Bodil Knutsdatter and the town houses in Stockholm
DN 16/347 · 19 February 1509 · Vadstena
Bodil Knutsdatter, daughter of Knut Alvsson, appears here for her siblings in the division of the town houses after King Karl's daughters. She later became the mother of Gjørvel Fadersdatter, who became sole owner of the Giske estate.
What the letter says
Fru Kristina Eriksdatter, fru Sigrid Eskilsdatter, fru Anna Karlsdatter and the maiden Bodil Knutsdatter, who appeared for her siblings, make known that on 19 February 1509 in Vadstena they held a friendly division of inheritance on behalf of all the co-heirs. They divided the town properties that Abraham Eriksson, herr Knut Alvsson's children and the others had inherited after their mother and mother's sister. The house in Vadstena went to fru Kristina, Store myntet in Stockholm was divided room by room between Abraham Eriksson, fru Sigrid and fru Anna, and herr Knut's children received Lille myntet.
The letter in modern English
We, Kristina Eriksdatter, Sigrid Eskilsdatter, Anna Karlsdatter and the maiden Bodil Knutsdatter, on behalf of her siblings, who are written here, make known with this our open letter that in the year after God's birth 1509, on White Monday in Lent [Shrove Monday, 19 February], we were gathered in Vadstena for a friendly division among siblings, fully empowered on behalf of all our co-heirs, to divide and share all the town property [town houses] that our dear brother Abraham Eriksson, herr Knut Alvsson's children and all of us have rightfully inherited after our dear mother and mother's sister, may God have mercy on their souls. We have divided and shared by lot and lot stick [drawing lots] according to the law of Sweden, as is written here: The house in Vadstena fell to fru Kristina's share. Store myntet in Stockholm fell to the share of Abraham Eriksson, fru Sigrid and fru Anna, so that Abraham Eriksson shall have the small hall downstairs in the town house, the cellar, the well and the cooking chimney [hearth with flue], fru Anna the great room, the chamber and the stair [uncertain reading] in the same house, and fru Sigrid the large hall, the booth facing the street, the cellar and the «trasnyngen» [unclear word]. Herr Knut's children shall have Lille myntet.
Original text
Vii æffther screffne Cristin Ericssdotther Sigriidh Æskilsdotther Anna Karlsdotter, ok Jomffrv Botiil Knwtzdotther poo synnæ syskene wengnæ bekendis med thette warth opna breff arom æffther gwdz byrdh twsendefæmhwndrade oppa thet nyendhe, hwithe mandagh i fastho i Wastenæ tha ware wij fforsamlade paa eth wenligit syskene skiffthe, myndighe ok mæktige oppa allæs ware mædharffwinges wengnæ, adh bytha ok skiiffthæ alth thet køpstadz gootz som war kære brodher Abram Ericsson, her Knwth Alfsons
Background
This is the sequel to the division in Skara in 1500 (DN 16/333 and DN 18/168), where the town property was held back. The inheritance came from Kristina and Magdalena Karlsdotter, the daughters of the Swedish king Karl Knutsson (Bonde), and Knut Alvsson's children inherited through their mother Görvel Eriksdotter. Knut had been killed in 1502, and now it was his daughter Bodil, still unmarried, who appeared for her siblings. Bodil later became the mother of Gjørvel Fadersdatter, who became sole owner of the Giske estate. According to the edition only three seals hung beneath the letter, and there has never been a fourth, so Bodil probably did not have a seal of her own. Store and Lille myntet were probably properties in Stockholm named after an earlier mint.
People: Bodil Knutsdatter, Knut Alvsson