The Council of the Realm places Torleiv Bjørnsson over Iceland
DN 5/915 · 25 August 1481 · Bergen
What the letter says
The Council of the Realm of Norway, among them Archbishop Gaute and the knight Alv Knutsson, write from Bergen on 25 August 1481 to everyone in Iceland. After the death of King Christian I they give Torleiv Bjørnsson Iceland and the Westman Islands as hirdstjore for three years. He is to pay 900 light guilders in Bergen every year, collect taxes and fines that have fallen due since Didrik Pining left, and may appoint and dismiss district officers (lensmenn).
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
We, Gaute, by the grace of God archbishop of Nidaros and papal legate, Hans of Bergen, Karl of Hamar and Eilif of Stavanger, by the same grace bishops, Jon Smør and Alv Knutsson, knights, Jon Bjørnsson, Otte Mattisson and Guttorm Tjeld, squires, the Council of the Realm of Norway, greet all men who dwell and live in Iceland lovingly with God and St Olaf the king, and make known with this our open letter: Our gracious lord King Christian is now dead, God have mercy on his soul. He had promised, sworn and given us letters that he would govern and rule the realm of Norway with native and native-born men and not entrust land or fiefs to foreigners. This we now intend to keep in full, according to our privileges and the freedom of the country. Therefore we have unanimously agreed that the well-born man Torleiv Bjørnsson shall have Iceland and the Westman Islands with the royal revenues and rights on behalf of the Crown of Norway for three consecutive years, reckoned from when he has come home to the country. He shall be loyal and true to the Crown of Norway and its regents, as the laws of Norway and Iceland show. Torleiv shall pay the regents of Norway 900 light guilders [gold coins] in Bergen every year without default. In return Torleiv shall receive all royal revenues and rights, small and great, that have fallen due or may fall due, and about which no lawful settlement has been made. We also give him full power to appoint and dismiss district officers (lensmenn) in each district (syssel), who shall do law and justice, as he finds useful.
Original text (excerpt)
Wii Gaute medh gudz naadh erchebiscopp i Nidaroos ock paueligx sættis legatus Hans i Bergen Karll i Hamar Eliff i Stawanger, medh same naadh biscoppe, Jon Smør, Alff Knutsson riddere, Jon Biørnsson, Otte Mattisson, ock Guttorm Tiæld, vepnere, rikens raadh i Norighe, heillsæ allom mannom som byggia ock boo aa Islande, kerleghe medh gudi ock sancte Olaff konnungh, kunnuckt gørænde medh thesso vaare opne breffue ath effter thii at vaar nadighe herre konnung Cristiern ær nw dødh, gudh hans siæll nad
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor owned Giske after the estate passed to him from Sigurd Jonsson's family, and the letter shows that he sat on the Council of the Realm. The Council of the Realm consisted of the leading clergy and noblemen, and when the king died it governed the country until a new king had been chosen. The council refers to the king's promise that only native-born men should receive fiefs, a demand that was important to the Norwegian nobility in the union period. A hirdstjore was the king's highest official in Iceland. The letter also shows the money side of a fief: the feudal lord paid a fixed sum and kept the rest of the revenues himself. It does not concern Giske directly and was probably included in the search because of Alv Knutsson's name.
People: Alv Knutsson, Otte Matsson (Rømer)