Bjarne Erlingsson is sent to the kings of Sweden and Denmark
SDHK 1293 · mai eller juni 1285 · Bergen?
What the letter says
Queen Ingeborg, Abbot Erik of Munkeliv in Bergen and Erik Duggulsson announce in 1285 that Bishop Narve of Bergen and Lord Bjarne Erlingsson are to travel on King Eirik's errand to the kings of Sweden and Denmark. In Sweden they are to try to have a letter accepted, and if that fails, they are to conclude a settlement as it has been drafted. In Denmark they are to settle the cases and complaints between the two realms, and they may not bind the Norwegian king to more than 6000 marks in debt, minus the damages the Norwegians claim from the Danes. If German envoys come to the Danish king while they are there, they are to be given safe conduct for talks with the Norwegian king. The letter is sealed by the issuers and by members of the king's council, among them Lord Vidkunn.
The letter in modern English
Ingeborg, by God's mercy queen in Norway, and Erik, abbot of Munkeliv in Bergen, and Erik Duggulsson send all men who see or hear this letter God's greeting and their own. We wish to make known to you that the worthy lord and spiritual father Narve, by God's mercy bishop in Bergen, and Lord Bjarne Erlingsson travel on these errands of our worthy lord King E(irik) the crowned, in the sixth year of his reign and when one thousand two hundred and 85 winters had passed since the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Sweden: if the letter that is now being sent there can be accepted, they are to try to achieve that. If it is not accepted, they are to make the settlement in every respect as it has been drafted, but nothing is to be included about the hired soldiers. They are also to arrange a meeting with the Swedish king at Jonsvake (Midsummer). And these are their errands to the Danish king: to examine and hear and bring to an end the cases and complaints that pass between the realms of Norway and Denmark, and to make an agreement with the Danish king and obtain the land «Ordost» [unclear]. If that fails, they are to give up «þiorn» [unclear]. They are also to arrange a meeting with the Danish king at the latest at Knutsmesse and at «Guldbergsheide». They are not to bind our lord the king of Norway to more debt than at most six thousand marks, on condition that as much is deducted f
Original text
Ingiborg medr guds misskunn Drottning j Noreghe ok Erikr Abote at Munkliui i Bergum ok Erikr Duggulsson senda ollum mannum þeim sem þtta bref sia eda höyra Q(uediu) G(uds) ok sina. Ver vilium ydr kunnikt gera at virduligr herra ok andlegr fader Narwe mædr guds miskunn biskup i Berguin ok herra Biarne Erlingson fara þessara erenda vars virdulega herra E. konungs hins koronada a setta are rikis hans ok at lidnum fra burdar tima vars herra ihesu christi þushundraþe ok tueim hunþradum LXXXV vetra ti
Background
Bjarne Erlingsson of Bjarkøy (c. 1248 to 1313) was married to Margrete Nikolasdatter, the heiress to Giske, and sat in the regency for the young King Eirik Magnusson, who in 1285 was around 17 years old. Queen Ingeborg was the king's mother and Danish by birth. The letter shows Bjarne as one of the two men the realm sent to deal with the great foreign affairs: the conflict with Denmark and relations with the German towns after the Hanseatic blockade of 1284 to 1285. The settlement "drafted" in Sweden probably concerned the German towns, since the Swedish king mediated between Norway and the towns that same year. The same year the pope wrote that the archbishop had excommunicated Bjarne (DN 17/880), so he was at once an opponent of the Church and an envoy of the realm. Lord Vidkunn among the witnesses is probably Bjarne's brother Vidkunn Erlingsson, baron and councillor of the realm. The letter is known from a copy made after the Middle Ages. SDHK has the same letter of authority under no. 1299, with a reference to DN 5/14.
People: Bjarne Erlingsson, Vidkunn Erlingsson