Map of Härjedalen, 1809

Härjedalen is Sweden's smallest region in terms of population, with around 10,000 inhabitants, but what they lack in numbers they make up for in their love of their homeland. Many people have emailed Allmogens and asked for various maps, and from no other region have there been as many emails as from Härjedalen!

For 8000-9000 years, the ancestors of the Hereditary Elders have roamed the forest landscapes along the banks of the River Ljusnan. Hundreds of generations. Several settlements have also been found in the mountains, the oldest in Ransjön. Härjedalen is a historical Norwegian area and was early part of the Trøndelagen. It was also from the west that the landscape was populated around 8000-9000 years ago by hunters, fishermen and gatherers.

Härjedalen's first resident farmers were "Noregs menn", i.e. Norwegians. Of these, the main representative was Heriulfuer hornbriotr (Härjulf Hornbreaker), which is mentioned in writing for the first time in 1273 by Tord in Trosavik (Trasviken in Hedeviken). Härjulf was one of Halvdan Black's men. Halvdan Svarte was king of Norway in the 8th century and father of Harald Hårfager. After becoming enemies with the king, he fled to Mälardalen, from where he had to flee once more - this time westwards - to Härjedalen. He settled in a deserted place called Sliarosvellir, where Slyån flows into Härjån, near the border with Särna in Dalarna.