Testimony on Alv Knutsson's rightful inheritance
DN 15/540 · 28 January 1538 · Oslo
What the letter says
Chancellor Morten Krabbe, the knight Gude Galde, five lawmen, burgomasters of Oslo and Tunsberg and ten aldermen of Oslo announce that Truid Ulfstand, commander at Varberg, came to the town hall in Oslo at the end of January 1538. He asked whether they had ever heard that Jens Knutsson or his sisters had complained that their brother Alv Knutsson was withholding an inheritance from their parents, and whether Knut Jensson and his sons Johan and Laurentz Knutsson had complained before the previous year. All answered that the estate Alv Knutsson held, and which his children inherited, was his rightful odal land and inheritance, and that they had never heard of any complaint.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
We who are named here, Morten Krabbe, provost of St Mary's Church and chancellor of the realm of Norway, Gude Galde, knight, Peder Herlofsson, lawman in Oslo, Lauritz Torstensson, lawman in Borgarsyssel, Dyre Sevaldsson, lawman in Hedmarken, Niels Jonsson, lawman in Viken, Peder Andersson, lawman in Tunsberg, Bjørn Gundersson, Peder Fønbo, burgomaster of Oslo, Erik Persson and Oluf Bentsson, burgomasters of Tunsberg, and Toll Svensson, Svend Knutsson, Sigurd Jonsson, Bjørn Hallandsfar [uncertain reading], Hans Fønbo, Søren the furrier, Peder Prip, Jens Frat, Finn Nielsson and Hans Mynter, aldermen of Oslo, make known to all by this open letter: In the year after God's birth 1538 [uncertain reading of the year], the Monday after the Conversion of St Paul (25 January), the honourable, well-born man and stern knight Lord Truid Ulfstand, commander at Varberg castle, came before us and many other good men at the town hall in Oslo. He asked us, both together and each one separately, whether we had ever seen letters or heard that Jens Knutsson or any of his sisters had wished to complain against their brother Lord Alv Knutsson, either at a lords' meeting, a thing or a meeting, because he was supposed to have held or by force and violence withheld the rightful share of the inheritance they were to inherit from their father, mother and several of their forefathers. He also asked whether we knew that anything was undivided between them, either in movable goods or landed property. And he asked whether we, after the
Original text (excerpt)
Wij efftherschreffnne Morthen Krabbe prouest i Marie kircke och Norges Riiges Canceller Gudde Galde Ridher Peder Herloffssøn lagmandtt i Opslaa Lauritz Torstensøn lagmandtt i Borgesyslle Dyre Sewaldssøn lagmandtt paa Hedttmarckenn [Niel]ss Jonssøn lagmandtt i Wigenn, Peder Anderszønn lagmandtt i Tonsbergh, Biørn Gundersøn, Pedher Fønbo borgmester i Opslaa Erich Perszønn Oluff Bentszønn borgmestere i Tonsberg, Toll Suenszønn, Suendtt Knutsøn Sygurdtt Jonssenn Byørnn Hallandsffader, Hans Fønbo, Se
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor (died c. 1496) obtained the Giske estate after Sigurd Jonsson's line died out, and his son was Knut Alvsson. Truid Ulfstand was married to Gjørvel Fadersdatter, Knut Alvsson's daughter's daughter, and on her behalf he was the one who owned and defended the estate. It appears that the descendants of Alv's brother Jens Knutsson, probably led by Knut Jensson and his sons, had in 1537 begun to claim parts of the inheritance. Truid therefore gathered as weighty a testimony as he could get: the chancellor, lawmen from several law districts and the leaders of the town. Such a letter of testimony was meant to show that the claim was new and that no one had complained for as long as could be remembered, which under the law of the time weighed heavily against an opponent. Odal means land that has passed by inheritance in the family over several generations, and which the family had a strong right to keep. Parts of the text are illegible, and it is uncertain whether the year has been read correctly.
People: Alv Knutsson