Varberg falls, and Truid will claim Alv Knutsson's property
DN 22/299 · 6. juni 1536 · Helsingborg
Truid Ulfstand was married to Gjørvel Fadersdatter, who became the undisputed owner of the Giske estate from 1538. The letter shows that the inheritance of Alv Knutsson, including Giske, was his next concern once the siege of Varberg was over.
What the letter says
Truid Ulfstand writes from Helsingborg on 6 June 1536 to Eske Bille that Marcus Meyer had to surrender Varberg castle on Saturday 27 May, after the cannon had breached the wall. Truid got his wife and small children out healthy and unharmed, but he saved nothing of what he owned in the castle except his wife's everyday clothes. Now he is going to the king to negotiate about the castle. He asks Eske to help his wife like a brother and to claim whatever he can find of herr Alv Knutsson's property on behalf of Jomfru Karine Alvsdatter and his wife. He expects to come to Norway himself soon to claim his wife's rights.
The letter in modern English
Friendly greeting now and always lovingly sent before with our Lord. Dear Eske Bille, my maternal uncle's son and especially good friend. I thank you lovingly for all good things and for your letter, in which you wrote to me about how things stand there. I will gladly repay it in every way you let me know of. Dear Eske, you should know as news that on Saturday a week ago God and my lord helped me. I then had before Varberg castle eight kartauer [heavy cannon] and skarpmesser [lighter cannon, uncertain reading]. When the clock had struck four, our guns went off. When it had struck twelve, the wall was breached. Before the sun went down, the armoured soldiers searched every corner for Marcus [Meyer], so that he was forced to come out into our hands with every man who was in the castle, at the mercy of whatever our dearest gracious lord will do with them. Yesterday he was brought over here to my lord, and last night I received a letter back from my lord telling me to stay here a little. I have no doubt that Marcus Meyer will answer to justice and be punished as is fitting. And then God granted me the good fortune that I got my wife and my small children out of there healthy and well, sound and unharmed, God be praised. Of all I lost there in the castle I saved not so much as a hvid [a small coin], except my wife's everyday clothes.
Original text
Venligh helssen nw och alttid kerligh fforssenth met Vor Herre. Kere Eske Bille morbrorsen och ssinderlig gode ven tacker jegh Edher kerlig ffor alt gat oc ffor Edher skriwelsse I skreff meg til hwad leylighed ther pa fferde er hwelkid ieg gerne fforskylle vel i alle te made I megh tilssigindes vorde. Kere Eske maI vide ffor tinder i løwerdax viij dage tha hielp Gwd oc min herre meg. Jeg ta haffde ffor Vorberslat viij kartower oc skarpmessær. Ther iiij slo ta gick vort skøt aff.
Background
Marcus Meyer had been Truid's prisoner at Varberg after the battle of Helsingborg, but took the castle in a coup in March 1535, and Truid's wife Gjørvel Fadersdatter and the children became his prisoners for over a year. When Truid writes that he would come to Norway for his wife's rights, it shows that the inheritance from Alv Knutsson, with the Giske estate, was the next matter for him once the war was over. That also happened: after Karine's death in 1537 Gjørvel became sole heir, and from 1538 she was the undisputed owner of the Giske estate. Kartauer were heavy siege cannon. The Count's Feud was not yet over when the letter was written, and Copenhagen still held with Count Christopher and Duke Albrecht. The city surrendered later that same summer.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre), Alv Knutsson, Karine Alvsdatter