Knut Algotsson gives Jon Martinsson property for a debt
DN 7/290 · 25 January 1373 · Daleborg
What the letter says
At Daleborg on 25 January 1373 the knight Knut Algotsson writes that he and Jon Martinsson have been reconciled through the mediation of friends. Knut owed Jon's father 2000 Swedish marks. As settlement he hands over the estate Venisjö and Mulathorp, with fields, meadows, woodland and fishing waters, to Jon and his heirs for ever.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
All men who see or hear this letter, I, Knut Algotsson, knight, greet eternally with God. Be it known to all that Jon Martinsson and I are reconciled and agreed, after our friends have mediated, concerning the settlement I owed him on behalf of his father, which is two thousand Swedish marks. For this money and this settlement I have handed over to him my estate called Venisjö and Mulathorp, with everything that belongs to it, field and meadow, woodland and fishing water, both wet and dry. With this same open letter I bind myself to keep this estate free of all who might lay claim to it, to be owned for ever by him and his heirs, from me and my heirs. For further certainty and witness I set the seals of these honourable men to this letter: Sir Erik Ketilsson, knight, Ulf Jonsson, Torkel Ærengislesson and Jon Knutsson, and my own. Given at Daleborg in the year of the Lord 1373, on the day of the Conversion of Paul (25 January).
Original text (excerpt)
Alle the mæn thettæ breff see æller høræ heelsar jak Knuth Algutsson riddare æværdhelikæ med gudhi. thet skal allom mannom witærlikth vare at Joan Martinsson ok jak wi ærom satæ ok samradhughæ æpter varæ vinæ sæmie om then ræghanskap som iak var hanom skyldugh aff hans fadhers væknæ hvilkith som ær to thvsande svenskæ mark ffore hvilkæ penningæ ok ræghanskap. tha hauar iak wnth hanom min goz hvilkin som hete Vænisøø ok Mulathorp med allu the ther til liggær akar ok ængh skogh ok fiskæuan badhe m
Background
Jon Martinsson (Jon Marteinsson) married Agnes Sigurdsdatter of Sudreim and was the father of Sigurd Jonsson, who later owned Giske. The letter shows that Jon and his father had large financial interests in Sweden, and 2000 Swedish marks was a very large debt. The document is a letter of settlement and conveyance, in which land is given instead of money, which was common when a nobleman could not pay. Venisjö and Mulathorp probably lay in Sweden, but where is uncertain from the letter. Daleborg was a castle by Lake Vänern on the Swedish side, and the times were unsettled after Albrecht of Mecklenburg had taken the Swedish crown in 1364. The letter tells of the family behind Sigurd Jonsson, and it says nothing about Giske directly.
People: Jon Marteinsson