, Suomalaisen Tiedeseuran Bidrag-sarja 29.
Janakkalan historia. Janakkalan kunta (1976). ISBN 951-99089-1-9.