Duke Christian awards the inheritance of Ingerd Erlendsdatter away from fru Inger
DN 9/637 · 4 August 1529 · Oslo
Fru Inger had Giske and the Giske estate among the fiefs and estates she held in these years. The judgement shows how weak her position was in 1529, when she lost the inheritance of Ingerd Erlendsdatter, and it also mentions that Ture Jönsson claimed the same inheritance.
What the letter says
In the council house in Oslo on 4 August 1529 Duke Christian, with Norwegian and Danish councillors of the realm, judges the case in which Henrik Krummedike, on behalf of the children of Otte Holgersen Rosenkrantz, claims the inheritance of fru Ingerd Erlendsdatter, widow of Arild Kane. Vincens Lunge and fru Ingerd Ottesdatter had taken the inheritance into their keeping in Bergen. Fru Inger claimed she was the nearest heir, but said that Archbishop Olav had taken her farms, estate and documents from her, and that Ture Jönsson also had a claim. The court awarded the inheritance, movable and landed, to Otte Holgersen's children, and Lunge and fru Inger must hand it over according to the registers and repay what they have received from it.
The letter in modern English
We Christian, by the grace of God rightful heir to Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, make known to all that in the year after God's birth 1529, on the Wednesday after St Olaf's day [4 August], in the council house in Oslo, in the presence of our dear, worthy fathers in God Lord Styge Krumpen of Børglum, Lord Anders Mus of Oslo and Lord Hans Reff of the same place, bishops, Lord Otte Krumpen and Lord Gaute Galde, knights, Knut Gyldenstierne, Erik Ugerup and Erik Eriksen, councillors of the realms of Norway and Denmark, Lord Mogens Gyldenstierne, knight, commander at Akershus, Jon Pakke and Niels Knudsen, lawmen in Tønsberg and Oslo, there appeared before us our dear Lord Henrik Krummedike, knight, with full power on behalf of Otte Holgersen's children. He charged our dear Lord Vincens Lunge, knight, and fru Ingerd Ottesdatter, widow of Lord Niels Henriksson, knight, over some inherited gold, silver, money, letters, household goods and furnishings, landed estate and other things which they had taken to themselves after the death of fru Ingerd, Arild Kane's widow. To these Otte Holgersen's children were the rightful heirs, and their guardian had many times demanded the inheritance from them without obtaining it.
Original text
Wy Christiern met g(w)dtz naadhe rætt arwinghe til Norighe hertwgh wti Slætzwigh. Holsthen Stormaren och Dyttmersken greffwe wti Oldhenborigh och Delmenhorsth giør alle wittherligt ath aar effther gwdtz byrd mdxxix otthensdaghen nesth effther sancti Olwff konings dagh. paa raadstwen wti Opslo nærwærindes oss elskelighe werdighe fedre met gwd her Stygghe Krwmppen till Borglom her Andherss Mwss til Opslo, her Hanss Reff til samme stedh bispper her Ottæ Krwmppen her Gwdhe Galdhe riidherre.
Background
Fru Inger of Austrått (died 1555) was the widow of Nils Henriksson and owned and managed one of the largest collections of estates in Norway, with Giske and the Giske estate among the fiefs and estates she held in these years. Ingerd Erlendsdatter was a wealthy widow of Arild Kane, and her estate lay among other places in Shetland, the Faroe Islands and Nordland (see DN 9/638). Fru Inger considered herself the nearest heir, and when Ingerd died in Bergen while Inger was in Nordland, her son-in-law Vincens Lunge took the estate into safekeeping at her request. The letter shows how weak fru Inger's position was in 1529: Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson had taken her farms and the papers she needed to argue her case. That she calls herself «a poor and helpless woman» and lets Lunge speak for her was probably also a rhetorical move in court. To be someone's «hjemmel» (warrantor) meant standing responsible for a transfer being lawful. The Swedish steward Ture Jönsson of Tre Rosor, who later held the Giske estate on behalf of Gjørvel Fadersdatter, also claimed this inheritance.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)