The Giske estate is placed under Bergenhus
NRR 2, s. 458 f. · 5. mars 1582 · Frederiksborg
What the letter says
From Frederiksborg on 5 March 1582 King Frederick II writes to Hans Lindenov, feudal lord of Bergenhus. Gjørvel Fadersdatter has conveyed to the king and the Crown all her property north of the mountains and in Shetland and all the odal right she may have there, and the king wants the estate placed under Bergenhus. He encloses a list of the property and its rent, Gjørvel's covering letter to the tenants and his own covering letter. Lindenov is to guard the Crown's right to the odal land and obtain a clear register of the estate in Shetland, preferably by asking her old bailiffs and servants, some of whom still live in Norway. An enclosed slip says that Gjørvel's agents are to be allowed to collect the arrears the tenants owe her.
The letter in modern English
Hans Lindenov received a letter that His Majesty wants the property which Lady Gjørvel Fadersdatter has conveyed and given to His Majesty and the Crown of Norway placed under Bergenhus. Frederick II. Our favour first. Know that Lady Gjørvel Fadersdatter, widow of Sir Lauge Brahe, has humbly and willingly conveyed and given to us and the Crown all her property in our realm of Norway, as much as lies north of the mountains or in Shetland. She has also conveyed and surrendered to us and the Crown all the odal right and claim she might have to any odal land in the same places, and given us her full deed and security for it, which we keep here in safe custody among other letters of ours and of the realm. We send you herewith a clear list and register of as much of the property, and as much of its rent and dues, as she has so far been able to inform us of, together with her general covering letter to all her servants and property, both north of the mountains in Norway and in Shetland, and our own covering letter to both places. We ask you at once and without neglect [...] [...] Furthermore, since she has also, as mentioned, conveyed and surrendered to us and the Crown all the odal revenue and right she has to any odal land north of the mountains, we ask you to guard our and the Crown's right in this too, so that nothing is neglected. Likewise concerning the property in Shetland, wh
Original text
Hans Lindenov fik Brev, at K. Maj. vil have det Gods, som Fru Gyrvild Fadersdatter haver skjødt og givet til Hs. Maj. og Norges Krone, lagt under Bergenhuus. Fr. II. V. G. t. Vid, at os elskel. Fru Gyrvild Fadersdatter, Hr. Lauge Brahes Efterleverske, haver underd. og godvilligen skjødt og givet os og Kronen alt hvis Gods udi vort Rige Norge, saa meget nordenfjelds eller paa Hetland er liggendes, desligeste haver skjødt og opdraget til os og Kronen al den Odels-Ret og Rettighed, som hun kunde h
Background
Hans Lindenov of Ørsløv was feudal lord of Bergenhus, the largest fief in western Norway. Placing the Giske estate under Bergenhus made the scattered farms part of the Crown's ordinary administration. That the king had to ask Gjørvel's old bailiffs about the estate in Shetland shows that she herself did not have a full overview of it. In a letter of 1531 (DN 16/540) the Shetland property is counted as Ture Jönsson's own inheritance, and how it later came to Gjørvel does not appear from this letter. Odal right was the family's right to redeem land sold out of the kin, and Gjørvel conveyed that as well. Arrears were land rent the tenants owed from earlier years.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre)