Skule's gifts to England lost off Frisia
DN 19/140 · [1222.] · Ikke stedsnavn i DN
The sender is Jarl Skule Bårdsson, who descended from the Giske family through Tora Skoftesdatter. The letter shows how he kept up the friendship with England through gifts, and that in letters abroad he called himself duke «by the grace of God».
What the letter says
Skule, who calls himself «by the grace of God duke of all Norway», writes probably in 1222 to King Henry III of England. The summer before, he had sent his chaplain Jon to the king with gifts, but after a long time at sea the ship was wrecked off Frisia. Jon saved himself almost naked together with some of the sailors, while several high-born men drowned. Skule asks the king to receive what he now sends, even though the gift is small, and to place full trust in Jon.
The letter in modern English
To the most illustrious man Henry, by the grace of God King of England, S[kule], by the same grace Duke of all Norway, sends greeting and sincere love. We make known to your serenity that last summer we sent our faithful [man] Jon, chaplain, to your presence with our gift. What it was and of what kind, he himself shall explain to you. But among chance happenings the outcomes of things are many. The sailors met with foul weather, and after long wandering on the sea they suffered shipwreck off Frisia, so that our envoy J[on] barely escaped naked together with some of the sailors, while several noble men drowned there. Therefore we beseech your highness that your honourable dignity will gladly receive what we now send in your honour, weighing the lasting goodwill of the giver above the size of the gift. Give credence to Jon the chaplain, our faithful man, in what he tells you of these things, knowing without doubt that we send no one to your excellence whom we have not tried and found faithful.
Original text
Illustrissimo viro Henrico, Dei gratia regi Anglie, S[culius], eadem gratia dux totius Norwegie, salutem et dilectionis sinceritatem. Serenitati vestre notificamus quod estate preterita fidelem [nostrum] Johannem capellanum ad vestram presen[tiam] destinavimus cum exenio nostro; quid vel quale fuerit ipse vobis explicet.
Background
Skule Bårdsson (1189 to 1240), of the Giske family through Tora Skoftesdatter, was jarl and ruled the kingdom together with King Håkon Håkonsson. He did not become duke until 1237, but in his letters to England he gave himself a higher title and also called himself «by the grace of God», as only kings did. DN dates the letter following Gustav Storm, who showed that this group of letters must belong to the time of the Ribbung rising of 1220 to 1227. The shipwreck shows how dangerous the crossing of the North Sea could be. Frisia is the coast of the present Netherlands and north-west Germany, and the ship had probably been driven far south of its course for England. Gifts between princes were part of diplomacy, and Skule wanted to keep up the friendship with England.
People: Skule Bårdsson