Knut Alvsson gives the Hallingdal estate to St Mary's Church
DN 2/1014 · 29 Novbr. 1500 · Kjölberg
What the letter says
At Kjølberg on 29 November 1500 Knut Alvsson, knight at Giske, gives all his property in Hallingdal to the community of priests at St Mary's Church in Oslo as its property for ever. In return three anniversary masses are to be held every year: in the octave after the Visitation of Mary for his father Sir Alv Knutsson, around Trinity Sunday for his brother Sir Odd Alvsson, and on St Knut's Day, 10 July, for his wife Lady Gjørvel. The masses are also to cover all forebears and descendants.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter: I, Knut Alvsson, knight at Giske, acknowledge and make known with this my open letter: I have granted and given all my property in Hallingdal, as much as I own there, to the commune (the community of the clergy) at St Mary's Church in Oslo as its property for ever, for the upkeep of the commune. In return three anniversary masses (memorial masses) shall be held there for all time, to the praise of God and the Virgin Mary, for the soul of my father, Sir Alv Knutsson, my brother, Sir Odd Alvsson, and my wife, Lady Gjørvel, God have mercy on their souls, and likewise for the souls of all my forebears who have passed away, and those who come after. The anniversary masses shall be held as follows: the first in the octave after the Visitation of Mary (9 July) for my father's soul, the second around Trinity Sunday (the Sunday after Whitsun) for my brother's soul, and the third on the day of St Knut, king and martyr (10 July), for my wife's soul. For greater truth about this and further security I hang my seal on this letter, which was made at Kjølberg on the eve of St Andrew the Apostle (29 November) in the year of our Lord 1500. Endorsement: On the back of the vidimus (the certified copy): A copy of the letter by which Sir Knut Alvsson gave his property to St Mary's Church.
Original text (excerpt)
Alle mend som thette breff sier eller høree kendes ieg Knwtt Allsson rider y Gyeske giør ieg vitterligtt med thette mytt opnne breff adtt ieg haffuer vndtt oc giffwett mytt goottz swo miked ieg ager i Hadingedall tiil commwnedtt i Marie kierckie i Opslo till ewerdelige ege communedtt till opholde i saa maatthe adtt ther skall holdis iij aarthider till ewige thydt gwdtt till looff oc jomffrw Maria for mynn faders siell her Allff Knwdttsson oc mynn broders sieell her Odt Alsson oc for mynn høstrw
Background
Knut Alvsson of Tre Rosor inherited the Giske estate after his father Alv Knutsson, who died around 1496, and here calls himself «knight at Giske». An anniversary mass (årtid) was a memorial mass held every year on a fixed day for a dead person, and in the Middle Ages people believed that such masses shortened the soul's time in purgatory. The letter is a deed of a gift for the soul, and such gifts were a common reason why the Church owned so much land. The wording suggests that his father, brother and wife were all dead by 1500. St Mary's Church in Oslo was the king's chapel and had its own community of priests. Only a year later Knut rebelled against King Hans, and in 1502 he was killed under safe conduct near Oslo, so the gift was given on the threshold of the family's fall.
People: Knut Alvsson, Alv Knutsson