Sigurd Havtoresson is absolved after seizing the bishop
DN 6/145 · 25 June 1334 · Avignon
What the letter says
Pope John XXII writes on 25 June 1334 to the Bishop of Hamar. Sigurd Havtoresson, with some accomplices, had stopped the bishop on the road, taken him to a kinsman's house, held him there for a day and a night and made him lend out a strong castle belonging to the church of Hamar. Sigurd has now handed the castle back and made amends to the bishop, and the pope gives the bishop authority to absolve Sigurd and his men from excommunication and impose penance on them.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Bishop John, servant of the servants of God, to our venerable brother Arnaldus (as the name stands in the text), Bishop of Hamar, greeting and apostolic blessing. We have received a petition from our dear son, the noble man Sigurd Havtoresson of your diocese of Hamar. It relates that some time ago, together with some accomplices, he happened to meet you on the road. He led you and your people, who were then with you, with a certain force to the house of a kinsman of his, but without you or your people being harmed in body. There he held you for a day and a night, in a fairly courteous and respectful manner, and made you lend him a very strong castle belonging to you and your church in Hamar, until a certain time. After that he let you freely go on your way with your people and their belongings and yours. According to what the petition relates, this noble man has now handed the castle back to you, reconciled himself amicably with you over the said offences and given you fitting amends. He has therefore humbly asked us of apostolic kindness to see to it that he and his accomplices in this matter receive absolution and freedom from excommunication and other penalties and sentences which they are known to have incurred for this, whether pronounced by a man or following from canon law, so that neither they nor their descendants shall remain bound by these penalties. We willingly grant this petition. By this letter we give you, our brother, full aut
Original text (excerpt)
Johannes episcopus s. s. d. venerabili fratri Arnaldo episcopo Hamarensi salutem et apost. benedict. Oblata nobis dilecti filij nobilis viri Syghurdi Hathori tue Amerensis diocesis petitio continebat quod ipse dudum nonnullis suis associatus complicibus tibi casualiter obuians te una cum familiaribus tuis, qui tunc temporis tecum erant, ad domum cuiusdam consanguinei sui violenter quodammodo, cessante tamen quoad te dictosque familiares lesione corporali, adduxit, ac deinde postquam ibidem per d
Background
Anyone who laid hands on a bishop was automatically excommunicated under canon law, and only the pope or someone he authorised could absolve from such an excommunication. That is why Sigurd had to apply to Avignon, where the pope resided. Sigurd Havtoresson of Sudreim was a grandson of King Håkon V through his mother and was betrothed in 1342 to Erling Vidkunsson's daughter Ingeborg, who later received Giske. The incident is probably connected with the unrest at the beginning of the 1330s, when magnates such as Erling Vidkunsson and the Havtoresson brothers stood against the young King Magnus Eriksson after the regency had ended. The pope calls the bishop Arnaldus, while according to Norwegian sources the Bishop of Hamar at this time was called Halvard, so the name in the letter is probably an error. The letter shows that the struggle over castles and power could also strike the church, and that it was possible to settle through amends and reconciliation.
People: Sigurd Havtoresson