ESKILSTUNA  , a

town of Sweden in the district (lan) of Sddermanland, on the Hjelmar river, which unites lakes Hjelmar and Malar, 65 m . W. of Stockholm by rail . Pop . (1900) 13,663 . The place is mentioned in the 13th century, and is said to derive its name from Eskil, an English missionary who suffered martyrdom on the spot . It rose into importance in the reign of Charles X., who bestowed on-it considerable privileges, and gave the first impulse to its manufacturing activity . It is the chief seat in Sweden of the iron and steel industries, its cutlery being especially noted, while damascened work is a specialty . There is a technical school for the metal industries . There are, in the town or its neighbourhood, great engineering, gun-making, and rolling and polishing works and breweries . The largest mechanical works are those of Munktell and Tunafors . The Karl Gustaf Stads rifle factory was established in 1814 .