Jakobstad

**Jakobstad** () is a toun an municipality in Ostrobothnie, Finland. The toun haes a population o  () an covers a laund aurie o . The population densitie is .

## History
The toun wis foondit in 1652 bi Ebba Brahe, the widae o the militar commander Jacob De la Gardie, an wis grantit ceety privileges bi Queen Christina o Swaden. The Swadish name literally means *Jacob's Ceety* or *Jacob's Toun*. The toun wis foondit at the auld harbour o the parish *[[Pedersöre]]* an this name lives on in the Finnish name o the municipality, *Pietarsaari*, literally *Peter's Island*. Pedersöre remains an unthirlt municipality neebourin Jakobstad.

The ceety grew slowly at first, wi the authorities scarcely promotin ony growt. In 1680 the indwallers wur ordered tae relocate tae the ceeties o Karleby (Kokkola), Uleåborg (Oulu) an Nykarleby, but the order wis rescindit. Wars contributit tae the slow growt an aw, an the ceety wis invadit bi Roushie troops twice durin the Greater Wrath, an lairge pairts o the toun wur burnt tae the grund. A majority o the indwallers fled the ceety. While those wi means muived athort the sea tae the Swadish side, ithers teuk shelter in the forest or in the airchipelago. Mony wur captured or killed. Durin the 1720s, some o the previous indwallers returned, while newcomers addit tae the population an aw. The subsequent decades wur feenally markit bi a period o growt, an the current kirk wis biggit in 1731.

The economic foondation wis laid in the mid 18t century, wi tar manufacturin an tobacco packagin at its centre. Tred stairtit tae develop rapidly in Jakobstad as o 1765, when the ceeties alang the Finnish shore o the Guwf o Bothnie wur grantit privileges bi the Swadish croun tae tred directly wi foreign kintras. This led tae shipbiggin becomin a major activity in Jakobstad an aw. The first ships tae sail wi guids tae foreign kintras wur the galeas *[[Jacobstads Wapen]]* an the brig *Enigheten*. Tred an shipbiggin made Jakobstad a walthy ceety, an a notable businessman o that time wis the merchant an shipbuilder Adolf Lindskog, who became ane o the richest men in Finland an aw.

The early 19t century wis a time o upheaval, which saw the 1808–1809 war atween Swaden an Roushie, as well as a devastatin fire in 1835 that destroyed approximately hauf o the ceety. Despite this, the economic progress continued, an a brewery, a matchstick factory an several banks wur foondit efter 1850. In 1859, the merchant an shipawner Peter Malm stairtit a steam pouered sawmill, which wis anerlie the seicont sic installation in Finland. The Crimean War wis a major setback tae shippin industry, as the Breetish navy puts up an effective blockade an the shippin fleet in Jakobstad is reducit frae 26 ships tae 9.

Notable businessmen in the 19t century wur Otto Malm an Wilhelm Schauman, the latter foondin a chicory (coffee substitute) factory in Jakobstad in 1883. This moment in time is uisually considered as the stairt o industrialisation in Jakobstad. In 1900, the Strengberg tobacco factory wis the lairgest employer in Jakobstad.

An airtillery schuil wis locatit in Jakobstad durin the Finnish ceevil war. Durin Warld War II, the ceety wis bombit ance bi Soviet bomber planes, causin a few casualties. Up till the 1960s, the toun wis owerwhelmingly Swadish speakin, but as a consequence o industrial expansion in the 1960s an 1970s, the need for additional wirk force caused a lairge influx o Finnish speakers. The toun remains bilingual wi  bein Swedish an  Finnish speakers.

## References

## Freemit airtins

* Toun o Jakobstad  – Offeecial steid
* Österbottens Tidning  – Local newspaper
* Jakobs Dagar 
*  Chicorymuseum  - Chicorymuseum