Truid Ulfstand claims the inheritance of Karine Alvsdatter
DN 22/354 · 30. januar 1537 · Varberg
What the letter says
The knight Truid Ulfstand writes from Varberg on 30 January 1537 to Eske Bille, commander at Bergenhus, that the maiden Karine Alvsdatter is dead. He is sending his squire to receive her estate, because his wife is Karine's nearest and rightful heir. The farmers around Giske are to pay rent and land rent only to Truid or his agents, otherwise they must pay twice. Eske is asked to arrange for the farmers to deliver the land rent in Bergen, where a reliable merchant can turn it into gold and silver.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Friendly and loving greeting now and always first with Our Lord. Dear Eske Bille, mother's brother's son and especially good friend, you shall know that Almighty God has now called the maiden Karine Alvsdatter away from this world. God be merciful to her soul. Therefore I have now sent the bearer of this letter, my squire, up into the realm to receive on my behalf Maiden Karine's estate, movable and fixed, wherever it is or may be found, which rightfully belongs to me on my wife's behalf. Therefore my loving request to you is that you will help him on my behalf in the way he asks you, and that you do not allow anyone to hinder him as regards the part and right that rightfully falls to me on my wife's behalf, so that as much law and right may be done me as there is. This I will always gladly repay you when you ask me. You know well yourself that my wife is Maiden Karine's nearest and rightful heir, and no one else. Dear Eske Bille, should it happen that this squire of mine cannot get to Giske this time, then please give me a letter from you to whoever is sitting at Giske. In it you shall forbid him to answer to anyone other than me on my wife's behalf, and he shall announce and make clear to the farmers round about Giske whom Maiden Karine had in her charge that on pain of faldsmål (fine for breaking an order) they shall not give or render their rent or dues to anyone, or an
Original text (excerpt)
Vennlig kierlig hielszenn nu oc altiidt forsentt met Wor Herre. Kiere Eskie Biilde moderbrodher sønn och sønderligenn godhe wenn maaJ wiide att thend almectugste Gudtt haffuer nu kallett jomffrue Karine Alsdatther aff thenne werdenn. Gudtt hennes siell naade. Saa haffuer ieg nu wpskickett ther i riigett thenne breffuiszere min suendtt att annamme paa mine wegnne jomffrue Karinnes efftherladinnde gotzs rørindes oc wrørindes ehuor thett helst er eller finndes kann somm mig paa min hostrues wegnne
Background
Karine Alvsdatter was the daughter of Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor and the sister of Knut Alvsson, and she had held the Giske estate. Truid Ulfstand was a Danish nobleman married to Gjørvel Fadersdatter, and through her he claimed the inheritance. He calls Eske Bille his mother's brother's son and asks for help on the strength of the kinship. The letter is a private letter written in a turbulent year: in 1537 the Reformation was carried through in Norway, and Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson fled the country, so it was uncertain who had power over estates and offices. Land rent was the annual rent the tenant farmers paid for the land, often in goods such as fish, butter or grain. That the goods were to be sold in Bergen and exchanged for gold and silver shows how an estate owner who lived in Halland turned Norwegian land rent into money through the trading town.