Judgement gives Lady Magnhild the inheritance after Gertrud Jakobsdatter
DN 2/886 · 30 Septbr. 1472 · Bergen
What the letter says
Archbishop Olav of Nidaros, Bishop Finnboge of Bergen and several knights, squires and councillors give judgement in an inheritance case at the archbishop's residence in Bergen on 30 September 1472. The parties are Sir Alv Knutsson on behalf of his wife Magnhild Oddsdatter, and the canon Jakob Mattsson and the squire Otte Mattsson. The case concerns the odal land that Gertrud Jakobsdatter inherited from the children she had with Håvard Botolvsson, Magnhild's paternal uncle. The court awards all this land to Magnhild and her heirs.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
We, Olav, by the grace of God archbishop of Nidaros and legate of the papal see, Finnboge, by the grace of God bishop of Bergen, Svein Eriksson, dean in Nidaros, Jon Smør and Henrik Jensson, knights, Trond Benkestokk and Rodulf Stigsson, squires, Hans Pedersson, who sits in the lawman's seat in Bergen, and Mattis Palnesson, Jakob Jensson and Amund Koggenagle, councillors in Bergen, make known to all: At the archbishop's residence in Bergen on the Wednesday after St Michael's Day (30 September) in the year of our Lord 1472 there came before us on the one side the well-born man Sir Alv Knutsson, knight, and on the other side the well-born men Sir Jakob Mattsson, canon in Nidaros, and Otte Mattsson, squire. Both parties submitted to our judgement in the case concerning the inheritance and property after the well-born woman Mistress Gertrud Jakobsdatter. She had inherited this property from the children she had with Håvard Botolvsson, the paternal uncle of Lady Magnhild. Then we awarded to the said Sir Alv, on behalf of his wife Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter, all the odal land that the said Mistress Gertrud inherited from her and the said Håvard's children, wherever it lies. The judgement rests on what King Håkon's rettebot (amendment to the law) shows, and which our gracious lord King Christian has confirmed with the consent of the Council of the Realm of Norway. The property is judged away from the said Sir Jakob Mattsson and Otte Mattsson and their heirs, and to the said Lady Magnhild and her heirs as their property for ever and at their full disposal. In truth and fur
Original text (excerpt)
Wij Olaff medh guz nath erchebiscop i Trondem oc paueligss setis legatus Finbogh medh guz nadh biscop i Berene, Swen Erikson deken i Trondem, Jon Smør Henric Jenson riddere Trond Benkestoc oc Redulff Stigson a vapn, Hans Pederson sitiendes i lagmansted i Berene Mattess Palneson Jacob Jenson Amund Koggenagle radmen i Berene gøre alle viteliget at kom fore oss vppa erchebiscopps garden i Berene midwikedagen nest effter sancte Michelss dagh anno domini m cd lxx secundo aff enne halwo welbyrdog man
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor became owner of the Giske estate after Junker Hans Sigurdsson, who died in 1466, and his marriage to Magnhild Oddsdatter also gave him claims to land in western Norway. The judgement rests on King Håkon's rettebot, an amendment to the law of inheritance, which returned odal land to the family it came from when a line of heirs died out. The land had come from Håvard's side of the family, and so it went back to his niece Magnhild. According to the editor, Jakob and Otte Mattsson belonged to the Rømer family, the same family as Sigurd Jonsson's father, so this is a dispute between two noble families who were both linked to the Giske inheritance. That the archbishop, the bishop and the lawman sat in the court shows how important and valuable the case was. The letter survives in a vidimus, that is, a certified copy.
People: Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter, Otte Matsson (Rømer)