Alv Knutsson buys the Bjørøy estate in Namdalen
DN 2/835 · 25 Novbr. 1460 · Ringebo
What the letter says
In Ringebu on 25 November 1460, the squire Brynjulv Knutsson sells to the knight Sir Alv Knutsson and his wife Lady Magnild Oddsdatter all the inherited property his father Knut Brynjulvsson had inherited from Sigrid Ivarsdatter, the wife of Helge Sæmundsson. It concerns Bjørøya, Gladsøya and the whole Bjørøy estate in Namdalen and Trøndelag, and everything else of this property north of the mountains. Brynjulv has received full payment and promises to warrant the property against all claims. The lawman of the Uplands, four priests and three sworn men seal the letter.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all good men who read, see or hear this letter, Brynjulv Knutsson, squire, sends God's greeting and his own. I make known with this my open letter that I have sold to the well-born man Sir Alv Knutsson, knight, all the inherited property which my father Knut Brynjulvsson inherited from Mistress Sigrid Ivarsdatter, who was married to Helge Sæmundsson. May God almighty be merciful to both their souls. It concerns Bjørøya and Gladsøya and all the Bjørøy estate that lies in Namdal county and in Trøndelag, and wherever else it can be traced north of the mountains, land and shares of land, movable and fixed, wherever it is or can be found. I shall warrant all this landed property for the said Sir Alv against me and my brother and all who may lay claim to it, to him and his wife Lady Magnild Oddsdatter and their heirs to own and dispose of for ever. Further, I, Brynjulv Knutsson, acknowledge with this my letter that I have received from the said Sir Alv the first penny and the last and all in between that were agreed in our purchase for the said property. For further proof of this I ask for the seals of these good men together with mine on this letter: Ingemar Jensson, lawman in the Uplands, Sira Andres, parish priest in Ringebu, and Sira Hallvard in Gausdal, both canons in Hamar, Sira Kolbjørn, parish priest at Fåberg, and Olav Audunsson, Amund Grimsson and Torstein Pedersson, sworn men. The letter was made in Ringebu on St Catherine's Day (25
Original text (excerpt)
Allom them godhom mannom som thetta breff lesa see æder horæ sender Bryniulff Knwtzsson a wapn q. g. ok sinæ, kunnikt gerande med thetta mit opna breff at jek hauer selt welborin man herræ Alf Knwtzsson riddare soo mykit erfda godz som min fader Knwt Bryniulfson erfde efter hustrv Sigridho Jwars dotter som Hælghe Semundzson atte gud alzmektuger beggis thera sell nadhe. Biorøøna och Gladzøyna och alt Biorøø godz som ligger i Nommadals fylke oc j Trondalaghin oc huarre helzt thet kan wppe spørias
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor was a daughter's son of Katarina Jonsdatter, the sister of Sigurd Jonsson, and he inherited the Giske estate after Junker Hans Sigurdsson in 1466. Even before that he was building up an estate of his own, and this deed of purchase is an example. To hjemle (warrant) means to guarantee that the buyer may keep the land if anyone else lays claim to it. The purchase of islands in Namdalen shows that the family was interested in coastal property, where the land rent was often paid in fish. The letter was written in Ringebu in Gudbrandsdalen, far from the estate, probably because the parties met there while travelling or because the seller lived in the Uplands.
People: Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter