Erik Knutsson gives his wife a morning gift and asks Karine Alvsdatter to help her
DN 16/364 · 7 Septbr. [1520] · Kalmar
What the letter says
Erik Knutsson, King Christian's commander at Kalmar Castle, writes on 7 September 1520, while a plague of sickness is going through the realm, a letter in case he should die. He gives his wife Margrete Eriksdatter Båsgården in Söderköping with three districts (herreder) belonging to it as her morning gift, and all the estates and farms he owns in Östergötland, for her lifetime and afterwards to her descendants. If she does not receive what he has promised her, he urges his father's sister, the maiden Karin Alvsdatter, and his kinsman herr Ture Jönsson to provide for her. Ture Jönsson and four other knights and squires seal the letter together with him.
The letter in modern English
I, Erik Knutsson, commander at Kalmar Castle for the high-born prince King Christian, my dearest gracious lord, make known that I now today, in the name of the Holy Trinity, with my good will and consent, do this: If, which God Almighty forbid, I should be cut short [die suddenly], or His blessed grace and might wishes to have me and take me out of this sinful world, especially now that one may say that this plague of sickness is going about here in the realm, etc., then I have nevertheless granted and given, and with this my open letter grant and give, to my beloved dear wife Margrete Eriksdatter Båsgården in Söderköping with the three districts [uncertain reading] lying under it, as her right, free and secure morning gift, and all the estates and farms that belong to me in Östergötland. She shall have, use and keep it, whatever it is or may be found to lie under it, in her lifetime, and afterwards her descendants, before all my heirs, both born and unborn.
Original text
JAch Eriich Knwtzson Hogboren fførstes Konwng Cristierns Mijn Kereste Nadwge herres Høffuitzman pa Calmerna Sloth Gør weterliigid ath jach nw j dagh j the helgetreffollwghetz nampn med mijn gode wilie ja och samtijcke om alzmectwg gwd fførbijwde mich bliiffwe fførstackoth heller hans welsignade nades mectwghet wiil mich haffue och tage wtaff thenne sijndwge werldh helsth mæden man kan siigh nw ware ffør then sijwkdom plaage gaar her j Riichith etc.
Background
Erik Knutsson was the son of Knut Alvsson and the brother of Karl Knutsson, and his father's sister, the maiden Karin, is Karine Alvsdatter, daughter of Alv Knutsson. «Jomfru» (maiden) shows that she was unmarried in 1520. Ture Jönsson of Tre Rosor was a Swedish councillor of the realm and related to them through the Tre Rosor family. A morning gift was the gift a husband gave his wife on the morning after the wedding, and it was her security if she was widowed. The letter was written two months before the Stockholm Bloodbath in November 1520, in which Erik was beheaded, and the fear of death came from a sickness going through the realm. The DN summary counts Margrete Eriksdatter as a member of the Vasa family. That Erik turned to Karine and Ture suggests that they were the closest of the family who could protect the widow, and Karine later appears as an heir to the Giske estate.
People: Karine Alvsdatter