HISTORY

In the 13th century, the major part of Ærø was the King's private property. The Danish King Valdemar Sejr was therefore able to apply this manor as a dowry when in the early 1230s his daughter was married to the margrave of Brandenburg.

Ærø remained under the Brandenburg margraves until the last of the family died in 1319, at which time the island again came under the Danish Crown. In 1277, a treaty mentions ”Seboy et Grosbol”, which could very well be identical with a manor in the north-western part of Ærø.

The manor would probably be administered from a castle or a bailiff's manor and the castle on the hills of Søby Volde could well be such an administrative centre.

This fits in with the traces of medieaval settlements archaeologically documented further towards Vitsø Nor, which was navigable until the 17th century and was thus a natural harbour.

In the village there were the usual craftsmen such as a blacksmith and a carpenter, but also a bone worker who must have imported antler such as reindeer antlers in order to perform his craft.

Not every small village has had the privilege of having such a craftsman. There are traces of settlements from the 2nd and 3rd centuries, but the most important period was in the 1100s and 1200s, the very period where the castle could offer protection to the village. When the natural harbour sanded up, the village disappeared.

(ILLUSTRATION: oversigtskor, Vitsø Nor eller evt. benfund)