Gyda Torkelsdatter sells her share of Surten
DN 2/980 · 14 April 1494 · Giske
What the letter says
Two members of the lawcourt in Sunnmøre, Ivar Eilevsson and Peder Iversson, testify that on 14 April 1494 at Giske Gyda Torkelsdatter gave her handshake that she had sold everything she owned in the farm Surten in Skodje parish to Sir Alv Knutsson. The property goes to Alv and his heirs as their property for ever, and Gyda confirmed that she had received full payment.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
We, Ivar Eilevsson and Peder Iversson, members of the lawcourt in Sunnmøre, acknowledge with this our open letter that we were at Giske on the day of St Tiburtius and Valerian (14 April) in the year of our Lord 1494. There we heard and saw the parties give each other their handshake: on the one side the well-born man Sir Alv Knutsson, knight, and on the other side Gyda Torkelsdatter. She acknowledged that she had sold to Sir Alv Knutsson everything she owned in Surten, which lies in Skodin (Skodje) parish in Sunnmøre, with all the shares and benefits that belong and have belonged to it from old and new times, outside the fence and inside, free and lawfully warranted against anyone. The property passes from her and her heirs to Sir Alv Knutsson and his heirs as their property for ever. Gyda also acknowledged that Sir Alv had paid her in full for what she owned in Surten, so she was well satisfied. For further truth about this we hang our seals under this letter, which was written in the year and on the day named above. Endorsement: On the back, contemporary: Letter about Surten. And somewhat later: which Gyda Torkelsdatter sold to Sir Alv Knutsson as property. Lies in Sunnmøre.
Original text (excerpt)
Thet kennis wy Jwer Eleffsøn och Pedher Jwerssøn lagrettismen y [S]wndmør medh thetta vorth opne breff ath vy ware oppo Gizskæ sancte Tyburcii och Valeriani dagh anno domini *mcdcx quarto hørdhe oc saaghe handherbandh there aff ene halffue welbyrdigh man herræ Alff Knutzsøn riddher en aff andhre halffue Gwdhe Torkelsdotter ath hwn tiil stod ath hvn haffde selth her Alff Knutzssøn saa møkit som hvn otthe y Swrtenne som ligher y Skodin sokn y Swndmør medh alle the luttum och lwndum som ther tiil l
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor owned the Giske estate from the 1460s until he died around 1496, and the letter shows that he was himself at Giske and buying up land nearby. The estate consisted of many farms spread out over a wide area, and the owner lived on the land rent, the yearly rent from the tenant farmers. After the Black Death and the decline of the late Middle Ages much land was cheap, and great landowners could gather shares of farms. The handshake was the legal act that made the purchase binding, and the members of the lawcourt, sworn farmers, set their seals as proof. That a woman is the seller shows that women could own and sell land in their own name.
People: Alv Knutsson