The farmers at Akersting promise obedience to Knut Alvsson
DN 1/993 · 6 February 1498 · Akers-Thing
What the letter says
At Akersting by Akershus on 6 February 1498, the common people of the whole fief of Akershus and several other fiefs had gathered after an unlawful message baton. Lord Knut Alvsson, commander at Akershus, asked why they had gathered, who had called them out, and whether they had any complaint against him or his servants. The farmers answered that the farmers of Nes and Odal had sent the baton, and that they had nothing to complain of against Knut. Bishop Herlaug of Oslo and the other issuers then declared that anyone who hereafter cut or followed such a baton was a traitor to the land, and the people promised to be obedient to Knut and the other feudal lords and to pay what they owed under the law of Norway.
The letter in modern English
We, Herlaug, by the grace of God bishop of Oslo, Narve Toresson, archpriest, Erik Eriksson, lawman in Oslo, Helge Bjørnsson, burgomaster, Gjerulv Torkjellsson, Tord Skatt, Gunnar Håkonsson, Bertel Kokk, Torgeir Pålsson, Jon Bjarnesson and Sigurd Heljesson, councilmen in the same place, make known to all that on the Tuesday next after Candlemas in the year of the Lord 1498 [6 February] we were at Akersting by Akershus, when the common people of the whole fief of Akershus and of several good lords' fiefs here south of the mountains in Norway were gathered there at the thing. Then there came to them the well-born man Lord Knut Alvsson, knight and commander at Akershus on behalf of our gracious lord King Hans, and asked the people why they were gathered like this, or who had called them out like this, and whether they had anything to accuse him or any of his servants of. The people answered all together and each for himself that the farmers of Nes parish and Odal had called them out with their message baton, which they had first cut, and which was burnt at one end and had a noose at the other end. They did not know what it concerned until they came to the thing. And they said all together and each separately that they had nothing to accuse the said Lord Knut or any of his servants of, neither from the fiefs he now has nor from the fiefs he had before.
Original text
Vii Herlog med gudz nad biscop i Oslo Narffwe Thoresson ercheprest Erick Ericksson lagman j Oslo Helge Biørnsson borgemesther Gerulff Torki(l)sson. Tordh skaat. Gwnnar Hakonsson. Bertill kock. Torgeir Palsson Jon B[iar]nesson oc Sigurd Helliæsson radmen ther sama stadz gøre alle widherligt at tiisdaghen nest effther kyndelsmesso anno domini mcdxc octauo ware wii a Akerssting widh Akersshuss tha som almwghen aff all Akershwss leen oc aff flere gode herrers leen her swnnan fieldz i Norige woro
Background
Knut Alvsson, son of Alv Knutsson and Magnhild Oddsdatter, was commander at Akershus for King Hans and governed a large fief in eastern Norway. The farmers' rising in Nes, Odal and Eidsvoll was connected with Knut's bailiff Lasse Skjold, whom the farmers killed and whom they complained about (DN 2/1001). The message baton (budstikke) was a piece of wood sent from farm to farm to call people together, and one burnt at one end and with a noose at the other warned of burning and hanging for those who did not turn up. A landrådsmann was someone who betrayed the land and the king, one of the gravest crimes. The meeting at Akersting was an attempt to calm the districts, and later the same year the farmers were sentenced (DN 21/677). The letter is damaged in several places.
People: Knut Alvsson