Alv Knutsson exchanges Lunder on Toten for Myr
DN 12/242 · 4 April 1473 · Grefsheim
What the letter says
The knight Alv Knutsson makes known that at Grefsheim on 4 April 1473, with his wife's consent, he exchanged Lunder at Lein in Hof parish on Toten. Arne Gudmundsson and his wife Botild Gislesdatter received Lunder, and in return Alv and his wife received Myr at Nes in Ullinshov parish in Hedmarken. Three men were present and set their seals under the letter together with Alv.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
All men who see or hear this letter: I, Alv Knutsson, knight, make known with this open letter that I was at Grefsheim on Kjærsøndag in Lent (the fifth Sunday in Lent, 4 April) 1473. With my wife's yes and consent I made an exchange of land with the discerning man Arne Gudmundsson and his wife Botild Gislesdatter. They shall own and have Lunder, which lies at Lein in Hof parish on Toten, as their property for ever. In return they gave me and my wife Myr, which lies at Nes in Ullinshov parish, with all the shares and benefits that belong to their land, as our property for ever. For greater certainty about this these good men, Torstein Ulvsson, Syvord Guttormsson and Paul Halstensson, who were present and heard this exchange, hang their seals together with mine on this letter, which was made in the year and on the day named above.
Original text (excerpt)
Alle men thetta breff se heller høra kun gør jak Alff Knutson riddare med thetta vpna breff, ath iak war pa Grepsem kærelse synnedagh j fastona anno dominj m cd lxx3, ok giorde jorder skipte med minne hustrv ja ok samtøkt med beskedelik man Arne Gudmundson oc hans hustrv Botil Gisle dotter sa at the skule æga, ok haffwa Lundar, som liger a Leyn j Hoffs sokn a Thothen til æwærdelik æga, Ok the satthe mik j gen ok minne hustrv Myr som liger a Ness. j Wlneshoffsokn med allum luthum ok lundidum som
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor (died c. 1496) had inherited Giske after Junker Hans Sigurdsson, who died in 1466. He was the grandson of Katarina Jonsdatter, sister of the drottsete (steward of the realm) Sigurd Jonsson, through his mother. The letter is an exchange deed, that is, a letter about an exchange of land, and it shows that Alv owned property far from Sunnmøre, in the Uplands. Landowners often exchanged farms to gather their properties near the farms where they themselves lived or had stewards. Grefsheim at Nes was probably one of Alv's manor farms. That his wife had to consent suggests that the land was part of her inheritance or of their joint property, but the letter does not say so directly.
People: Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter