Polmanarkivet (Page 1)

Featured

The One Where Jöran Polman Ripped Off a Beard

Contrary to his image as a steadfast captain, this chapter of Jöran Polman's story catches him red-handed in a drunken brawl.

Research & Methods

Finding the Unfindable: Mastering Google for Historical Research

Stop letting hidden sources slip past. Learn how to speak Google's language with precise queries that surface portraits, records, and documents most researchers will never find.

Travel Guides

Tallinn: An Offbeat Travel Guide for History Lovers

Join us on a chronological journey of Tallinn through the 13th-19th centuries at some of the city's most enchanting landmarks.

The Legend of the Twelve Brothers

A legend says twelve brothers left Westphalia and scattered across a continent. The armoured arm keeps appearing, and so do the acorns. The twelve brothers never do.

September 2, 2026 · 14 min read

Family History

A Handful of Hungarian Gold

In the winter of 1620, 237 Hungarian ducats disappeared from Albrecht Budde’s room. He spent three years trying to prove who had taken them. The court required a witness. There was none.

April 15, 2026 · 16 min read

Announcements

Queen Kristina at 400: A Year of Celebration

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of Queen Kristina of Sweden. Here is what is happening across Europe to mark the occasion, and why Polmanarkivet is joining the celebration.

April 9, 2026 · 4 min read

Family History

Beata Lilliesparre and the Bones in the Loft

The bones had lain hidden for nearly ten years before anyone found them. What followed was six years of court proceedings, a forged witness statement, a deathbed confession — and a captain who was already gone.

March 15, 2026 · 17 min read

Family History

The Flight of Jöran Polman

History remembers him as a Major who died for the Crown. But in 1635, Jöran Polman was a fugitive selling his wife's morning gift to escape a scandal — and leaving his widow to rewrite his legacy.

February 15, 2026 · 15 min read

Swedish History

“An Everlasting Union”: The Treaty of Kalmar

The rise, fall and complications of a uniquely Scandinavian relationship.

February 1, 2026 · 4 min read

Swedish History

A Very Livonian Christmas

Exploring the origins and evolution of the winter holidays in erstwhile Estonia through historical information and reimagined scenes with some of our favourite characters.

December 19, 2025 · 10 min read

Family History

The Colourful Characters of Nygård Inn

The tale of an important guest house in Ryssby and the people who passed through.

October 29, 2025 · 6 min read

Sector News

Riksarkivet’s AI Unlocks Centuries of Handwritten Swedish Archives

A significant new tool from Riksarkivet is making millions of pages of handwritten documents searchable for the first time. Discover how this technology is changing Swedish genealogical research and what it means for Polmanarkivet.

September 25, 2025 · 2 min read

Stories

The Legend of the Twelve Brothers

A Handful of Hungarian Gold

Queen Kristina at 400: A Year of Celebration

Beata Lilliesparre and the Bones in the Loft

The Flight of Jöran Polman

“An Everlasting Union”: The Treaty of Kalmar

A Very Livonian Christmas

The Colourful Characters of Nygård Inn

Riksarkivet’s AI Unlocks Centuries of Handwritten Swedish Archives

Follow six centuries of family history as it's uncovered.