The people of Gudbrandsdalen consent to the royal election of 1442
DN 5/711 · 9 April 1442 · Voleseter
What the letter says
The farmers in the southern syssel (district) of Gudbrandsdalen write to drottsete Sigurd Jonsson and the Council of the Realm after a thing (assembly) at Voleseter on 9 April 1442. They have chosen Goden Ottreksson to carry their answer to the negotiating meeting in Lödöse. They say that they know little about what can be done at a change of king, and leave the decision to the Council of the Realm. They accept what the council decides, so long as they may keep the old laws and the rettarbøter.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To the well-born man Sigurd Jonsson, drottsete in Norway, and the others in the Council of the Realm who want the best for Norway, we farmers and householders who live and dwell in the southern syssel of Gudbrandsdalen send loving greeting in our Lord and with our humble prayer. The drottsete had appointed and announced Goden Ottreksson to the Council of the Realm for the dagtinging (negotiating meeting) in Lödöse on our behalf. Therefore we were gathered at Voleseter, at the common place of assembly, on the Monday after Easter week (9 April) 1442, and with unanimous counsel we agreed that Goden should bring our letter and answer to the Council of the Realm. For our part we find it unclear, because we have little knowledge of it, what can be done and not done at a change of king. Therefore we leave it to you and the whole Council of the Realm and the common people, and to the other good men who are appointed to the council, both from the Uplands and from the coastal land. What you do in this matter, we shall all keep and accept on our side, on the condition that we may enjoy the laws and rettarbøter which our holy forefathers have granted us and held to. Now it rests with God and you what you will do with this. For greater truth and proof we, Halvard Eivindsson, Bård Jonsson, Tore Jonsson, Iver Bjørnsson, Torgeir Guttormsson, Halvard He[illegible]sson, Amund Sigurdsson, Sigurd Halvardsson, Asle Tordsson, Torgils Sigurdsson, Eivind Alvsson and Dag Arnesson, hang our seals on this letter, which was written on the day and in the year
Original text (excerpt)
Wælbørdogom manne Sigurd Jonson drotzette i Norege och fleræ rikesens rad som Norege wilia witha thet bæstæ; helsom wi bønder och bomen som bygæ och boo; i sydræ syslonæ i Gwdbrandz dalum kærleghæ med warom herra och med waræ ødmykelegæ bøn; Nw efther thet drotzetten hafdæ til nemt och sagt Goden Ottrexsson til rikesens rad ath dectingan til Lødesse; a waræ weg[na]n; tha warom wi a Wolusætre a almennis tingstadh; manædagen nest efther paskæ wiku anno domini mcdxl cecundo och med waræ samtykelega
Background
Sigurd Jonsson (died 1453) was a great-grandchild of Ingeborg Erlingsdatter and owner of Giske, and as drottsete he was the foremost man in the Norwegian Council of the Realm. King Eric of Pomerania had been deposed in Denmark and Sweden in 1439, and in 1442 Norway too gave him up and elected Christopher of Bavaria as king. The royal election was to be decided at a meeting in Lödöse on the Göta älv, near the border between the kingdoms. The letter shows that the Council of the Realm wanted consent from the rural districts to give the election weight. A drottsete was the realm's highest secular official, and rettarbøter were amendments to the law issued by the kings. The farmers' reservation about the old laws shows what they feared losing at a change of king in the union period.
People: Sigurd Jonsson