Knut Alvsson divides the inheritance on behalf of his children
SDHK 34167 · 25. januar 1500 · Skara, gråbrødreklosteret
What the letter says
Abraham Eriksson (Gyllenstierna) divides an inheritance in the Franciscan friary at Skara on 25 January 1500 with his «syskon» Sir Erik Eriksson of Fågelvik, Sir Knut Alvsson (Tre Rosor) «på sina barns vägnar» (on behalf of his children), Lady Kristina Eriksdotter and Lady Sigrid Eskilsdotter (Banér). The inheritance is after their mother Lady Kristina (Karlsdotter) and Lady Magdalena, widow of Ivar Axelsson (Tott), King Karl's daughters. Abraham receives the main farm Flataryd and estates in Småland, Västergötland, Södermanland, Uppland and Västmanland.
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. This letter states outright that Knut acted on behalf of his children. They were probably the children he had with Görvel, and the inheritance passed through her. The letter survives only in copies from the 1600s, and SDHK warns that one of them has many misreadings of personal names.
People: Knut Alvsson