The inheritance division at Skara: Kristina Eriksdotter's share
SDHK 34161 · 25. januar 1500 · Skara, gråbrødreklosteret
What the letter says
In the Franciscan friary at Skara on 25 January 1500, Kristina Eriksdotter of Bjurum, widow of Hans Åkesson (Tott), divides an inheritance with her siblings. Among them is Sir Knut Alvsson (Tre Rosor) «i Giske» (of Giske). They divide the inheritance after their mother, Lady Kristina of Fågelvik, King Karl's daughter, and her sister Lady Magdalena, widow of Sir Ivar Axelsson. Bishop Brynolf of Skara, the marshal Svante Nilsson and the lawman of Västergötland Ture Jönsson are present. Kristina receives half of Åby farm in Värend and estates in a long list of hundreds in Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Västmanland, Östergötland and Uppland.
Background
Knut Alvsson (died 1502) was the son of Alv Knutsson and held Giske after his father. His first wife, Görvel Eriksdotter (Gyllenstierna), was the daughter of Sir Erik Eriksson and Lady Kristina of Fågelvik, and Kristina was the daughter of the Swedish king Karl Knutsson (Bonde), who also fought for the Norwegian throne in 1449. Görvel had died before 1495, which is why Knut took part in the division after his mother-in-law and her sister Magdalena. SDHK puts the word «syskon» (siblings) in quotation marks because Knut was the brother-in-law of the other heirs. The division was written down in several letters, one for each heir, and this is Kristina's. The letter shows how large the inherited estate of King Karl's daughters was, spread over six Swedish provinces. That Knut is called «i Giske» shows that in Sweden he was known as the lord of Giske. SDHK also refers to an earlier division in the same family from 1453.
People: Knut Alvsson