A new safe conduct for Skule to the Holy Land
DN 19/219 · 22 juni 1235 · Woodstock
What the letter says
King Henry III of England grants at Woodstock on 22 June 1235 to the Duke of Norway letters of safe conduct to come to England on pilgrimage towards the Holy Land, stay there for a while, travel on there and return. The safe conduct is valid until Michaelmas in the king's 20th year, that is 29 September 1236.
The letter in modern English
On safe conduct. The Duke of Norway has letters of safe conduct for coming to England on pilgrimage towards the Holy Land and staying there, and for passing from there to the Holy Land and returning from the Holy Land. It is valid until the feast of St Michael in the king's twentieth regnal year [29 September 1236]. Witness the king, at Woodstock on 22 June, in the year etc. 19 [1235].
Original text
de conductu. Dux Norwagie habet litteras de conductu de veniendo in Angliam, causa peregrinationis versus Terram Sanctam et ibi morando, et inde transeundo uersus Terram Sanctam, et de Terra Sancta redeundo, duraturas usque ad festum sancti Michaelis anno regni Regis vicesimo. Teste Rege apud Wudestok .xxij. die junii. anno etc. xixo.
Background
The duke is Skule Bårdsson (1189 to 1240), of the Giske family through Tora Skoftesdatter, who was then jarl and ruled part of the kingdom alongside King Håkon Håkonsson. This is the third English safe conduct for Skule in a few years, after the letters of 1232 and 1233 (DN 19/206 and 19/209). The repetition suggests that the journey was planned several times but put off. Skule never reached the Holy Land. Relations with King Håkon were tense in these years, and that may have made it difficult for him to leave Norway.
People: Skule Bårdsson