Karine Alvsdatter gives the archbishop authority over the Giske estate
DN 2/1098 · 21 March 1530 · Grefsheim
What the letter says
Katarina (Karine) Alvsdatter writes at Grefsheim in Hedmarken on 21 March 1530 that she gives Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson full authority over her paternal inheritance from her father Alv Knutsson north of the mountains, with Giske and the Giske estate. The archbishop is to administer and defend the estate. She herself keeps Voss and the Voss estate, which she had from her mother Lady Magnhild. The tenants as far as Lindesnes are from now on to pay their dues to the archbishop or his estate steward.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
I, Katarina Alvsdatter, acknowledge by this my open letter: I have humbly and lovingly given the most reverend lord and father, Lord Olav, by the grace of God Archbishop of Trondheim and papal legate, full and lawful authority over all my paternal inheritance after Lord Alv Knutsson, my dear father, God have mercy on his soul. It concerns everything he rightfully owned and freely controlled in his lifetime north of the mountains, that is, Giske and the Giske estate and other property and holdings according to what the deed of division says, as the copy I send with this contains and shows. This estate my father enjoyed and used freely, without hindrance from Lord Otte Mattsson, his kinsman [uncertain reading], both in the archdiocese of Trondheim and in the diocese of Bergen, little and much, by sea and by land, whatever it may be. I ask his grace to receive this authority in full, to possess and defend the estate in full possession and to pay no dues or expenses from it to anyone other than myself or my trusted messenger. Therefore I command all my tenants north of the mountains as far as Lindesnes, except the estate that I myself am accustomed to oversee and have had until now, which is Voss and the Voss estate, with some other property that my dear mother Lady Magnhild, God have mercy on her soul, herself owned and specially gave and granted me. All other property I have given into his grace's administration. I command you tenants, all and each, from this day, both you who belong to Giske and to other places north of the mountains as mentioned, that you willingly render to the
Original text (excerpt)
Jegh Kattherin Alffs dotther bekennis med thette mitt opne breff att jegh haffuer ødmykelighen och kerlighen beffalledh verdugeste hærre och ffadher med gudh hær Olaff med gudz naade erchebiscop ij Trondhem och paaueligh sedis legat ffultt och laglikt wmbodh offuer altt mitt ffedhernes godz hær Alffs Knuttson myn kære fadher, huess siel gud nade saa mykitt som hand med retthe aatthe, och hand med retthe fuldhe ffrelselighen wtj hans liffs tiidh. nordhen ffiels som ær Giske och Giske godz och ann
Background
Karine was the daughter of Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor and the sister of Knut Alvsson, who was killed in 1502. She was unmarried and lived at Grefsheim, and she needed a powerful protector for her inheritance, because Inger Ottesdatter and Vincens Lunge then held Giske. Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson was the most powerful man in Norway after the king and an opponent of Vincens Lunge, so the choice was probably political as well. A power of attorney gave another person the right to act on one's behalf, here to collect land rent and defend the estate in court. Landbor are tenant farmers, farmers who leased land from the estate owner and paid an annual due. The letter shows that the Giske estate extended over both the archdiocese of Trondheim and the diocese of Bergen, by sea and by land.
People: Karine Alvsdatter, Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter, Otte Matsson (Rømer)