kronoskjuts

{{Short description|Transport obligation of Swedish peasants}}

{{Lang|sv|Kronoskjuts}} (Swedish; {{Lang|fi|Kruununkyyti}} in Finnish; {{Lit|Crown transport}}) was the historical obligation of Swedish and Finnish peasants to transport state officials and state property.{{Cite book |last=Hakala |first=Matti |title=Kodin suuri tietosanakirja |last2=Virtaranta |first2=Pertti |publisher=Weilin + Göös |year=1977 |isbn=9789513512781 |volume=7 |location=Espoo |pages=215 |language=fi}}{{Cite book |title=1930-luvun Iso tietosanakirja |volume=7 |language=fi}} Officials could demand rides ({{Langx|sv|friskjuts|links=no}}) at will and without payment. It was, however, limited by the Ordinance of Alsnö and a number of subsequent government orders to specific cases. In the middle of the 17th century, the obligation was reintroduced and used when the king, queen and court were traveling ({{Langx|sv|kungsskjuts|links=no}}). It was also used to transport troops and military supplies or other Crown property. A third case was the transport of prisoners ({{Langx|sv|fångtransport|links=no}}).{{Cite book |title=Nordisk familjebok |edition=Uggleupplagan |volume=15. Kromat – Ledvätska |pages=49 |language=sv |chapter=Kronoskjuts |chapter-url=https://runeberg.org/nfbo/0041.html |via=Project Runeberg |access-date=2023-03-17 |archive-date=2023-03-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317142318/http://runeberg.org/nfbo/0041.html |url-status=live }}

Those free from the requirement included the nobility, royal estates, cities and their subordinate estates, and postmen. In 1527, for instance, Gustav Vasa allowed those on the postal route who were responsible for the transportation of mail across the Sea of Åland a dispensation.{{Cite web |last=Matz |first=Erling |date=2001-03-15 |title=Sveriges viktigaste postväg gick över havet |url=https://popularhistoria.se/samhalle/sveriges-viktigaste-postvag-gick-over-havet |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Popularhistoria.se |language=sv |archive-date=2023-03-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317142318/https://popularhistoria.se/samhalle/sveriges-viktigaste-postvag-gick-over-havet |url-status=live }}

It was not until 1689 that Crown transport was subject to a fee. Prison transportation became a paid service in 1734. Exceptions could be ordered, then under the name {{Langx|sv|fri kronoskjuts|links=no}} 'free Crown transportation'. In 1878, the transportation reform stipulated that Crown transportation in peacetime should not be used by the Crown's staff, unless great urgency "was necessary".

In Finland, this responsibility was given to the state in 1920; the law was later repealed in 1950.{{Cite web |title=Kronoskjuts |url=https://fho.sls.fi/uppslagsord/3822/kronoskjuts/ |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Förvaltningshistorisk ordbok |language=sv, fi |archive-date=2022-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028102001/https://fho.sls.fi/uppslagsord/3822/kronoskjuts/ |url-status=live }}