Stårheim valued for Erling's odal redemption
DN 1/176 · 30 Septbr. 1324 · Bergen
Stårheim was the odal farm of the kin of Erling Vidkunsson's mother, Gyrid Andresdatter. Here Erling has the farm valued in order to redeem it, and the Stårheim estate became one of his three great groups of estates alongside Bjarkøy and Giske.
What the letter says
Five men in Bergen, among them Torbjørn, steward of the bishop's residence, declare on the Sunday after Michaelmas 1324 that the drottsete Erling Vidkunsson asked them to value the farm Stårheim. Erling wanted to redeem the farm, which was his odal land, from Arnfinn Skøkja and Anund Imbe, who had inherited it from Lady Torbjørg and willingly granted him the right of redemption. They set the price at five old marks for each månedsmatsbol, with the farm fully worked and built. If the houses were not in full repair, the price was to be reduced accordingly.
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, Gunnar Tomasson, Aslak Olavsson, Endride Simonsson, Torbjørn, steward of the bishop's residence, and Helge Simonsson send God's greeting and their own. On the Sunday after Michaelmas in the sixth year of the reign of our worthy lord Magnus, king of Norway, Sweden and Götaland (30 September 1324), Lord Erling Vidkunsson, drottsete to our said lord the king, with the consent of Arnfinn Skøkja and Anund Imbe, the heirs of Lady Torbjørg, asked us to measure and value the land of Stårheim for Lord Erling for redemption, because it is his odal land. The said Arnfinn and Anund had received it in inheritance from Lady Torbjørg, and of their own good will they granted him the right of redemption. We valued it at five old marks [forngild marks, a unit of account] for each månedsmatsbol, fully worked and built. But if the said land is not found fully built because of the houses, then a deduction shall be made in the sum according to the said measure. In true witness we, the said men, set our seals to this letter, which was made in Bergen on the said day and time.
Original text
Ollum monnum þæim sæm þetta bref sea æða hœyra senda Gunnar Thomas son, Aslakr Olafs son Endriði Symonar son, Þorbiorn raðsmaðr j biskups garðe, ok Hælge Symonar son, Q. G. ok sina, sunnodagæn nesta æftir Michials messo, a setta are rikis vars virðulægs herra Magnusar Norægs Suyia ok Gota konongs. bað oss herra Ærlingr Viðkunnar son drotsete vars herra konongsens fyrnæmfdz mæð samþykt Arnfinz skœkio ok Annondar imbu ærfingia fru Þorbiorgar.
Background
Stårheim in Nordfjord was the odal farm of his mother's kin, for Erling's mother Gyrid Andresdatter belonged to the Stårheim family. Odal right gave the kin the right to buy back land that had passed into other hands, against a valued price. The letter shows how Erling as drottsete, about 32 years old, gathered the family land under himself, and the Stårheim estate became one of his three great groups of estates alongside Bjarkøy and Giske. An old mark, or forngild mark, was a unit of account, and the price was set per månedsmatsbol (a land-rent unit), land that yielded a month's food in yearly land rent. That the houses were part of the price is also seen in other letters about Erling's purchases. Two later letters in DN, nos. 177 and 208, concern the same matter.
People: Erling Vidkunsson