Giske fief is to be sold to pay the Crown's debts
NRR 9, s. 18 f. · 31. mai 1648 · København
What the letter says
In Copenhagen on 31 May 1648 King Frederick III writes to the governor-general Hannibal Sehested. On the advice of the Council of the Realm of Denmark, Giske fief, Verne abbey and the farms of Nygård, Vrem and Åby in Norway with their lands are to be sold to pay part of the debts of the Crown of Norway. Ove Bjelke is to administer Giske fief until it is sold. Sehested is to notify the creditors and has authority to sell the property to anyone. The price is fixed: each skippund tunge south of the mountains at 100 riksdaler with leasehold rights and 80 without, north of the mountains at 80 riksdaler with leasehold rights and 60 without, subject to the king's approval.
The letter in modern English
Hannibal Sehested received a letter concerning Giske fief, Verne abbey and the farms of Nygård, Vrem and Åby. Frederick III. Our special favour first. On the advice and consideration of the Council of the Realm of Denmark we have found it necessary and advisable, in order to discharge and pay part of the debts of the Crown of Norway, to sell and dispose of Giske fief, Verne abbey and the farms of Nygård, Vrem and Åby in our realm of Norway, with their lands and property according to the contents of the rent rolls. We have graciously instructed Ove Bjelke etc. to administer Giske fief and collect its income until it can be sold. You are therefore to inform the creditors of this, and if anyone comes forward to you wishing to buy some or all of the property, of whatever rank or condition he may be, you shall herewith have authority on our and the Crown's behalf to negotiate and to assign the property to the creditors. Each skippund tunge south of the mountains, reduced according to the tariff to hartkorn, is to be sold for 100 riksdaler with leasehold rights and for 80 without, but north of the mountains each skippund tunge for 80 riksdaler with leasehold rights and for 60 riksdaler without, subject to our gracious ratification, of which you shall afterwards humbly inform us. When you have sold the property of Giske fief and the farms of Vrem and Åby, you are to send down here fr
Original text
Hannibal Sehested fik Brev, Giske Len, Verne Kloster, Nygaard, Vrem og Aaby Gaarde anlangendes. F. III. V. s. G. t. Eftersom vi med os elskelige Danmarks Riges Raads Raad og Betænkende for nødigt og raadsomt have anseet og eragtet, til en Deel Norges Krones Gjæld at aflægge og betale, Giske Len, Verne Kloster, Nygaard, Vrem og Aaby Gaarde udi vort Rige Norge med des tilliggendes Gods og Eiendom efter Jordebøgernes Indhold at selge og afhænde, og vi os elskelige Ove Bjelke etc. naadigst have anb
Background
The war against Sweden of 1643 to 1645, the Hannibal War, had left the Crown deep in debt, and Christian IV died in February 1648. The new king Frederick III and the Council of the Realm at once began selling Crown land to pay the creditors, often by giving creditors land instead of money. Skippund tunge was a measure of assessment, the value of a farm reckoned in land rent, and bygsel (leasehold right) meant the right to choose the tenant and take the leasehold fee. The Giske estate had by then been Crown land for 66 years. The same year it ended up with Sehested himself, see the following letters.