Nils Lykke takes over fru Inger's fiefs
DN 9/649 · 19 Decbr. 1529 · Bergen
What the letter says
The knight Nils Lykke writes from Bergen on the fourth Sunday of Advent 1529 to the common people of Fosen fief, Edøy, Sunnmøre, Romsdal, Stjørdal and Herjedalen. King Frederik I has granted him these fiefs, and his mother-in-law fru Ingerd Ottesdatter has surrendered them to him. He sends certified copies of the king's letter of enfeoffment and her letter of transfer. The farmers are from now on to answer to him and his bailiffs, Olav the clerk and no one else, and he promises to keep them under St Olaf's law and old customs and to come himself soon.
The letter in modern English
I, Niels Lykke, knight, greet all of you, honourable, sensible and decent men, the whole common people who live and dwell in Fosen fief, Edøy, Sunnmøre, Romsdal, Stjørdal and Herjedalen, lovingly with our Lord. Dear friends, you can well see from all His Royal Majesty's letters and my mother's letters how the mighty, high-born prince and lord Lord Frederik, by the grace of God King of Denmark, of the Wends and the Goths, elected King of Norway, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, our most gracious lord, has graciously granted and enfeoffed me with the said fiefs. You can also see how the honourable, well-born woman fru Ingerd Ottesdatter, widow of the honourable, well-born man and stern knight Lord Niels Henriksson, formerly steward of the realm of Norway, my dear father, God rest his soul, my dear mother, has willingly surrendered all the said fiefs to me, because of His Majesty's gracious and favourable letters and out of motherly loyalty and love. Of these letters I now send you true, firm and valid copies, sealed under the seals of lords, prelates and honourable men.
Original text
Jeg Niels Lucke riitther helsszer etther alle erlige fornumpstige oc bescheden dannemend mennige almoffue som byggendis oc boendis ere vtj Ffoszen leen Eddøen Swndmøre Romssdall Stiirdall oc Herdall kierlig mett wor herre. Kiere venner huoerledis stormectige hoffboren ffiirste oc herre her Ffrederiich met gudts nade Danmarckis Vendis oc Gottis koningh vdtuald koning tiil Norge hertug vtj Slesuig oc Holsten Stormaren [oc Dytmerschen greffue j Oldenburgh oc Del- menhorst wor alder nadigiste
Background
The Danish nobleman Nils Lykke was married to fru Inger's daughter Eline Nilsdatter, and so he calls fru Inger «my dear mother» and Nils Henriksson «my dear father». Fru Inger (died 1555) had held these fiefs, including Sunnmøre and thus the area around Giske, but the year 1529 had been marked by the conflict with Archbishop Olav, who had seized her fiefs. By letting her son-in-law take them over, the fiefs probably got an administrator who stood stronger with the king, and they stayed in the family. A fief (len) was a royal district where the holder collected taxes and dues and kept order, in return for keeping a share himself. A «fyllebrev» was the letter in which fru Inger formally gave up her right. Nils Lykke died in prison in 1535, accused of a relationship with his sister-in-law Lucie.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)