Magic, as a way to appeal to otherworldly forces or natural elements, originates at the very dawn of the formation of human society. In those distant times, anyone could practice mystical rituals, guided by their own understanding of the process or acting in line with the traditions established in their tribe. Gradually, however, all sorts of rituals began to be shrouded in mystery and became the prerogative of a small number of initiates with certain innate or acquired skills. Thus, separate, as a rule, small groups of mystics began to arise, who were given the exclusive right to conduct sacred actions aimed at the benefit of the tribe. Apparently, at the same time, magic began to be divided into two opposite types, black and white. Nowadays it is believedthat white witchcraft is aimed at bringing good, while black magic has as its purpose to do harm in every possible way - an extremely controversial statement, since both methods of magicians, in most cases, draw their strength from one source.
The attitude towards people who know how to penetrate the secrets of the other world has always been wary; At the same time, it should be noted that the mass persecution of all kinds of witches, sorcerers, magicians and sorcerers began no earlier than the thirteenth century, before that society looked at the activities of such characters with caution, but no more. The heroine of this article, on the contrary, during her lifetime enjoyed the deep respect of others and in fact possessed some magical abilities, thanks to which she went down in history under the nickname "White Witch".
Ingrid Ylva Sunesdotter was born in 1180, the exact date of her birth could not be established. She came from an old Swedish family, presumably the daughter of Prince Sune Sik. There is practically no information about Ingrid's childhood; it is known that at a fairly young age she was married to Magnus Minneskold, a representative of the ancient aristocratic Folkung dynasty. In this union, Ingrid gave birth to several sons, the most famous of whom later became Birger, Jarl of Sweden and regent from 1250 to 1266. In addition, he went down in history as the founder of Stockholm and a possible participant in the Battle of the Neva in 1240.
Tower of the White Witch. (Restoration).
Ingrid Ilve's magical abilities began to manifest, apparently, after the birth of her sons. The White Witch directed her power mainly to protect her family and the lands surrounding her husband's family estate, where she spent most of her life. The possessions of the Folkung clan often became objects of raids by the enemies of the family, competing with it for power and influence. Attacks became especially frequent after the death of Magnus, who fell in battle in 1208. During Ingrid's lifetime, none of these attacks reached their goal, the enemy troops invariably suffered defeat in battles or were scattered even before they began. Contemporaries were inclined to attribute such invulnerability to the witchcraft of the White Witch, with her magic warding off any dangers that threaten her family.
In addition, Ingrid Ilve's magic helped her sons achieve a high position in society; in different years, they all held quite serious government posts in the Swedish kingdom. Of course, their origin also played a significant role, giving them the right to receive high positions at the royal court. It is also believed that Ingrid had the gift of foresight, and her predictions almost always came true. Popular rumor endowed the White Witch with the ability to control the weather and summon some formidable otherworldly entities, however, how true such stories are is difficult to say. Legends say that with age, Ingrid spent more and more time in solitude, retiring for this to the church tower. It was there that she performed her mysterious rituals that protected the entire family of Folkung from adversity.
Ingrid Ilve was buried in the same tower on October 26, 1252. Before her death, she uttered a phrase that can be interpreted as "as long as my head is high, my family will rule Sweden." Taking these words into account, Jarl Birger buried his mother in an upright position, which once again proves how deep faith in the magical and visionary abilities of the White Witch was.