Sigurd Jonsson settles accounts for Akershus with Krummedike
DN 2/766 · 25 Novbr. 1445 · Oslo
What the letter says
The knight Olav Håkonsson, lawman Herlog Mattisson and five other men make known a settlement in Oslo on 25 November 1445. Hartvig Krummedike, new commander at Akershus, made claims on Sigurd Jonsson, the previous commander, for flour, a skyttebåt (a small armed boat) and revenues, and because the castle was less well stocked with food than when Sigurd took it over. Before Shrovetide Sigurd is to give five barrels of salmon, five cows, five pounds of malt and flour and a dun foal. Then they took each other by the hand, kissed each other and promised friendship.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Olav Håkonsson, knight, Herlog Mattisson, lawman in Oslo, Jesse Jakobsson, squire, and Harald Erlingsson, Hallvard Hallesson, Torstein Olavsson and Torkjell Gerulvsson, town councillors in Oslo, send God's greeting and their own. We make known that we were in Nordre Hjelpergården in the said town in the year 1445 on St Catherine's Day (25 November). We heard that Sir Hartvig Krummedike, commander at Akershus, made claims on Sir Sigurd Jonsson, who was formerly commander at Akershus, for as much flour as he had received from Mistress Sigrid, Olav Bukk's mother, and for a skyttebåt, and for all the revenues Sir Sigurd had collected on Akershus' behalf after Akershus was handed over to Sir Hartvig in Copenhagen. The claim also concerned the fact that Akershus was not as well stocked with food as when Sir Sigurd took it over after Anders Ulv. Therefore Sir Sigurd Jonsson shall give Sir Hartvig, as provisions for the castle's needs, five barrels of salmon, five cows, five pounds (a measure) of malt and flour and a dun foal. These said things shall be paid before the Shrovetide now coming. When that is done, all accounts shall be settled between Sir Sigurd and Sir Hartvig on the castle's behalf up to now, and on behalf of Olav Bukk and Mistress Sigrid. With that they took each other by the hand, kissed each other on the mouth and promised each other friendship and love, and all accounts between them were settled to this day. In witness we hung o
Original text (excerpt)
Allom monnom thæim som thette bref se æder høre sende Olaf Hakonsson riddere Herlogh Mattisson loghman j Oslo Jusse Jakopsson aff wapen Haraldh Ellingxsson Haluard Hallesson Torstein Olaffson ok Torkel Gerulffson radhmen j Oslo q. g. ok sine kunnikt gerande at wi warom j nørdre Hialpergarde j fyrnemdom stadh anno domini m cd xl quinto a sancte Katerine dagh. hørdom a at herre Hartwigh Krumedigh høfuidz man vppa Akershus skyldade herre Sigurdh Joonsson som fyr war høfwidhz man vppa Akershus, fore
Background
Sigurd Jonsson was the heir who had won Giske in the inheritance dispute, and he was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. He had been commander at Akershus, the king's most important castle in eastern Norway, and had to hand it over to the Dane Hartvig Krummedike under the union king Christopher of Bavaria. The letter is a receipt for a settlement of accounts. The commander ran the castle and collected the king's revenues, and at a change he was to hand over the castle with its stores in order. The payment shows what a castle lived on: salmon, livestock, grain and malt. The kiss on the mouth was a common gesture of reconciliation among nobles in the Middle Ages.
People: Sigurd Jonsson